SAFe-Agilist Practice Question: Building a Foundation with Mindset, Values and Principles
A large financial services company is adopting SAFe. During the first Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) meeting, the CIO states, 'Our primary measure of progress will be the number of features we deliver each quarter, regardless of whether they achieve the intended business outcomes.' Which SAFe Lean-Agile Principle is most directly undermined by this statement?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any output-focused metric violates 'Organize around value' or 'Unlock intrinsic motivation,' when the core issue is the failure to apply an economic view by ignoring value and cost of delay.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply an economic view
The CIO's emphasis on feature count rather than business outcomes ignores the economic view principle, which requires evaluating decisions based on value, cost of delay, and total economic impact. Measuring output alone can lead to building features that do not deliver value, wasting investment. Thus, the statement most directly undermines the principle of applying an economic view.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Assume variability; preserve options
Why it's wrong here
This principle encourages keeping design and requirements flexible to accommodate change. The CIO's statement does not directly address flexibility or option preservation; it focuses on output metrics. Therefore, it is not the principle most undermined. The economic view is more directly violated because the measure ignores value and cost of delay.
- ✗
Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
Why it's wrong here
This principle focuses on empowering individuals and teams through autonomy, mastery, and purpose. The CIO's output-focused metric may demotivate, but the statement does not directly undermine intrinsic motivation as its primary flaw. The economic view principle is more directly contradicted because the metric ignores value and economic trade-offs.
- ✓
Apply an economic view
Why this is correct
This principle requires understanding the economic impact of decisions, including the total cost of delay and the value delivered. Measuring only feature output ignores whether those features produce the intended business outcomes, leading to wasteful investment. The CIO's focus on quantity over outcome contradicts the economic view that guides prioritization and decision-making in SAFe.
- ✗
Organize around value
Why it's wrong here
Organizing around value is about structuring teams and ARTs to deliver value efficiently. The CIO's statement does not challenge organizational structure; it challenges measurement. While poor metrics can indirectly affect value delivery, the primary violation is of the economic view principle, which directly addresses measuring value and outcomes.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Scaled Agile exam blueprint
This SAFe-Agilist practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scaled Agile certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAFe-Agilist exam.