SAFe-POPM Sample Questions Answers

One strategy for managing complex critical path challenges is to adjust work between teams or split Features and Stories. Complex critical path challenges are situations where the delivery of value depends on the completion of multiple interdependent tasks by different teams1. These challenges can cause delays, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies in the value stream. To overcome these challenges, one option is to adjust work between teams or split Features and Stories, so that the dependencies are minimized or eliminated2. This can help improve the flow of work, reduce the risk of integration issues, and increase the flexibility and responsiveness of the teams3.

References:

•Accelerating Flow with SAFe - Scaled Agile Framework

•Managing Dependencies - Scaled Agile Framework

The Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration is a unique, dedicated iteration that occurs every Program Increment (PI). A PI is a timebox of 8 to 12 weeks, during which an Agile Release Train (ART) delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and systems. Therefore, in a 12-week PI, the IP Iteration occurs every quarter

The vision is a description of the future state of the solution under development, reflecting customer and stakeholder needs, as well as the features and capabilities proposed to meet those needs1. Communicating the vision effectively is essential for creating a shared understanding of the program’s goals and objectives, especially as they evolve due to changing market needs and business drivers1. One of the key aspects of communicating the vision is to establish the importance of Lean budget Guardrails, which are policies and practices that ensure the financial integrity and economic viability of the solution2. Lean budget Guardrails provide the boundaries and context forthe solution development, enabling decentralized decision-making and empowering teams to operate autonomously within the agreed-upon funding2. By communicating the importance of Lean budget Guardrails, the vision helps align the teams with the strategic themes and portfolio priorities, as well as foster a culture of innovation and learning2.

References: 1 Vision - Scaled Agile Framework, 2 Lean Budgets - Scaled Agile Framework

A solution is defined as a product, service, or system delivered to the customer in SAFe. A solution can be a small mobile application built by a single Agile Release Train (ART) or a large automotive system of systems built by a network of Development Value Streams (DVSs) in a supply chain1. A solution may also be an insurance or banking product offered by a financial institution. Solutions can be the products a company sells or the internal products they use to run the business. They may provide direct value to an end-user or may be a component of a larger solution1.

References:

•Solution - Scaled Agile Framework

One method to establish a team’s velocity is to compare the average story points completed throughout the previous iterations. This gives an indication of how much work the team can realistically deliver in a given time frame, based on their past performance. To calculate the team’s velocity, you can use the following formula: Team velocity = total story points completed / number of iterations. You can also use various charts and tools to visualize the team’s velocity and track itsprogress over time1234

References:

•Velocity in Scrum: How to Measure and Improve Performance - Atlassian

•Discover the Concept of Team Velocity - OpenClassrooms

•A Word on Velocity - LeadingAgile

•Increasing Your Scrum Team’s Velocity — ClearlyAgile

Product Management is the role that has content authority for the ART Backlog. The ART Backlog is a Kanban system that captures and manages the features and enablers that the Agile Release Train (ART) will implement in the upcoming Program Increments (PIs)1. Product Management is responsible for defining and communicating the vision, value proposition, and features of the solution, as well as prioritizing and refining the backlog items2. Product Management collaborates with stakeholders, customers, architects, and other roles to ensure that the ART Backlog reflects the needs and expectations of the customers and aligns with the strategic direction of the portfolio3.

References:

•ART and Solution Train Backlogs - Scaled Agile Framework

•Product Management - Scaled Agile Framework

Fostering Built-in Quality is a Product Owner responsibility that supports the team with value delivery. Built-in Quality is one of the four core values of SAFe® and it means that every aspect of the solution is continuously verified for quality1. The Product Owner fosters Built-in Quality in the following ways:

•Collaborating with the Development team and other stakeholders to define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item2.

•Participating in team events such as Iteration Planning, Backlog Refinement, and Iteration Review to provide feedback and guidance on the quality of the work2.

•Reviewing and approving the work items that meet the Definition of Done and the acceptance criteria2.

•Encouraging the team to apply Agile testing practices such as Test-First, Test-Driven Development, and Behavior-Driven Development3.

•Supporting the team’s continuous integration and continuous delivery practices to ensure fast and frequent feedback on the quality of the solution3.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and C) are not Product Owner responsibilities that support the team with value delivery, but rather responsibilities that belong to other roles or activities.

•Understanding market forces is a responsibility of Product Management, who is accountable for the market and business aspects of the solution4.

•Supporting the Architectural Runway is a responsibility of System Architects/Engineers, who provide technical guidance and enablement to the teams.

•Testing benefit hypotheses is an activity that occurs in the Continuous Exploration step of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline, where Product Owners and Product Managers collaborate to validate their assumptions about the customer and the solution.

One step when determining initial team capacity during PI Planning is to subtract one point for every team member’s vacation day, public holiday, or training day. This step helps the team to adjust their capacity based on the actual availability of each team member for the upcoming Program Increment (PI)1. By accounting for the time-based capacity adjustments, the team can plan their work more realistically and avoid overcommitting or underdelivering2.

References:

•PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

•How to Improve Your Agile Team’s Capacity Planning - Method

Considering how and what to demo during Iteration Planning increases the effectiveness of System Demos, which are events that provide an integrated view of new features delivered by the Agile Release Train (ART) in each Iteration12. By thinking ahead of how and what to demo, the teams can:

•Align on the product vision and roadmap and ensure that the work items are aligned with the customer value and the PI objectives12.

•Define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item and plan how to verify them in the demo12.

•Identify and resolve any dependencies, risks, or impediments that may affect the demo12.

•Prepare the demo environment and the necessary tools and data to support the demo12.

•Practice the demo and rehearse the script and the roles of the presenters12.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and C) are not actions that increase the effectiveness of System Demos, but rather actions that may reduce it.

•Spending a lot of time preparing for the demo may not be effective, as it may take away time and focus from the actual development and testing of the work items. Instead, the teams should aim for continuous integration and built-in quality practices that enable them to demo the work items as soon as they are done12.

•Limiting team attendance to minimize disruptions to the team may not be effective, as it may reduce the feedback and collaboration opportunities that the demo provides. Instead, the teams should invite and engage all the relevant stakeholders, such as Business Owners, executive sponsors, other Agile Teams, development management, and customers, to the demo12.

•Focusing on team-level metrics may not be effective, as it may not reflect the true value and progress of the integrated work across the ART. Instead, the teams should focus on system-level metrics, such as PI objectives, solution quality, and customer satisfaction, to evaluate the outcome and impact of the demo12.

One input to the Vision is customer feedback. Customer feedback is the information and opinions that customers and stakeholders provide about the solution, its features, and its value proposition1. Customer feedback helps to validate the assumptions, test the hypotheses, and measure the satisfaction of the solution2. Customer feedback also helps to identify the needs, preferences, and expectations of the customers and stakeholders, which are essential for defining and communicating the Vision3. The Vision is a description of the future state of the solution under development, and it reflects the problem(s) that the solution will solve and the benefits that it will deliver4.

References:

•Customer Feedback - Scaled Agile Framework

•Continuous Exploration - Scaled Agile Framework

•Solution Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

•Vision - Scaled Agile Framework