SSM Introducing Scrum in SAFe Practice Question
Exhibit
Team Velocity Log: - Iteration 1: 20 pts - Iteration 2: 22 pts - Iteration 3: 21 pts - Iteration 4: 18 pts (Scope added mid-iteration) - Iteration 5: 23 pts
Refer to the exhibit. What observation should the Scrum Master share with the team during the next Retrospective?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often blame the team for poor performance or lack of effort rather than focusing on the systemic issue of scope instability and its direct impact on velocity and flow.
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
✓
The team should focus on reducing mid-iteration changes to stabilize velocity.
The data shows that volatility in velocity correlates with the introduction of mid-iteration scope changes. The Scrum Master should point this out to help the team understand how scope instability impacts their ability to maintain a consistent cadence. Understanding this relationship is vital for the team to advocate for better scope management and to protect their capacity, which is essential for delivering value consistently within the SAFe framework.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The team needs to increase their velocity to match the highest point.
Why it's wrong here
Velocity is not a goal to be maximized; it is a planning tool. Expecting the team to sustain their peak velocity ignores the reality of variable work types and complexities. The Scrum Master should focus on helping the team stabilize their process rather than setting arbitrary targets based on peaks.
- ✓
The team should focus on reducing mid-iteration changes to stabilize velocity.
Why this is correct
The data clearly indicates that mid-iteration changes negatively affect the team's capacity to deliver. By highlighting this, the Scrum Master provides evidence that can be used to influence the Product Owner to maintain a stable iteration scope, which will lead to more predictable performance and better alignment.
- ✗
Iteration 5 proves that the team is now over-performing.
Why it's wrong here
Suggesting the team is over-performing is subjective and unhelpful. Velocity fluctuations are normal, but the focus should be on the factors influencing the consistency, such as scope changes. Labeling performance as 'over' or 'under' creates unnecessary pressure and misses the root cause of the variation in the data.
- ✗
The team should ignore the variation as it is within a normal range.
Why it's wrong here
While variation is normal, the data shows a direct link between scope changes and performance dips. Ignoring this link prevents the team from learning and improving their planning practices. The Scrum Master has a responsibility to help the team learn from their own data to optimize their future performance.
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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.