SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question
During the first PI Planning event on a new Agile Release Train, a Scrum Master sees that one team has no draft PI Objectives and has not identified any dependencies, claiming they will 'figure it out during the iteration.' The Release Train Engineer asks the Scrum Master to help. What is the most effective action for the Scrum Master to take?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is treating PI Objectives as optional or as something the Scrum Master should write for the team, when in SAFe they are a required team output that the team itself must own.
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
✓
Work with the team during the draft plan review to articulate PI Objectives and surface dependencies so the team can commit to a shared plan with the ART.
PI Planning requires each team to produce draft PI Objectives and identify dependencies so the whole ART can align on a shared plan. Coaching the team to build those objectives and surface dependencies during the event keeps them inside the SAFe cadence and gives the Release Train Engineer the visibility needed for the program board and management review.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Tell the team to skip PI Planning and instead focus on their first iteration, since PI Objectives are optional for new teams.
Why it's wrong here
PI Objectives are not optional in SAFe; they are the committed and uncommitted business outcomes a team agrees to for the PI. Skipping PI Planning also removes the team from dependency identification and ART alignment. New teams need more, not less, participation in PI Planning to learn how the train operates.
- ✗
Escalate to the Business Owners that the team is not ready for SAFe and recommend removing them from the Agile Release Train.
Why it's wrong here
Escalating to remove the team is a disproportionate response to a first-PI planning gap. New teams commonly struggle to write objectives and find dependencies. The Scrum Master should coach the team through the event and use the draft plan review to improve the plan, rather than pushing for removal from the ART.
- ✗
Write the PI Objectives on the team's behalf and submit them to the Release Train Engineer before the draft plan review.
Why it's wrong here
Writing objectives for the team denies them ownership and skips the team's own planning conversation. It may produce a document, but the team will not be committed to goals they did not create. The Scrum Master's role is to facilitate and coach, not to author the team's plan or speak for the team.
- ✓
Work with the team during the draft plan review to articulate PI Objectives and surface dependencies so the team can commit to a shared plan with the ART.
Why this is correct
PI Planning in SAFe depends on every team creating draft PI Objectives and identifying dependencies so the ART can visualize the plan. Coaching the team to do this during the event keeps them aligned with the ART's cadence and gives the Release Train Engineer the transparency needed for the program board and management review.
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.