POPM Leadership for PI Planning Practice Question
During PI Planning, the Release Train Engineer notices that the Product Management team has not provided clear prioritization for the features in the Program Backlog. As a result, teams are unsure which features to plan first. What should the RTE do to ensure effective planning?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is thinking that teams should self-prioritize or that planning should be postponed, rather than quickly obtaining the missing prioritization from Product Management.
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
✓
Ask Product Management to quickly review and communicate the prioritization before the teams continue planning.
The RTE is responsible for facilitating the PI Planning event and ensuring that it stays on track. When Product Management has not provided clear prioritization, the RTE should promptly ask them to communicate it. This might involve a quick meeting or a public announcement. Clear priorities enable teams to plan effectively and align with business objectives. The RTE's intervention ensures that the event proceeds smoothly and that teams have the necessary guidance.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Escalate the issue to the Business Owners and ask them to set priorities.
Why it's wrong here
While Business Owners have a stake, prioritization of features is primarily the responsibility of Product Management. Escalating to Business Owners may bypass the proper channel and could lead to conflicting priorities. The RTE should first work with Product Management to get the needed information. Escalation should be a last resort if Product Management cannot provide timely input.
- ✓
Ask Product Management to quickly review and communicate the prioritization before the teams continue planning.
Why this is correct
The RTE should intervene to ensure that Product Management provides the needed prioritization. This might involve a quick huddle or a brief announcement to the teams. Clear priorities are essential for teams to make informed decisions about what to work on first and how to sequence dependencies. By addressing the gap immediately, the RTE helps the event stay on track and ensures alignment with business goals.
- ✗
Instruct the teams to proceed with their own prioritization based on their understanding of business value.
Why it's wrong here
While teams can estimate effort, prioritization should be driven by Product Management to ensure alignment with business strategy. Without clear priorities, teams may focus on less valuable features, leading to misalignment. The RTE should facilitate getting the necessary information rather than leaving it to teams to guess. This could result in wasted effort and missed opportunities.
- ✗
Postpone planning until the next day when Product Management is available to provide priorities.
Why it's wrong here
Postponing planning is disruptive and may not be necessary. The issue can likely be resolved quickly by engaging Product Management. Delaying the event could cause schedule conflicts and reduce momentum. The RTE should facilitate a timely resolution rather than halting progress. This approach also risks demotivating teams who are ready to plan.
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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.