SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

• ✓

  Facilitate the team's understanding of how their work aligns with the Agile Release Train's PI objectives and cadence.

  Why this is correct

  Helping the team connect their work to the ART's PI objectives and cadence is crucial in SAFe. It ensures the team understands the bigger picture and how their iterations contribute to program-level goals. This alignment fosters collaboration and helps the team prioritize effectively within the broader context.

• ✗

  Shield the team from all external stakeholders to prevent interruptions and maintain focus.

  Why it's wrong here

  While protecting the team from unnecessary interruptions is important, completely shielding them from stakeholders is counterproductive. In SAFe, teams need to collaborate with stakeholders to understand requirements and integrate. The Scrum Master should facilitate healthy interactions, not isolate the team, to ensure transparency and alignment.

• ✓

  Coach the team on self-organization and cross-functionality, allowing them to make decisions about how to perform their work.

  Why this is correct

  Coaching self-organization and cross-functionality is a core Scrum Master responsibility. It empowers the team to own their processes and decisions, which is essential for Scrum's empirical approach. This helps the team become autonomous and capable of delivering value incrementally, rather than relying on direction from the Scrum Master.

• ✗

  Act as the primary decision-maker for the team's technical implementation to accelerate delivery.

  Why it's wrong here

  The Scrum Master is not a technical decision-maker; that responsibility belongs to the team. Making technical decisions would undermine the team's autonomy and cross-functionality. The Scrum Master should instead coach the team to make their own technical choices and learn from outcomes, fostering ownership and continuous improvement.

• ✗

  Assign specific tasks to team members during Sprint Planning to ensure all work is evenly distributed.

  Why it's wrong here

  Assigning tasks undermines self-organization and cross-functionality. In Scrum, the team collectively decides how to accomplish the work. The Scrum Master should facilitate the team's own decision-making, not dictate task assignments. This would create dependency on the Scrum Master and hinder the team's growth.