Free Practice Questions for Scaled Agile SAFe-RTE Exam

 At the end of day two of the Program Increment (PI) Planning event, the team’s final plan review covers the Planned Features, uncommitted objectives, and ROAMed risks. This is a timeboxed session where teams present their final plans, PI Objectives, and risks and impediments12. The focus is on what the teams plan to deliver (Planned Features), the objectives that they aim to achieve but are not committed (uncommitted objectives), and the risks that have been identified and categorized according to the ROAM framework (Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated)2. This session is crucial as it provides a clear picture of the team’s direction and preparedness for the upcoming Program Increment. It also allows for transparency and alignment among all members of the Agile Release Train (ART).

 The Core Competency of Business Agility that includes aligning strategy with execution is Lean Portfolio Management. This is verified by the information provided on the SAFe website, which states that Lean Portfolio Management aligns strategy and execution by applying Lean and systems thinking approaches to strategy and investment funding, Agile portfolio operations, and governance 1. This competency enables organizations to align their strategy to execution, ensuring that they create and maintain a portfolio of investments that align with the enterprise’s strategic objectives and meet the customer’s needs. It involves collaboration between the portfolio stakeholders and Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to develop and implement the strategic themes and Lean budgets that guide the portfolio.

 The Iteration Retrospective is a regular event where Agile teams reflect on the completed iteration to derive new ideas and identify ways to improve their process. This reflection is aligned with the concept of relentless improvement, which is a core value of SAFe. The retrospective aims to uncover what worked well, what did not, and what the team can do better in the next iteration1.

During the Iteration Retrospective, teams discuss the results of the iteration, review their practices, and create improvement stories for the next iteration. Inputs to this event may include iteration goals, the team’s increment, a list of improvement stories identified, and the actions taken since the last retrospective, as well as a collection of agreed-to iteration metrics. The outputs of a successful Iteration Retrospective include the creation of a few improvement stories and an updated Team Backlog1.

The process involves the entire team, facilitated by the Scrum Master/Team Coach, who introduces the goals, agenda, and format of the retrospective. The team then reviews and discusses the metrics they have agreed upon and determines any actions to take. Team members may write their thoughts on a flip chart or a digital tool designated for the retrospective. Popular formats for qualitative feedback include individual note-taking, appreciation notes, conceptual words, rating scales, and simple open discussions recorded under headings of what went well, what did not, and what to do better next time

 During Team Breakout #1 on the first day of Program Increment (PI) Planning, teams engage in several activities to align their work with the ART’s objectives. Two key activities include:

Writing Draft and Uncommitted Objectives: Teams begin by creating draft objectives which are preliminary goals they aim to achieve in the upcoming PI. These objectives are not set in stone and can be adjusted as planning progresses. Teams also write uncommitted objectives, which are goals they hope to achieve but are not yet certain they can commit to due to potential risks or dependencies.

Visibility and Color-Coding of Planning Boards: It is essential for all teams’ planning boards to be visible to ensure transparency and facilitate collaboration. The use of the same color-coding across teams helps in quickly identifying similar items, such as features, stories, and enablers, and aids in the coordination of work during the PI Planning process.

These activities are foundational to establishing a clear direction and facilitating effective communication among all members of the ART. By writing draft and uncommitted objectives, teams can navigate the complexity of planning and adapt to changes. The visibility and standardized color-coding of planning boards promote a shared understanding of the work ahead and support the identification of dependencies and risks early in the planning process.

The IP Iteration in SAFe provides a regular, cadence-based opportunity for every Program Increment (PI) for teams to work on activities that are difficult to fit into a continuous, incremental value delivery pattern. This includes time for innovation, continuing education, PI Planning, and Inspect and Adapt (I&A) events. Additionally, the IP Iteration serves as an estimating buffer for meeting PI objectives and enhances the predictability of PI performance. One of the specific activities planned and supported during the IP Iteration is the opportunity to integrate and perform end-to-end testing, which is essential for ensuring that all components of the system work together as expected before the release1.

Comprehensive and Detailed 250 to 250 words of Explanation From Exact Extract of SAFe 6.0, including the SAFe Release domains:

SAFe 6.0 defines four Core Values—Alignment, Built-in Quality, Transparency, and Program Execution—that guide behavior and decision-making across the enterprise. Among these, Transparency is the core value that explicitly enables trust across the Agile Release Train. SAFe emphasizes that trust is built when work, progress, risks, and challenges are visible to everyone. Transparency enables fact-based decision-making and fosters open communication across teams and stakeholders.

Practices such as System Demos, visible backlogs, PI Objectives, and objective metrics reinforce transparency by providing shared understanding and honest insight into the current state of the system. In the Release domain, transparency ensures that issues are surfaced early, dependencies are managed effectively, and teams can collaborate to resolve problems before they escalate. Without transparency, trust erodes, alignment weakens, and execution suffers.

The other options are not SAFe Core Values. Adaptation is part of the Inspect and Adapt cycle. Decentralized decision-making is a SAFe principle. Built-in Quality is a core value but focuses on ensuring quality at every step rather than explicitly enabling trust across the ART.

Therefore, Transparency is the SAFe Core Value that enables trust and supports effective collaboration, alignment, and execution across the Agile Release Train.

  SAFe addresses the 'fear of conflict' team dysfunction by using scrum to create a safe environment for conflict. This approach encourages open communication and healthy disagreements within teams, fostering a collaborative and innovative culture where all members feel valued and heard.

 The Release Train Engineer (RTE) role within the SAFe framework is designed to act as a servant leader. This is exemplified by their responsibility to listen and support teams in problem identification and decision-making, create an environment of mutual influence, understand and empathize with others, and encourage and support the personal development of each individual and the development of teams1. These actions are characteristic of servant leadership and align with the option A provided in your question.

The likely reason for the decline in team excitement during PI Planning, as Product Management changes priorities and asks for new estimates, timelines, and scope changes, is a lack of training and preparation for PI Planning. This situation indicates that there may have been insufficient preparation and training which is crucial for a successful PI Planning event.

In SAFe, PI Planning is a significant event that requires thorough preparation to ensure that all participants are aligned and understand the process. The Release Train Engineer (RTE) plays a vital role in facilitating this event and ensuring that everyone, including Product Management, is prepared with the necessary content and understands the importance of maintaining established priorities and respecting the planning process12.

When there is a lack of training and preparation:

•Product Management may not fully understand the impact of introducing last-minute changes to the backlog and priorities.

•Teams may become demotivated as their planning efforts are disrupted, leading to a decline in excitement and potentially affecting the quality of the planning outcomes.

•The ART’s ability to estimate and commit to work can be compromised, leading to challenges in delivering value.

To prevent such issues, it is essential that:

•All stakeholders, including Product Management, receive adequate training on the PI Planning process and the importance of respecting established priorities1.

•The RTE ensures that there is a continuous exploration process that drives the synthesis of a Vision, a Roadmap, and Backlogs, and through Pre- and Post-PI Planning events3.

•There is a collaborative approach to planning, where changes to priorities and scope are discussed and agreed upon by all stakeholders before the PI Planning event2.

By addressing the lack of training and preparation, the RTE can help maintain the team’s excitement and ensure a more effective and aligned PI Planning process.

The role that should help facilitate an Agile Release Train (ART) Sync is Product Management. The Release Train Engineer (RTE) is primarily responsible for facilitating ART events and processes, which includes the ART Sync1. However, Product Management plays a crucial role in this process as well. They are involved in preparing for the event, ensuring that the business context and product strategy are clearly communicated, and that the teams are aligned with the priorities2. This collaboration between the RTE and Product Management ensures that the ART operates effectively and delivers value continuously.