SSM Supporting ART Events Practice Test 3 — 15 Questions

Question 1

During the Problem-Solving Workshop of the Inspect and Adapt, a team identifies 'Lack of automated testing' as a root cause. What is the next step the Scrum Master facilitates?

Accepted Answer

Brainstorm potential solutions to address the lack of automation.. The Problem-Solving Workshop follows a structured process: identifying the problem, performing root cause analysis, brainstorming solutions, and creating action items. Once a root cause is identified, the focus must shift to creative solution generation to ensure the problem is addressed effectively in the next Program Increment planning session.

Answer

Create an improvement backlog item for the next PI immediately.

Answer

Perform a fishbone analysis to find more potential root causes.

Answer

Update the Definition of Done to include mandatory automated tests.

Question 2

The ART Sync is becoming a status reporting meeting rather than a synchronization event. How can the Scrum Master help the RTE pivot the meeting?

Accepted Answer

Focus the agenda on dependencies and the ROAM board risks.. The ART Sync is intended for cross-team coordination and risk management, not for reading status reports that could be found in a tool. The Scrum Master should coach the RTE to focus the conversation on dependencies, risks, and progress toward PI Objectives, ensuring the time is spent solving problems.

Answer

Extend the meeting time to allow for more detailed team status updates.

Answer

Require each team to submit a detailed written report before the meeting.

Answer

Cancel the meeting if there are no major issues to report that day.

Question 3

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.

Answer

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

Answer

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

Question 4

Who is the primary audience for the System Demo?

Accepted Answer

Business Owners and external stakeholders.. The System Demo is the primary event for stakeholders to see the progress of the Agile Release Train. It provides objective evidence of the work completed and allows for feedback that can influence the future direction of the product. The Scrum Master ensures the team is prepared to present their work meaningfully.

Answer

The Development Team members within the ART.

Answer

The Scrum Master and Release Train Engineer.

Answer

The System Architect and technical leads.

Question 5

At the end of PI Planning, the confidence vote results in several '2-finger' votes. What is the Scrum Master's role in this situation?

Accepted Answer

Facilitate a discussion to address the concerns of those who voted low.. The confidence vote is a key ceremony that ensures everyone on the ART is committed to the plan. A low vote from any individual is not a failure but an opportunity to uncover hidden risks. The Scrum Master must ensure these voices are heard and that the plan is adjusted.

Answer

Ignore the low votes and proceed with the majority's decision.

Answer

Ask the Release Train Engineer to override the vote and move forward.

Answer

Immediately start re-planning the entire PI for all teams.

Question 6

During the PI Planning Management Review and Problem-Solving meeting, the Release Train Engineer (RTE) identifies a resource bottleneck that prevents three teams from completing their high-priority features. What is the primary purpose of this event for the Scrum Master's leadership team?

Accepted Answer

To adjust the scope and objectives based on the challenges identified in the draft plans. The Management Review and Problem-Solving meeting is a critical pivot point during PI Planning where leadership addresses obstacles identified during the first day of team breakouts. Scrum Masters facilitate by ensuring their team's risks and resource constraints are clearly communicated to the Release Train Engineer. This event ensures the train remains aligned and that the plan for Day 2 is realistic and achievable for all teams involved.

Answer

To allow teams to finalize their iteration plans for the entire Program Increment

Answer

To perform a final confidence vote for the entire Agile Release Train's plan

Answer

To facilitate a retrospective on the effectiveness of the current PI Planning event

Question 7

What is the primary goal of the System Demo held at the end of every iteration?

Accepted Answer

To provide an integrated view of new Features and receive feedback from stakeholders. The System Demo is the primary measure of progress for the Agile Release Train. It provides an integrated view of the new Features from the most recent Iteration, delivered by all teams on the train. This event ensures that the system is actually working as intended in a production-like environment, providing objective evidence of progress.

Answer

To allow the Product Owner to accept individual User Stories into the baseline

Answer

To provide a venue for the Scrum Master to report on team velocity and capacity

Answer

To replace the need for the Inspect and Adapt event at the end of the PI

Question 8

During the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event, the Problem-Solving Workshop is conducted. Which THREE activities are part of this workshop? (Choose 3)

Accepted Answer

Root cause analysis. The Problem-Solving Workshop is the final part of the I&A event. It follows a structured approach: identifying the problem, performing root cause analysis (using tools like the 5 Whys or Fishbone diagrams), identifying the biggest root cause, brainstorming solutions, and creating improvement backlog items that are integrated into the next PI Planning session.

Answer

The PI System Demo

Answer

Assigning Business Value to objectives

Question 9

Refer to the exhibit. As a Scrum Master attending the ART Sync, what is the most appropriate action to take regarding DEP-102?

Accepted Answer

Highlight the risk to the RTE and discuss potential mitigations. The ART Sync is primarily for coordinating dependencies across teams and identifying risks that require management intervention. In this scenario, a dependency is blocked by an external factor (hardware). The Scrum Master should ensure this is escalated to the Release Train Engineer so it can be addressed at the train level or during a Management Review.

Answer

Tell Team-Beta to move the dependent stories to Iteration 1.4

Answer

Direct Team-Alpha to prioritize hardware procurement over coding

Answer

Update the Program Board to show the dependency is now resolved

Question 10

During the Draft Plan Review in PI Planning, a team presents a plan where their capacity is fully utilized, but they have no buffers for several high-risk dependencies. What should the Scrum Master do?

Accepted Answer

Advise the team to reconsider their commitment and add capacity buffers. The Scrum Master must ensure the team's plan is realistic and sustainable. During the Draft Plan Review, the SM should encourage the team to build in buffers or adjust their plan to account for uncertainty, especially when dealing with complex dependencies that are outside of their direct control.

Answer

Ask the Product Owner to increase the team's velocity for the PI

Answer

Recommend the team remove all dependencies from their Program Board

Answer

Wait for the Business Owners to assign a low Business Value to the work

Question 11

The Coach Sync (formerly Scrum of Scrums) and the PO Sync are two vital ART synchronization events. Which TWO statements accurately describe the focus of the Coach Sync? (Choose 2)

Accepted Answer

Gaining visibility into progress and impediments across the train. The Coach Sync focuses on the execution and health of the Agile Release Train. It is a meeting for Scrum Masters and the RTE to discuss progress, dependencies, and impediments. Unlike the PO Sync, which focuses on content and priority, the Coach Sync ensures the process is working and the teams are collaborating effectively.

Answer

Reviewing and adjusting the Feature priorities in the Program Backlog

Answer

Demonstrating newly completed Features to the Business Owners

Answer

Determining the Business Value for the team's PI Objectives

Question 12

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

Answer

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

Answer

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

Question 13

In the context of the Inspect and Adapt event, what is the purpose of the 'Quantitative Measurement' section?

Accepted Answer

To review the Program Predictability Measure and other ART-level metrics. The Quantitative Measurement section of the I&A event is where the ART reviews its performance metrics. The primary metric is the Program Predictability Measure, which compares planned Business Value to actual Business Value delivered. This provides a transparent, data-driven view of how well the train is meeting its commitments over time.

Answer

To compare the individual velocities of all teams on the train

Answer

To calculate the total number of story points completed in the PI

Answer

To determine which team members should receive performance bonuses

Question 14

During the final plan review of PI Planning, the train is ROAMing risks. A team identifies a risk that they cannot resolve themselves, but the Release Train Engineer (RTE) takes ownership of it to find a solution later. How should this risk be categorized?

Accepted Answer

Owned. The ROAM acronym stands for Resolved, Owned, Accepted, and Mitigated. When a risk is 'Owned,' it means that someone (in this case, the RTE) has taken responsibility for the risk because it cannot be resolved during the planning event. The owner will track the risk to ensure it is eventually addressed.

Answer

Accepted

Answer

Mitigated

Answer

Resolved

Question 15

Successful PI Planning requires significant preparation. Which TWO areas are part of the 'Content Readiness' for this event? (Choose 2)

Accepted Answer

The Executive briefing on the current business context. Content Readiness ensures that the 'what' and 'why' of the upcoming PI are clear. This includes having a Program Backlog that is refined and prioritized, as well as Briefings for the vision, context, and any architectural changes. Without this readiness, teams will struggle to create meaningful plans during the breakout sessions.

Answer

Ensuring all team members are assigned to a specific Scrum team

Answer

Setting up the physical or virtual Program Board

Answer

Finalizing the iteration-by-iteration plan for each team