SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question
During the first PI Planning event, a Scrum Master notices that teams are writing Iteration goals and PI Objectives, but no one has identified cross-team dependencies. The Scrum Master wants to help the ART surface and manage dependencies as SAFe intends. What is the most appropriate action?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating PI Planning as purely team-level and saving dependency discussion for the Scrum of Scrums, when dependency identification is central to PI Planning itself.
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 the teams to record dependencies on the program board and facilitate cross-team conversations to address them.
SAFe manages dependencies primarily by making them visible and addressing them collaboratively during PI Planning. The program board and facilitated cross-team conversations let teams see who depends on whom and adjust plans before committing. Hiding dependencies behind buffers, deferring them to the Scrum of Scrums, or reassigning work to force independence all fail to give the ART the transparency it needs to deliver the PI.
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 Scrum of Scrums to raise dependencies, since PI Planning is only for team-level planning.
Why it's wrong here
PI Planning is the primary ART-level event where cross-team dependencies should be identified and addressed, not deferred. Waiting for the Scrum of Scrums postpones visibility and risks commitments that are already unrealistic. The Scrum of Scrums is for ongoing coordination during the PI, but dependency identification belongs in PI Planning when plans are still adjustable.
- ✗
Instruct each team to add a buffer of unplanned capacity so dependencies become irrelevant.
Why it's wrong here
Padding capacity does not make dependencies disappear; it hides them and reduces the ART's ability to deliver the committed PI Objectives. SAFe expects dependencies to be made visible and managed, not absorbed by slack. Buffers may help with variability, but they are not the mechanism for surfacing and resolving cross-team dependencies during PI Planning.
- ✓
Ask the teams to record dependencies on the program board and facilitate cross-team conversations to address them.
Why this is correct
Visualizing dependencies on the program board and facilitating the conversations that resolve them is exactly how SAFe manages dependencies during PI Planning. The Scrum Master helps teams make dependencies visible, then supports the ART in adjusting plans. This keeps the ART aligned and lets teams commit to PI Objectives with realistic coordination rather than hidden risk.
- ✗
Have the Release Train Engineer reassign stories between teams so each team is fully independent.
Why it's wrong here
Reassigning stories to eliminate dependencies ignores that dependencies often reflect real technical or domain coupling, and it removes ownership from the teams. The Scrum Master's role is to help teams surface and manage dependencies, not to have the RTE reshuffle work. Forcing independence can create handoffs and knowledge gaps that worsen delivery risk across the ART.
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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.