Free Practice Questions for Scaled Agile SAFe-APM Exam

According to the Scaled Agile Framework, the Portfolio Backlog contains the highest-level portfolio epics, which are large, cross-cutting initiatives that require analysis, approval, and funding by the Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) team1. The ART Backlog contains the features, which are services provided by the system that fulfill stakeholder needs2. Features are derived from epics and are typically implemented by one Agile Release Train (ART) within one Program Increment (PI)3. Therefore, Request 1, which is an incremental innovation that can be done by one ART in one PI, should be added to the ART Backlog as a Feature. Request 2, which is a major opportunity impacting multiple stages of the Value Stream and requiring the participation of two ARTs over multiple PIs, should be added to the Portfolio Backlog as an Epic.

References:

Portfolio Backlog: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework explains the purpose, structure, and content of the Portfolio Backlog, and how it is managed by the LPM team using the Portfolio Kanban system.

Features: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework defines the concept of features, their attributes, and their relationship with epics and stories.

ART Backlog: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework describes the role, composition, and management of the ART Backlog, and how it supports the PI Planning process.

A milestone is a specific point in time that marks a significant event or achievement for the ART or Solution Train. A milestone can indicate a market window occurrence during a PI, which is a limited period of time in which a product or service can be launched to gain acompetitive advantage or meet a customer demand. A milestone can help the ART or Solution Train align their delivery with the market window, and communicate their progress and readiness to the stakeholders.

References:

Milestones: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework explains the concept and purpose of milestones, and describes the four types of milestones: Program Increment (PI), Fixed-Date, Learning, and Benefits.

ART Planning Board: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework describes the role and structure of the ART Planning Board, and how it supports the PI Planning process and the Program Board.

ART Planning Board - PI Planning: This article from Ivar Jacobson International provides practical advice and examples of how to use the ART Planning Board during the Management Review, and what to look for in terms of market windows, dependencies, risks, and objectives.

A product vision is a description of the future state of the product and what problems it tries to solve or what ambitions it tries to fulfill. The most important information to communicate in a product vision is how life/work will improve by using this solution. This information captures the value proposition and the benefit hypothesis of the product, which reflect the needs and expectations of the customers and the stakeholders. This information also inspires and motivates the people who work on the product, as well as the potential users of the product. This information sets the direction and the purpose of the product, and guides the development and delivery of the features and capabilities.

References:

Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

Solution Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

Product Vision | Agile Product Management

According to the SAFe® Agile Product Management APM (6.0) documents and learning resources, market segment value is the total value of a specific market segment for agiven solution. It is calculated by multiplying the number of potential customers in the segment by the average revenue per customer and the expected market share. The expected market share depends on several factors, such as the value proposition, the competitive advantage, and the number of existing competitors. Therefore, the number of existing competitors is a factor that must be included when building a model of market segment value.

References:

Agile Product Management - Scaled Agile Framework

Customer Centricity - Scaled Agile Framework

5.4 Essential Factors in Effective Market Segmentation

Personas are fictional characters that represent the ideal customers or users of a product or service. They help product teams understand and empathize with the needs, goals, and preferences of their target segments. Personas can help define the features and benefit hypothesis of a product’s strategic intent, which is the assumption that a certain set of features will deliver a specific benefit to the customers or users. By using personas, product teams can validate their feature and benefit hypothesis with real user feedback, and prioritize the features that deliver the most value and satisfaction to their personas.

References:

Personas: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework explains the concept and purpose of personas, and how they can be used in a SAFe context to support customer-centricity, design thinking, and lean UX.

Strategic Intent: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework defines the concept and components of strategic intent, and how it guides the portfolio vision, lean budget guardrails, and portfolio backlog.

Feature and Benefit Hypothesis: This article from the Scaled Agile Framework describes the concept and process of feature and benefit hypothesis, and how it helps product teams test and validate their assumptions about customer value.

The Golden Circle is a framework developed by Simon Sinek that suggests that the most effective way to communicate a product or service to prospective customers is to start with the “why” - the core purpose, belief, or cause that drives an organization or individual. By explaining the “why” before the “how” (the strategies and methods) and the “what” (the products, services, or offerings), the communicator can inspire and connect with the customers on a deeper level, and differentiate themselves from the competitors who focus on the features or benefits of their products or services.

References:

Frameworks for Setting Company Priorities: The Golden Circle: This article from Geckoboard explains how the Golden Circle can help organizations align their actions and strategies with their purpose and values, and communicate them effectively to their customers and stakeholders.

How to Use the Golden Circle in Business: This article from ActiveCampaign provides a detailed guide on how to apply the Golden Circle to various aspects of business, such as marketing, sales, customer service, and leadership.

Golden Circle: A different approach for a unique value proposition: This article from ThePowerMBA illustrates how the Golden Circle can help businesses create a unique value proposition that resonates with their customers and stands out from the crowd.

A roadmap is an artifact that shows the planned features and milestones for a solution over a timeline. It helps Product Managers communicate the vision and strategy to Product Owners and other stakeholders, and align them on the priorities and dependencies of the work. A roadmap also provides a feedback loop for validating assumptions and adapting to changing customer needs and market conditions.

References:

SAFe Roadmap

Product and Solution Management

Product Owner

According to the SAFe® Agile Product Management APM (6.0) documents and learning resources, Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) is a prioritization model used to sequence work for maximum economic benefit. It is calculated by dividing the cost of delay by the job duration or size. To estimate the cost of delay, three factors are considered: user and business value, time criticality, and risk reduction or opportunity enablement. To estimate the job duration or size, a relative scale such as Fibonacci is used. The highest value in the Fibonacci scale is set as the “ceiling” and the lowest value is set as the “floor”. The items are then scored by comparing them to the ceiling and the floor, and assigning them the closest Fibonacci number. The WSJF score is then obtained by dividing the cost of delay score by the job duration or size score. The items with the highest WSJF score are prioritized first.

References:

WSJF - Scaled Agile Framework

Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) | Definition and Overview - ProductPlan

Weighted Shortest Job First - Open Practice Library

The BMC is a strategic management tool that lets you visualize and assess your business idea or concept. It consists of nine boxes that represent different fundamental elements of a business, such as customer segments, value propositions, channels, and cost structure. The BMC helps you to design, analyze, optimize, and communicate your business model, and to test and iterate it as you learn from the market feedback. The BMC can be used for any type of business or product, regardless of whether it generates revenue or not, as long as it delivers value to the customers.

References:

Business Model Canvas - Wikipedia: This article from Wikipedia explains the concept and history of the BMC, and describes its nine building blocks and their relationships.

Business Model Canvas: Explained with Examples | Creately: This article from Creately provides a detailed guide on how to create a BMC, with examples and templates for different types of businesses and products.

Business Model Canvas – Download the Official Template: This website from Strategyzer offers the official template and online courses, books, and webinars to master the BMC.