SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question
A Scrum Master on an Agile Release Train notices that the team's Definition of Done is only 'code compiles and unit tests pass.' As a result, work is frequently reopened after the System Demo when integration and nonfunctional checks fail. Which action best applies Scrum within the SAFe context?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is opting for a hardening iteration or extra gate, which treats late defect detection as a fix rather than a symptom of an inadequate Definition of Done.
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
✓
Facilitate the team in strengthening its Definition of Done to include integration, nonfunctional, and acceptance criteria so increments are truly complete.
A weak Definition of Done produces rework that surfaces at integration points such as the System Demo. The Scrum Master's role is to coach the team to own and strengthen its Definition of Done so each increment includes integration, nonfunctional, and acceptance checks. Adding hardening iterations, pushing checks to the RTE, or relabeling rework all mask the problem instead of solving it, and they conflict with SAFe's built-in quality principle.
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 in strengthening its Definition of Done to include integration, nonfunctional, and acceptance criteria so increments are truly complete.
Why this is correct
The Definition of Done is the team's shared quality standard, and coaching the team to expand it to cover integration, nonfunctional requirements, and acceptance criteria makes 'done' genuinely releasable. This aligns with SAFe's built-in quality principle and prevents late rework. The Scrum Master facilitates the conversation rather than dictating the criteria, preserving team ownership of its own quality bar.
- ✗
Ask the Product Owner to mark reopened stories as new backlog items so the team's velocity is not penalized.
Why it's wrong here
Reclassifying rework as new stories hides the quality problem and distorts the team's real throughput. The underlying issue is an inadequate Definition of Done, not measurement. The Product Owner should not paper over rework with new backlog items; the team must inspect why increments are not truly complete and raise its quality standard through its own working agreement.
- ✗
Have the Release Train Engineer add integration checks to the ART's System Demo checklist so failures are caught later in the PI.
Why it's wrong here
Catching defects later in the PI does not prevent rework; it only documents it. The System Demo is an integration and feedback event, not a quality gate that compensates for a weak team Definition of Done. Relying on the RTE to add checks moves quality ownership away from the team and away from the moment work is completed, which is exactly where the Definition of Done must operate.
- ✗
Add a separate hardening iteration before each PI boundary so integration defects can be fixed in a dedicated window.
Why it's wrong here
Dedicated hardening iterations institutionalize the very problem the team should eliminate. SAFe favors built-in quality and continuous integration so each increment is potentially shippable. A hardening window delays feedback and treats defects as normal, contradicting the goal of a definition of done strong enough that work is complete when the team says it is. The Scrum Master should strengthen the Definition of Done instead.
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 SSM 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 SSM exam.