Master the SAFe® Product Owner/Product Manager (SAFe POPM) Certification Exam
Scaling Agile
Created on :
July 24, 2023
Saket Bansal
Updated on :
August 4, 2023
0 Comments
Numerous organizations are transitioning through their Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) implementation. As advised by the Scaled Agile, it’s essential to ensure the education of product personnel on the distinct SAFe approach to product management. This necessity has resulted in a surge in demand for SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) training and certification.
If you’re contemplating getting certified but still need to attend the SAFe POPM course, it’s crucial to understand that course completion is a prerequisite for the certification exam. Therefore, attendance at the SAFe POPM class should be your initial step.
Are you preparing for the SAFe POPM exam and seeking guidance to pass on your first try? If so, you’ve landed in the right spot. Our blog brings insights that provide strategies and suggestions to excel in the examination. Furthermore, our blog is a comprehensive repository of review questions that supplement your SAFe POPM course material.
Our SAFe POPM training program encompasses all essential facets that a Product Owner needs to grasp about the SAFe framework. This understanding empowers you to deliver the appropriate requirements to your team, facilitating agile product delivery.
Below are some pointers, presented as questions, to illustrate the type of content you can expect from each lesson in the SAFe POPM Exam. Review these questions alongside your SAFe POPM Digital Workbook to ensure a comprehensive understanding and increase your chances of passing the exam.
Lesson 1: Product Owner/Product Management Roles and Responsibilities (14-16%)
Which role ensures the ART has a clear product strategy, vision, and roadmap?
Which role involves researching markets and understanding user needs?
Which role is responsible for managing and setting priorities in the ART backlog?
Which role supports the team in providing valuable results?
Which role is tasked with organizing and setting the order of tasks in the team backlog?
What are the five principles that define Lean Thinking?
What are the four core values that the Agile Manifesto represents?
What are the ten principles of Lean-Agile as outlined by SAFe?
What is the definition of a Value Stream?
What does the term Operational Value Stream mean?
What is meant by a Development Value Stream?
What type of value stream primarily develops solutions?
What type of value stream primarily consumes solutions?
What principle from the Agile Manifesto aligns with the practice of conducting a System Demo?
What principle from the Agile Manifesto aligns with conducting a retrospective?
What role provides architectural guidance and technical enablement to the team?
What is the role of forecasting work through Roadmaps in SAFe?
What does planning beneficial Features involve?
How do you manage the ART Backlog and Kanban?
Can you explain the concept of a Planning Interval (PI)?
What is the significance of Product Management in PI Planning?
What benefits can be derived from PI Planning?
What are the contents and significance of a Solution Vision?
How do Strategic Themes influence the Solution Vision?
Can you explain the difference between Solution and PI Roadmaps?
What is the importance of customer-centric Features in SAFe?
Can you explain the process of feature storming and refinement?
How does the ART Backlog and Kanban system work in SAFe?
What role does System Architecture play in the ART Backlog?
How do you use capacity allocation in managing the ART Backlog?
What is the principle behind Kanban and how is it used in SAFe?
How do you prioritize Features for optimal ROI?
What pitfalls should be avoided when prioritizing Features?
How do you calculate WSJF with relative estimating?
How much preparation is necessary for PI Planning?
How do market rhythms and events affect your Roadmap planning?
Lesson 3: Leadership for PI Planning (14-16%)
How does the communication of the vision play a role in PI Planning?
What are the steps that Product Owners and Product Management undertake during the first day of PI Planning?
Can you explain the process of breaking down features into stories?
How do you ensure that each team understands the vision?
What is the relevance of Non-Functional Requirements (NFRs) in communicating the vision?
What is the purpose of a PI Roadmap, and how does it support key Epics and Milestones?
How do you effectively communicate the top 10 features to the Agile Release Train (ART)?
What are the activities Product Owners and Product Managers are involved in during the second day of PI Planning?
Can you define PI Objectives and their purpose in SAFe?
How does distinguishing between Features and PI Objectives benefit the planning process?
What are some effective tips for writing team PI Objectives?
Can you explain the concept of uncommitted objectives and their impact on planning reliability?
What considerations should be made when assigning business value to PI Objectives?
How can an ART Planning Board be utilized to visualize work?
What strategies can be employed for managing dependencies during PI Planning?
How can you identify potential dependency issues, and who should you collaborate with to minimize and address these issues?
What are the different types of risks that can affect successful ART execution?
How does PI Planning help in localizing and addressing these risks?
Can you explain the process of building the final plan and gaining Business Owners’ acceptance?
How do you categorize and manage ART PI Risks using the ROAM method?
What does a confidence vote involve, and how is it conducted?
What are the strategies for managing complex critical path challenges?
Lesson 4: Iteration Execution (30-32%)
Explain the concept of Stories in the context of Agile software development.
What are the different types of Stories? Describe the role of each in product development.
Describe the components of a well-written User Story.
How are User and Enabler Stories different in terms of their value and function?
Explain the INVEST acronym in the context of writing good Stories.
How are Features and Stories related to personas?
What is the purpose of splitting Features into Stories? Can you list down some of the patterns used for this process?
Describe what signifies the completion of a Story.
What are acceptance criteria in the context of Stories? How are they established?
Discuss the role of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) in writing acceptance criteria.
Explain the concept and use of Story maps in capturing workflows.
What is an Iteration in Agile development? How is it planned and executed?
Explain the process of sequencing Stories during Iteration planning.
What is capacity allocation and how does it help in Iteration planning?
Explain the concept of Story points and how they are used in Agile development.
Discuss the role of the Product Owner during Iteration Planning.
Describe the Team Kanban and its significance in promoting collaboration and flow.
What is Backlog refinement? How does it assist in Iteration planning and execution?
Discuss the purpose and structure of the Iteration Review.
What actions can be taken when a Story is not completed within an Iteration?
Explain the concept of DevOps and its role in Agile development.
What is Continuous Delivery Pipeline? How is it built with DevOps?
What is the concept of Release on Demand in Agile development?
Can you describe the process of decoupling release elements from the total Solution?
Discuss some of the actions you can take to improve your participation in Iteration events.
Lesson 5: PI Execution (14-16% )
What is the purpose of the PO Sync in SAFe?
What are the key activities that occur during a PO Sync?
How does the PO Sync contribute to the preparation for the next PI?
Who are the participants in the PO Sync and who facilitates it?
Describe the process and importance of the System Demo in the SAFe framework.
When does the System Demo occur and what should it ideally demonstrate?
What is the purpose of the Innovation and Planning Iteration in SAFe?
Can you explain how hackathons and supplier showcases contribute to the innovation process in the SAFe framework?
How are spikes used in the Innovation and Planning Iteration?
What are the three parts of Inspect and Adapt in the SAFe framework?
Who are the attendees in an Inspect and Adapt event?
Explain the role of flow metrics and outcome metrics in the Inspect and Adapt stage.
How would you apply flow and outcome metrics in your organization to improve delivery effectiveness?
What actions might you take to improve your participation in the PO Sync, System Demo, and Inspect and Adapt events?
What kinds of innovation opportunities would you encourage in your Agile Team and why?
Can you list some of the metrics you plan to collect and review during your Inspect and Adapt workshops and explain their significance?
Use the pointers below as a measure of your exam readiness. It’s recommended to first familiarize yourself with these guidelines, seek out their corresponding answers, and then practice with mock tests. Strive to achieve a score of 90% on these tests, as this suggests a robust preparedness for the final exam. Should you have queries related to these pointers, please leave your questions in the comment section beneath this post.
If you’ve yet to participate in a SAFe POPM certification class, it might be worthwhile to register for one of our forthcoming courses. These classes will augment your knowledge and proficiency in SAFe way of doing product management. We facilitate sessions in a range of locations, including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Pune, and Hyderabad.
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