POPM Iteration Execution Practice Question
A Product Owner is reviewing the team's progress mid-iteration and notices that a story is blocked because the acceptance criteria are unclear. What should the Product Owner do first?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that acceptance criteria can be clarified later or delegated, when the PO should resolve ambiguity immediately to keep the iteration on track.
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
✓
Work with the team and relevant stakeholders to clarify the acceptance criteria immediately.
The Product Owner should immediately work with the team and stakeholders to clarify acceptance criteria. This removes the blocker, maintains flow, and ensures the story meets the definition of done. SAFe places responsibility on the PO to be available for clarification during Iteration Execution. Waiting, delegating to the Scrum Master, or discarding the story all fail to address the urgent need for clarity.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Wait until the Iteration Review to clarify the acceptance criteria with stakeholders.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because waiting until the Iteration Review delays the team and can cause the story to miss the iteration. The PO should address blockers as they arise to maintain flow. SAFe emphasizes that the PO is responsible for clarifying requirements and making timely decisions during Iteration Execution. Delaying clarification undermines the team's ability to complete work and reduces transparency.
- ✗
Ask the Scrum Master to rewrite the acceptance criteria without involving the team.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because the PO owns the content of the backlog, including acceptance criteria, and the team should be involved in understanding them. Delegating this to the Scrum Master bypasses the PO's responsibility and can lead to misalignment. SAFe defines the Scrum Master as a facilitator and coach, not the owner of story details. The PO should engage directly to clarify and align.
- ✗
Remove the story from the iteration and replace it with a new story that has clearer criteria.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect because removing the story may waste work already done and does not address the root cause. The PO should first attempt to clarify the existing story, as it may still deliver value. Replacing it without discussion can disrupt the team's flow and ignore the opportunity to learn. SAFe encourages inspecting and adapting, not discarding work prematurely.
- ✓
Work with the team and relevant stakeholders to clarify the acceptance criteria immediately.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the PO is accountable for ensuring the team understands the work and that stories meet the definition of done. Clarifying acceptance criteria promptly removes the blocker and allows the team to continue. SAFe expects the PO to be available during Iteration Execution to answer questions and make decisions, which supports flow and helps the team deliver value predictably.
About these practice questions
This POPM question is part of Courseiva's 336-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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 POPM 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 POPM exam.