SSM Practice Test 7 — 10 Questions

Question 1

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.

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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 2

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.

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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 3

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 4

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.

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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 5

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.

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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 6

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.

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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.

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

Question 7

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.

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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 8

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.

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Writing and maintaining the Program Backlog.

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Setting the vision and roadmap for the ART.

Question 9

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 10

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.

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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.