According to the PI Planning article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, confidence votes are taken at the program and team levels once dependencies and program risks are addressed. The article states that “After discussing plans and dependencies, each team member casts a vote, usually on a scale of 1 to 5. This collective feedback helps identify potential risks, enabling teams to address concerns and enhance their overall chances of success.” The article also states that “The RTE then facilitates a program-level confidence vote, where the Business Owners and other stakeholders assess the feasibility and economic outcomes of the plan.” Therefore, the correct answer is D, program and team. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the levels at which confidence votes are taken. Portfolio, branch, and train are not relevant terms in the context of PI planning.

Two reasons the Agile Manifesto for Software Development is still relevant to Lean-Agile Enterprises are:

It provides the foundation for empowered, self-organizing Agile teams. The Agile Manifesto values individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan1. These values support the creation of cross-functional, autonomous, and collaborative teams that can deliver value to customers and stakeholders in an agile way2.

SAFe extends the value system and principles of the Agile Manifesto to teams of Agile teams. SAFe is based on the Agile Manifesto, but also incorporates additional values and principles that address the challenges of scaling agile to the enterprise level3. SAFe values alignment, built-in quality, transparency, and program execution, as well as the four original values of the Agile Manifesto4. SAFe also applies nine additional principles that guide the behavior of teams of Agile teams, or Agile Release Trains (ARTs), in a Lean-Agile context5.

1: Agile Manifesto for Software Development | Agile Alliance 2: The Agile Manifesto at 20: What’s still relevant—and what’s not | TechBeacon 3: SAFe Lean-Agile Principles - Scaled Agile Framework 4: Core Values - Scaled Agile Framework 5: SAFe Lean-Agile Principles - Scaled Agile Framework

According to the Implementation Roadmap article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, the appropriate first step for an agency that is ready to undertake a large modernization effort using SAFe is to identify and train change agents that will lead the effort. The article states that “The first step in the roadmap is to identify the change agents who will lead the transformation. These are the people who have the vision, influence, and drive to make the change happen. They include executives, managers, coaches, and other leaders who can champion the new way of working and inspire others to follow. Change agents need to be trained in the principles and practices of SAFe, as well as the skills and mindset of Lean-Agile leadership.” Therefore, the correct answer is D, identify and train change agents that will lead the effort. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the first steps in the roadmap. Mapping all stage gates to Agile events (A) is a possible activity in the fourth step, which is to create the implementation plan. Training Product Owners in the principles, practices, and benefits of adopting SAFe (B) is a possible activity in the fifth step, which is to prepare for ART launch. Starting an Agile project with an internal Agile Scrum Master © is not a recommended step in the roadmap, as it does not involve the whole ART or the Lean Portfolio Management.

Authenticity is the aspect of leading by example that challenges Lean-Agile leaders to ‘walk the talk’ by being a role model of desired professional and ethical behaviors by acting with honesty, integrity, and transparency1. Authentic leaders are genuine, self-aware, and trustworthy. They align their actions with their words and values, and they inspire trust and respect from others2. Authenticity helps leaders create a culture of openness, collaboration, and continuous learning in their organizations3.

1: Lean-Agile Leadership - Scaled Agile Framework 2: What Is One Way Lean-agile Leaders Lead by Example? - CGAA 3: Three Dimensions of Lean-Agile Leadership: A Guide for Leading Your …

According to the Core Values article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, relentless improvement is one of the four core values of SAFe, along with alignment, transparency, and respect for people. The article states that “Relentless improvement is a constant sense of danger combined with a paranoid desire to find a better way. It’s a culture of organizational self-assessment, problem-solving, and action. It’s a willingness to change before the crisis forces us to do so. It’s a commitment to relentless reflection and a continuous learning journey.” Therefore, the correct answer is C, relentless improvement. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the core values of SAFe. Intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers is a principle, not a value, of SAFe. Individuals and interactions is a value of the Agile Manifesto, not of SAFe. Built-in quality is an aspect of SAFe, not a value.

The true statement about Lean-Agile development and contracting is A. Quality is built-in through collaboration and automation. Lean-Agile development is an iterative and incremental approach to software development that emphasizes flexibility, adaptability, and continuous improvement. Quality is not something that is added at the end of the development cycle, but rather something that is embedded throughout the process. Lean-Agile teams collaborate with customers and stakeholders to define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item. They also use automation tools to perform frequent testing, integration, and deployment of the software, ensuring that the solution meets the quality standards and compliance requirements12.

1: Advanced Topic - Agile Contracts - Scaled Agile Framework 2: Government - Building in Quality and Compliance - Scaled Agile Framework

According to the Applying Lean Estimating and Forecasting in Cadence article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, ART velocities are used to conduct ‘what if’ analysis for estimating and forecasting in SAFe. The article states that “The ART velocity is used to conduct ‘what if’ analysis, which helps determine the feasibility of the plan and the number of features that can be delivered in a PI. The ART velocity is also used to forecast the delivery of features and capabilities beyond the current PI.” Therefore, the correct answer is C, ART velocities are used to conduct ‘what if’ analysis. The other options are not accurate, as they are not the statements that are true for estimating and forecasting in SAFe. Feature estimation is not independent of team-level input (A), as teams are involved in estimating the size and complexity of features using story points or normalized story points. Epics are not estimated by the Epic Owner (B), as they are estimated collaboratively by the Epic Owner, Enterprise Architect, and Lean Portfolio Management. Work breakdown structure to the task level does not help increase estimation accuracy (D), as it introduces unnecessary overhead and delays feedback.

According to the PI Objectives article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, uncommitted objectives are used to identify work that can be variable within the scope of a PI. The article states that “Uncommitted objectives help improve the predictability of delivering business value since they are not included in the team’s commitment or counted against teams in the ART predictability measure. Uncommitted objectives are used to identify work that can be variable within the scope of a PI. The work is planned, but the outcome is simply not certain. Teams can apply uncommitted objectives whenever there is low confidence in meeting the objective, but include in their plan.” Therefore, the correct answer is B, teams have low confidence they can meet the objective, but include in their plan. The other options are not accurate, as they do not reflect the definition of uncommitted objectives.

Business epics are large initiatives in SAFe that drive business value and typically cross the organizational boundaries (release trains), time boundaries (Program Increments), or both1. They are solution descriptions for the business that capture the more substantial investments that occur within a portfolio2. Business epics directly deliver business value, while enabler epics are used to advance the Architectural Runway to support upcoming business or technical needs2.

1: Implementation Strategies for Business Epics - Scaled Agile Framework 2: Epic - Scaled Agile Framework

According to the Decentralize Decision-Making article on the Scaled Agile Framework website, the type of decision that should be decentralized is the one that has a high cost of delay. The article states that “All other decisions should be decentralized. Characteristics of these types of decisions include: Frequent – The problems addressed by decentralized decisions are recurrent and common (e.g., Team and Program Backlog prioritization, real-time Agile Release Train [ART] scoping, response to defects and emerging issues). Time-critical – The cost of delay for these decisions is high, and waiting for approval or consensus would cause significant waste or missed opportunities. Reversible – The consequences of these decisions are not long-lasting or irreversible and can be easily changed or corrected if needed.” Therefore, the correct answer is A, high cost of delay. The other options are not accurate, as they are either irrelevant or better suited for centralized decisions.