SSM Practice Test 3 — 25 Questions

Question 1

A Scrum Master notices that the team's Iteration Retrospective has become a status meeting where members report what they did rather than reflect on how they worked. Which action should the Scrum Master take to refocus the event on its intended purpose?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Introduce a structured format such as Start-Stop-Continue and explicitly ask the team to discuss process, interactions, and tools rather than task status.. The Retrospective exists for the team to inspect its process and identify improvements. When it devolves into status reporting, the Scrum Master should guide the team back to process-focused reflection. A structured format with explicit prompts about process, interactions, and tools achieves this while preserving team ownership and the event's purpose.

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Ask the Product Owner to lead the Retrospective and prioritize the team's backlog based on reported progress.

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Cancel the Retrospective for the next Iteration and instead use the time for backlog refinement.

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Report the team's lack of retrospective focus to the Release Train Engineer and request that the team be coached on Agile principles.

Question 2

Two iterations into a PI, the Scrum Master notices that the team's representatives consistently arrive at the Scrum of Scrums unprepared, reporting only their own status while the ART's cross-team dependencies go unaddressed. What is the most effective action for the Scrum Master to take?

Accepted Answer

Work with the team to prepare dependency information before each Scrum of Scrums, coaching the representative on raising blockers and following up on commitments.. The Scrum Master's responsibility for ART events is to help teams get value from them, so the right move is to coach the team representative to arrive with dependency status, blockers, and follow-up items. That keeps ownership with the team, improves coordination for the whole train, and builds a habit that persists beyond the current PI. Imposing controls or substituting for the representative addresses symptoms rather than capability.

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Attend the Scrum of Scrums personally and take over reporting so the team's dependency information is presented accurately.

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Recommend the team stop sending representatives and instead post dependency updates in a shared channel that other teams can read asynchronously.

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Ask the Release Train Engineer to add a mandatory dependency checklist to the Scrum of Scrums agenda and enforce attendance rules for all representatives.

Question 3

During a SAFe Inspect and Adapt event, the Agile Team identifies a systemic impediment that requires collaboration with another Agile Release Train. What should the Scrum Master do next?

Accepted Answer

Collaborate with the Release Train Engineer and other Scrum Masters to escalate the finding and establish cross-ART problem-solving channels.. The Scrum Master facilitates cross-train collaboration by leveraging ART networks and value stream connections to escalate and resolve systemic issues. By partnering with Release Train Engineers and other Scrum Masters, the Scrum Master ensures that impediments beyond the team's boundary receive proper visibility and programmatic remediation.

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Direct the team to solve the problem internally by modifying their local processes to bypass the dependent release train completely.

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File an enterprise IT support ticket and wait for corporate management to resolve the workflow bottleneck without team involvement.

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Cancel all future Inspect and Adapt events since the team cannot control issues originating outside of their immediate team boundary.

Question 4

During an Iteration Retrospective, the Scrum Master notices that the same two vocal team members dominate the conversation, while quieter members offer no input. Which technique should the Scrum Master use to ensure balanced participation?

Accepted Answer

Utilize silent brainstorming techniques, such as brainwriting on sticky notes, before opening the floor to verbal discussion.. To overcome dominant personalities in retrospectives, the Scrum Master should employ silent writing techniques like brainwriting before verbal discussion. This allows every team member an equal opportunity to generate ideas without interruption or intimidation. Facilitating inclusive participation ensures the team captures diverse perspectives and uncovers root causes that might otherwise remain hidden.

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Ban the two dominant team members from attending future retrospectives so the quieter members feel safer speaking.

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Designate yourself as the sole speaker for the team, summarizing what you believe everyone else experienced.

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Ignore the imbalance, assuming that quiet team members simply have nothing meaningful to contribute to the discussion.

Question 5

During the Scrum of Scrums, Team Beta reports they will miss a dependency needed by Team Alpha. As Scrum Master for Team Alpha, what is the most appropriate immediate action?

Accepted Answer

Work with Team Beta's Scrum Master to renegotiate the dependency timing and update the ART's program board.. The Scrum of Scrums is the forum for resolving cross-team dependencies. The Scrum Master should facilitate direct collaboration with the other team's Scrum Master to renegotiate timing and update the program board, keeping the ART's plan transparent. Escalating immediately, halting work, or merely logging the risk without replanning all fail to address the dependency effectively.

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Instruct Team Alpha to stop work on the dependent Feature until Team Beta delivers.

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Log the dependency as a risk in the team's backlog and continue with the current plan unchanged.

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Escalate to the Release Train Engineer to force Team Beta to reprioritize the dependency.

Question 6

During an Iteration Review for a team adopting SAFe Scrum, a stakeholder expresses frustration that a major user story was not completed because the team spent unexpected time fixing architectural defects. The Product Owner accepted the partial work. How should the Scrum Master address this?

Accepted Answer

Coach the team and Product Owner on the Definition of Done, ensuring only fully completed stories are accepted and counted.. The Scrum Master must coach both the Product Owner and the team on the strict definition of done, emphasizing that incomplete stories cannot be accepted as done simply because some work was performed. Unfinished stories must return to the backlog for re-prioritization in future planning cycles.

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Instruct the Product Owner to mark the story as complete in the tracking tool so the velocity metrics remain artificially high.

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Advise the team to skip writing automated unit tests in future iterations so they can deliver features faster under pressure.

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Blame the System Architect for failing to provide clear technical guidelines before the iteration started.

Question 7

An Agile Team in a SAFe ART has a Scrum Master/Team Coach who also serves as the team's technical lead. During the Iteration Retrospective, the team raises that the Scrum Master often makes technical decisions without team input, which stifles ownership. Which action best aligns with the Scrum Master/Team Coach role?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a team discussion to redistribute technical decision-making, and coach the team to own technical choices while you focus on process and growth.. The Scrum Master/Team Coach must avoid becoming the team's technical decision-maker, even if they have expertise. By facilitating a discussion and coaching the team to own technical choices, the Scrum Master restores self-management and focuses on process facilitation and team growth. This approach honors the servant-leader mindset and directly resolves the team's concern about stifled ownership.

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Relinquish all technical involvement and focus exclusively on process facilitation, even if the team asks for technical guidance.

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Escalate the team's complaint to the Release Train Engineer and ask them to mandate a separation of roles.

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Continue making technical decisions but document them in the team's wiki to improve transparency.

Question 8

Refer to the exhibit. Why would the Scrum Master coach the team to mark the 'Auth API' objective as uncommitted?

Accepted Answer

The team faces high technical uncertainty or external dependencies.. Uncommitted objectives are not extra work; they are planned items that have significant uncertainty or dependency risks. The Scrum Master coaches the team to use this category to ensure the ART's commitment remains reliable. This practice improves predictability by distinguishing between what is highly likely and what is contingent on external factors.

Answer

The objective has low business value for the stakeholders.

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The team has a lack of interest in this specific technical task.

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It is a stretch goal that the team will only start if they finish early.

Question 9

During a Team Increment Planning event, a Agile Team realizes their draft plan relies heavily on an external supplier team that has not committed to providing the needed API by iteration two. What should the SAFe Scrum Master facilitate?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a direct conversation with the supplier team, highlight the risk on the program board, and adjust team objectives accordingly.. The Scrum Master must facilitate transparent collaboration during PI Planning by ensuring the dependency is formally documented on the program board and discussed with the dependent team. Escalating early to management and product management helps resolve bottlenecks before final commitments are made, maintaining alignment across the Agile Release Train.

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Ignore the dependency and assume the supplier will magically deliver on time.

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Have the team commit to the original plan and blame the supplier if failure occurs later.

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Cancel the PI Planning event immediately until the supplier signs a legally binding contract.

Question 10

What is the primary purpose of the Iteration Review in SAFe?

Accepted Answer

To demonstrate working, tested stories to stakeholders and gather immediate feedback on the solution increment.. The Iteration Review provides a cadence-based opportunity for the Agile Team to assess the solution increment with key stakeholders, review metrics, and adjust the backlog. This ensures continuous alignment between the team's output and stakeholder expectations. This matters because it validates working software against real user needs rather than just tracking theoretical completion.

Answer

To evaluate individual team member performance and assign annual ratings.

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To perform deep root-cause analysis on team interpersonal conflicts and process bottlenecks.

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To plan the capacity and draft high-level objectives for the upcoming Program Increment.

Question 11

What is the primary purpose of the Iteration Review in a SAFe Scrum team?

Accepted Answer

To demonstrate the team's work and receive feedback from stakeholders.. The Iteration Review provides an opportunity for the team to demonstrate the working, tested product to stakeholders and gather feedback. This feedback loop is the foundation of iterative development, as it ensures the team is building the right thing. It is critical because it validates assumptions early, allowing for course correction and ensuring that the final output aligns with the customers' needs and the PI objectives.

Answer

To review the team's velocity and discuss team member performance.

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To plan the tasks for the next iteration.

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To resolve conflicts between team members.

Question 12

Which of these is the most effective way for the Scrum Master to encourage team transparency?

Accepted Answer

Ensure the team board is always up to date and reflects current reality.. Transparency is built by making the work and the process visible to everyone. Using tools like the team board, burndown charts, and open communication during team events ensures that nothing is hidden. When the team sees the state of their work, they are empowered to self-organize, resolve issues, and take ownership of their progress, which is the hallmark of a high-performing Agile team.

Answer

Keep all progress information private until the end of the iteration.

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Report all status updates to management on the team's behalf.

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Only show the positive results to stakeholders during the demo.

Question 13

During a SAFe Scrum team's Retrospective, several team members express frustration that the Product Owner frequently changes priorities mid-iteration, causing unfinished work. The Scrum Master wants to address this systematically. What is the most effective action to take?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion with the Product Owner and team to establish a working agreement on mid-iteration scope changes.. The Scrum Master should facilitate the creation of a working agreement between the team and Product Owner to manage mid-iteration changes. This collaborative approach addresses the root cause, respects the Product Owner's role, and empowers the team to protect its iteration goal. It also builds a healthier working relationship and promotes self-organization.

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Instruct the team to ignore any requests from the Product Owner until the next iteration.

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Recommend that the team adopt Kanban instead of Scrum to handle changing priorities more flexibly.

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Escalate the issue to the Release Train Engineer to enforce a change freeze during iterations.

Question 14

An Agile Team has consistently missed their Iteration Goals for the past three iterations because the Product Owner frequently introduces urgent new stories mid-iteration. What is the most effective way for the Scrum Master to coach the team and Product Owner?

Accepted Answer

Realign expectations by coaching the Product Owner on the cost of context switching, establishing that iteration commitments remain stable once accepted.. The Scrum Master protects the team from external disruption and coaches the Product Owner on sustainable backlog management. By enforcing the stability of the iteration backlog and redirecting unplanned work through proper refinement channels, the Scrum Master ensures the team can focus on achieving their committed goals without sacrificing quality or predictability.

Answer

Instruct the developers to ignore all requests from the Product Owner and proceed with their original iteration backlog items without communication.

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Extend the iteration duration by three days whenever unplanned stories are introduced to accommodate the extra work without penalty.

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Assume the role of Product Owner temporarily to filter incoming requests and make executive decisions on scope adjustments during execution.

Question 15

During PI Planning, what is the required outcome if any team member votes two fingers or fewer during the confidence vote?

Accepted Answer

The individual's concerns must be heard and the plan may need to be reworked. The confidence vote is a 'Fist of Five' exercise. If anyone votes two or fewer, it indicates they do not believe the plan is achievable. The person's concerns must be heard and addressed. This may require the team to rework their plan or adjust objectives until everyone reaches at least a three-finger level of confidence.

Answer

The vote is recorded, and the team proceeds with the plan as written

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The Scrum Master must override the vote if the Product Owner is confident

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The person with low confidence is moved to a different team for the PI

Question 16

During the first PI Planning event on a new Agile Release Train, a Scrum Master sees that one team has no draft PI Objectives and has not identified any dependencies, claiming they will 'figure it out during the iteration.' The Release Train Engineer asks the Scrum Master to help. What is the most effective action for the Scrum Master to take?

Accepted Answer

Work with the team during the draft plan review to articulate PI Objectives and surface dependencies so the team can commit to a shared plan with the ART.. PI Planning requires each team to produce draft PI Objectives and identify dependencies so the whole ART can align on a shared plan. Coaching the team to build those objectives and surface dependencies during the event keeps them inside the SAFe cadence and gives the Release Train Engineer the visibility needed for the program board and management review.

Answer

Tell the team to skip PI Planning and instead focus on their first iteration, since PI Objectives are optional for new teams.

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Escalate to the Business Owners that the team is not ready for SAFe and recommend removing them from the Agile Release Train.

Answer

Write the PI Objectives on the team's behalf and submit them to the Release Train Engineer before the draft plan review.

Question 17

A Scrum Master is helping a brand-new team understand how their work fits into the Agile Release Train. The team asks who owns the decision about what the team will deliver in the next Program Increment and where that decision is made. What should the Scrum Master explain?

Accepted Answer

The team, together with its Product Owner and the other teams, creates and agrees to team PI Objectives during PI Planning, with business value assigned by the Business Owners.. PI Planning is the cadence-based event where each team, guided by its Product Owner, drafts team PI Objectives, identifies dependencies, and commits to a plan it presents to the train. Business Owners then assign business value. This makes the team and Product Owner the authors, with Business Owners evaluating rather than dictating content.

Answer

The System Architect defines the team PI Objectives based on the architectural runway and hands them to the Product Owner for execution tracking.

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The Release Train Engineer alone writes the team PI Objectives before PI Planning and distributes them so the teams can begin execution immediately.

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The Business Owners select the team PI Objectives during the management review and problem-solving session on the second day of PI Planning.

Question 18

Which THREE items are primary responsibilities of a Scrum Master when introducing Scrum within a SAFe environment?

Accepted Answer

Removing impediments that block the team's progress.. The Scrum Master is a servant leader who facilitates team events, coaches the team on SAFe practices, and removes systemic impediments. In SAFe, they also coordinate across teams to manage dependencies. These responsibilities are vital for maintaining the flow of value across the Agile Release Train and ensuring the team remains aligned with the broader program goals while maximizing their own local agility.

Answer

Writing and maintaining the Program Backlog.

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Setting the vision and roadmap for the ART.

Question 19

In a large Agile Release Train, the System Demo is often attended by various stakeholders. Why is it important for the Scrum Master to ensure the team is prepared for this event every two weeks?

Accepted Answer

To provide objective evidence of progress and get stakeholder feedback. The System Demo is the primary mechanism for receiving objective feedback on the integrated system. If the team is not prepared, they lose the opportunity to validate their work against stakeholder expectations. Regular demos ensure that any misalignments are caught early, reducing the risk of a significant 'miss' at the end of the PI.

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To allow the team to practice their public speaking and presentation skills

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To ensure the team has a reason to complete their stories before the deadline

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To give the Scrum Master a chance to demonstrate the team's velocity

Question 20

A team is failing to reach their Iteration Goal consistently. What should the Scrum Master focus on to help the team improve?

Accepted Answer

Focus the Retrospective on identifying systemic blockers and improving backlog refinement.. Consistency in meeting iteration goals is a sign of healthy team flow. When a team fails, the Scrum Master should look at the systemic factors: are the stories too large? Is the team over-committing? Are there blockers they aren't addressing? By analyzing these factors and facilitating process improvements in the Retrospective, the Scrum Master enables the team to become more predictable and successful.

Answer

Require the team to work longer hours to meet the goal.

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Change the team members to bring in 'better' talent.

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Lower the Iteration Goals to ensure they are always met, regardless of value.