SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question
During the first PI Planning event for a new Agile Release Train, a Scrum Master sees that their team has committed to a full set of Iteration Goals but has no plan for the shared services another team must provide mid-PI. The other team's Product Owner is present but unaware of the dependency. What is the most appropriate action for the Scrum Master?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming an unresolved dependency should be escalated or documented after PI Planning, when the program board and face-to-face negotiation during the event are the intended resolution path.
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 make the dependency visible on the program board during PI Planning and facilitate a conversation so the two teams agree on how and when the shared service will be delivered.
PI Planning is where cross-team dependencies are made visible and resolved while all relevant people are in the room. Using the program board and facilitating a direct conversation lets the two teams agree on delivery timing and adjust their plans before committing, which is the collaborative behavior SAFe expects during the event.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Record the dependency in the team's Team Backlog and let the Product Owner handle coordination after the event.
Why it's wrong here
Recording the dependency in a local backlog does not make it visible to the train and leaves coordination to a single Product Owner who may not control the other team's priorities. PI Planning exists to resolve such issues collectively. Deferring coordination after the event risks missed dates and unfulfilled Iteration Goals, so this does not meet the intent of the event.
- ✓
Help the team make the dependency visible on the program board during PI Planning and facilitate a conversation so the two teams agree on how and when the shared service will be delivered.
Why this is correct
PI Planning is designed to surface cross-team dependencies, and the program board is the tool for making them visible. By facilitating a direct conversation between the teams, the Scrum Master helps them negotiate delivery timing and adjust plans before commitment. This keeps the team's plan realistic and aligns with SAFe's emphasis on collaboration across the train.
- ✗
Instruct the team to remove the dependent features from its PI Objectives and plan them for a later PI.
Why it's wrong here
Removing the dependent features may hide a real business need and does not resolve the dependency; it simply defers value delivery. The other team's Product Owner is present and could negotiate timing, so abandoning the features during planning is premature. SAFe expects teams to collaborate and adjust plans at PI Planning rather than drop committed work without business input.
- ✗
Escalate to the Release Train Engineer and ask them to assign the shared service work to a third team after PI Planning ends.
Why it's wrong here
Escalation after planning ends misses the opportunity to resolve the dependency while both teams and the Product Owner are together. The Release Train Engineer facilitates the event and helps manage risks, but reassigning work to a third team ignores the capacity and expertise of the team that owns the service. SAFe favors direct team-to-team negotiation at the program board first.
Visual reference
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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.