What is one way a Scrum Master/Team Coach can support productive team Backlog
Refinement sessions?
Correct Answer:
A
One way a Scrum Master/Team Coach can support productive team Backlog Refinement sessions is to ensure subject matter experts are invited. Subject matter experts (SMEs) are people who have specialized knowledge or skills related to the domain or technical aspects of the product or solution. They can provide valuable input and feedback to the team during Backlog Refinement, such as clarifying requirements, validating assumptions, identifying dependencies, and suggesting solutions. SMEs can also help the team to split, estimate, and prioritize the backlog items more effectively and accurately. By inviting SMEs to the Backlog Refinement sessions, the Scrum Master/Team Coach can facilitate better collaboration, communication, and alignment among the team and the stakeholders. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)
References:
✑ Team Backlog - Scaled Agile Framework
✑ Exam Study Guide: SSM (6.0) - SAFe® Scrum Master - scaledagile.com
✑ What is backlog refinement? | Miro
What is one potential root cause of Team Sync anti-patterns?
Correct Answer:
B
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
What is one element on the Scrum Master/Team Coach responsibility wheel?
Correct Answer:
B
According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the elements on the Scrum Master/Team Coach responsibility wheel is to facilitate PI Planning. PI Planning is a two- day event where all the teams and stakeholders of an Agile Release Train (ART) collaborate to align on a common vision, define and commit to the PI objectives, and
identify and manage risks and dependencies. The Scrum Master/Team Coach facilitates PI Planning by 1:
✑ Helping the team prepare for the event, such as reviewing the business context,
vision, and backlog, and creating draft plans
✑ Supporting the team during the event, such as facilitating breakout sessions, resolving issues, and ensuring alignment and collaboration with other teams
✑ Assisting the team after the event, such as finalizing the plans, updating the PI board, and conducting a retrospective
Facilitating PI Planning is one of the ways the Scrum Master/Team Coach helps the team and the ART achieve their goals and deliver value. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)
References:
✑ PI Planning
✑ Scrum Master/Team Coach
✑ Say Hello to SAFe 6.0! - Scaled Agile Framework
What is one way a Scrum Master/Team Coach can help improve ART performance?
Correct Answer:
D
According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the ways a Scrum Master/Team Coach can help improve ART performance is to facilitate cross-team collaboration. Cross-team collaboration is the ability of Agile teams to work together effectively and efficiently to deliver value to the customers and stakeholders. It involves sharing information, resolving dependencies, aligning on goals, and providing feedback. Cross-team collaboration is essential for achieving the ART vision and objectives, as well as for delivering integrated and high-quality solutions.
The Scrum Master/Team Coach plays a key role in facilitating cross-team collaboration by 1:
✑ Participating in the Scrum of Scrums (SoS) and ART Sync meetings, where they
communicate the team??s progress, impediments, and dependencies, and coordinate with other teams and the Release Train Engineer (RTE)
✑ Helping the team prepare for and participate in the PI Planning event, where they
collaborate with other teams to define and commit to the PI objectives and identify risks and dependencies
✑ Supporting the team in the System Demo, where they demonstrate the team??s
work to other teams and stakeholders, and receive feedback and validation
✑ Assisting the team in the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event, where they review the ART performance, identify improvement opportunities, and create action plans
✑ Encouraging the team to adopt Communities of Practice (CoPs), where they share knowledge, best practices, and learnings with other teams and experts
✑ Promoting a culture of trust, respect, and cooperation among the team and other teams
(Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)
References:
✑ Scrum Master/Team Coach
✑ Team Sync
✑ PI Planning
✑ System Demo
✑ Inspect and Adapt
✑ [Communities of Practice]
Who are important attendees to the PI System Demo?
Correct Answer:
C
According to the SAFe 6 Scrum Master documentation, one of the important attendees to the PI System Demo is the Business Owners. Business Owners are a small group of stakeholders who have the primary business and technical responsibility for governance, compliance, and return on investment (ROI) for a Solution developed by an Agile Release Train (ART). They are key stakeholders on the ART who must evaluate fitness for use and actively participate in certain ART events. The PI System Demo provides them an opportunity to see the integrated view of new features delivered by the ART, give feedback, and influence the future direction of the solution. (Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)
References:
✑ System Demo
✑ [Business Owners]
