SSM Sample Questions Answers

Lean flow is one of the elements of the CALMR approach to DevOps in SAFe. It means applying lean principles and practices to optimize the flow of value from idea to production. Lean flow accelerates delivery by eliminating waste, reducing batch sizes, implementing pull systems, limiting work in process, managing queues, reducing handoffs, and applying cadence and synchronization. Lean flow enables faster feedback, shorter lead times, higher quality, and lower costs. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• CALMR - Scaled Agile Framework
• The CALMR Approach to DevOps [Complete Guide] - KnowledgeHut
• SAFe Scrum Master Course Outline

One way uncommitted objectives help Agile Teams make a plan for the PI is that they maintain the predictability of achieving the objectives. Uncommitted objectives are PI objectives that are not included in the team’s commitment or counted against teams in the ART predictability measure. They are used to identify work that can be variable within the scope of a PI, such as stretch goals, spikes, innovation, or exploration1 Uncommitted objectives help improve the predictability of delivering business value since they allow the team to adjust their scope based on the actual progress and feedback during the PI. They also provide the team with some flexibility and capacity to respond to changing needs and expectations, as well as to pursue learning and improvement opportunities12 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• PI Objectives - Scaled Agile Framework
• PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the ways a servant leader can support team members in decision-making is by giving each team member the opportunity to contribute. This means that the servant leader encourages and facilitates the participation of all team members in the decision-making process, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard and valued. By giving each team member the opportunity to contribute, the servant leader fosters a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and trust, as well as increases the quality and buy-in of the decisions. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• Scrum Master/Team Coach
• The Power of Shared Decision-Making through Servant-Leadership
• The Scrum Master as a Servant-Leader

Norming is the stage of team development where team members stop focusing on their own goals and begin focusing on developing better ways of working together. Norming occurs after the team has gone through the Forming and Storming stages, where they have established their roles and responsibilities, and have resolved their initial conflicts and disagreements12 In the Norming stage, the team starts to build trust, respect, and cohesion among themselves. They also align on a common vision, mission, and goals, and agree on the norms and expectations for their collaboration and communication12 The team becomes more productive, efficient, and effective, as they leverage their collective strengths and skills, and support each other in overcoming challenges and delivering value12 The team also develops a sense of identity and pride, and celebrates their achievements and learnings12 (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• Agile Teams - Scaled Agile Framework
• 5 Stages of Team Development | Agile Scrum Guide | Book | Blog

The first step of the problem-solving workshop is to agree on the problem to solve. This step is important because it helps the teams to clearly state the problem, highlight the what, where, when, and impact of the problem, and avoid addressing the symptoms instead of the root causes. By agreeing on the problem to solve, the teams can focus their investigation and analysis, and save time and effort. The problem statement should be succinct and specific, and should not include any assumptions or solutions.

References:

• Inspect and Adapt - Scaled Agile Framework
• Problem-solving workshop: Step-by-Step - Agilephoria
• The Sun Never Sets on the Problem-Solving Workshop

The “C” in the CALMR approach to DevOps stands for culture, which is the foundation of successful DevOps adoption. Culture refers to the values, beliefs, and behaviors that guide the collaboration and alignment of everyone in the value stream. By creating a culture of shared responsibility, teams can manage the tensions caused by differing needs, such as speed, quality, security, and stability. A culture of shared responsibility means that everyone is accountable for the outcomes of their work, and that they work together to deliver value to the customers. It also means that teams respect each other’s roles and expertise, and seek feedback and learning opportunities. A culture of shared responsibility fosters trust, transparency, and continuous improvement, which are essential for DevOps.

References:

• CALMR - Scaled Agile Framework
• The CALMR Approach to DevOps [Complete Guide] - KnowledgeHut

According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the potential root causes of Team Sync anti-patterns is the lack of collective ownership. Collective ownership means that the team members share responsibility for the quality and delivery of the team’s work. They collaborate, communicate, and coordinate their efforts to achieve the team goals. They also support each other, provide feedback, and resolve issues together. When there is a lack of collective ownership, team members may exhibit some of the following Team Sync anti-patterns 1:

• Reporting to managers (status meetings): Team members use the Team Sync as a way to report their progress to the SM/TC or other managers, rather than to synchronize with their peers. This can create a hierarchical and command-and-control culture, where team members are not empowered to self-organize and self-manage.
• Monologues: Team members give long and detailed updates that are not relevant or useful to other team members. This can make the Team Sync boring, inefficient, and ineffective, as team members lose interest and attention.
• Cross-functional team standups (updates are not related to other people’s work): Team members work on different features or components that are not aligned with the team goals or the Iteration goals. This can result in silos, dependencies, and integration issues, as well as reduced collaboration and coordination.
• “Nothing to report” can be a good thing: Team members say they have nothing to report, either because they have not done any work, or because they do not want to share their work with the team. This can indicate a lack of transparency, trust, and accountability, as well as a missed opportunity to get feedback and support from the team.

To overcome these anti-patterns, the SM/TC should coach the team on the purpose and value of the Team Sync, and help them adopt the best practices for effective Team Syncs, such as 2:

• Having a clear agenda and timebox
• Focusing on the team goals and the Iteration goals
• Asking the three key questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Do I have any impediments?
• Using visual aids, such as task boards or Kanban boards, to track progress and identify issues
• Encouraging active participation, collaboration, and feedback
• Ending with clear action items and follow-ups

(Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• Scrum Master/Team Coach
• Team Sync
• Top 7 Anti Patterns of Scrum Master - Simpliaxis
• Scrum Anti-Patterns Taxonomy | Scrum.org
• [11 Daily Scrum Anti-Patterns We Commonly Hear from Users In … - Geekbot

One way to ensure a team is holding successful iteration reviews and demos is to have the team demo working, tested system components that meet the definition of done (DoD). This shows the team’s progress and value delivery, and allows them to receive feedback from the product owner and other stakeholders. The team should minimize the use of slides and the preparation time for the demos, and focus on the solution instead of the presentation. The team should also discuss the impact of the current solution on the nonfunctional requirements (NFRs) and identify any risks or impediments.

References:

• Iteration Review - Scaled Agile Framework
• Exam Study Guide: SSM (6.0) - SAFe® Scrum Master

One anti-pattern that emerges when teams do not spend enough time refining the backlog is that they enter new Iterations without enough Stories prepared. This can result in several negative consequences, such as: 123

• The team may struggle to plan and commit to the Iteration Goals, as they lack clarity, feasibility, and testability of the Stories.
• The team may face delays, rework, and waste, as they encounter unanticipated dependencies, risks, or technical issues during the Iteration.
• The team may deliver low-quality or incomplete Stories, as they rush to meet the Iteration deadlines or compromise on the Definition of Done.
• The team may lose focus, alignment, and motivation, as they work on ambiguous or unrealistic Stories that do not deliver value to the customers or the organization.

To avoid this anti-pattern, the team should dedicate sufficient time and effort to refine the backlog on a regular basis, preferably every Iteration123 Backlog Refinement is an ongoing process where the team collaborates with the Product Owner and other stakeholders to review, split, prioritize, and estimate the Stories in the Team Backlog4 One of the main objectives of Backlog Refinement is to ensure that the Stories are ready for Iteration Planning, which means they are clear, feasible, testable, and small enough to be completed in a single Iteration2 By doing so, the team can improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of their work, as well as deliver value to the customers and the organization

According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, the type of work that should fit into one Iteration for one team is a Story. A Story is a short description of a small piece of functionality that provides value to the customer or stakeholder. Stories are derived from Features, which are larger units of value that typically span multiple Iterations. Stories are also decomposed into Tasks, which are the specific activities that the team members perform to implement the Story. Stories are the primary backlog items that the team plans, estimates, and delivers in an Iteration. They are also the basis for defining and committing to the Iteration goals. Stories should be small enough to be completed within one Iteration, and they should meet the definition of ready and the definition of done. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

References:

• Stories
• Features
• Tasks
• Iteration Planning