POPM Leadership for PI Planning Practice Question
During PI Planning, a Scrum Master reports that their team's draft plan includes several dependencies on another ART that is not present at the event. The team is unsure how to proceed. As a SAFe Product Manager, which TWO actions should you take to help the team? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that dependencies can be ignored or unilaterally rescheduled, when in fact they must be made visible and actively managed with the other party.
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
✓
Help the team document the dependencies as program risks and assign an owner to follow up after PI Planning.
When dependencies involve an absent ART, the team should first document them as program risks with owners and, if a representative is available, coordinate directly to agree on a resolution. These actions maintain visibility, accountability, and collaboration, which are essential for managing cross-ART dependencies in SAFe.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Help the team document the dependencies as program risks and assign an owner to follow up after PI Planning.
Why this is correct
Documenting dependencies as program risks with clear owners is a core SAFe practice. It makes the issue visible, ensures accountability, and provides a mechanism for tracking resolution after the event. The owner can coordinate with the other ART, escalate if needed, and keep the team informed. This approach maintains transparency and increases the likelihood of timely resolution.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the Release Train Engineer immediately and let them handle it.
Why it's wrong here
While escalation may eventually be necessary, immediately handing off the issue to the RTE without attempting to document and assign ownership abdicates the team's responsibility. SAFe encourages teams to first make dependencies visible and assign owners. The RTE can then help facilitate resolution, but the team should remain engaged. Immediate escalation without documentation loses valuable context.
- ✓
Coordinate with the other ART's representative, if available, to discuss the dependencies and agree on a resolution.
Why this is correct
If a representative from the other ART is present, direct coordination is the most effective way to resolve cross-ART dependencies. It allows both parties to understand each other's constraints, negotiate timing, and adjust plans collaboratively. SAFe promotes face-to-face communication during PI Planning to resolve dependencies quickly. This action, combined with documenting the dependency, ensures alignment and shared commitment.
- ✗
Instruct the team to remove the dependencies from their plan and proceed without them.
Why it's wrong here
Removing dependencies without addressing them creates hidden risks and likely delays. The team may not be able to deliver their objectives, and the other ART may remain unaware of the needed work. SAFe encourages making dependencies visible and resolving them collaboratively, not ignoring them. Simply deleting them from the plan is a recipe for failure.
- ✗
Ask the team to adjust their plan to deliver the dependent features later in the PI, after the other ART has completed its work.
Why it's wrong here
Unilaterally pushing dependent features later without coordinating with the other ART may not align with their plans and could cause further delays. It also assumes the other ART will deliver on time, which is not guaranteed. SAFe recommends collaborative planning and dependency management, not unilateral schedule changes that can create new misalignments.
About these practice questions
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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.