Question No. 1

What is one anti-pattern that emerges when teams do not spend enough time refining the backlog?

ATeams arrive to Team Sync without progress to share

BTeams enter retrospectives without improvement ideas

CTeams enter new Iterations without enough Stories prepared

DTeams arrive to Iteration Planning without specified goals

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Correct Answer: C

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 Iteration123Backlog 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 Backlog4One 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 Iteration2By 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

Question No. 2

Team A works collaboratively on new functionality for a customer application. The acceptance criteria have each been minimally met.

Team A decides to release the functionality with a method for collecting direct customer feedback. Which of the following high-performing team characteristics is Team A demonstrating?

ABalancing abilities on the team with the challenge of the work

BTaking appropriate risks without fear of failure

CFocusing on success over trying to avoid failures

DUsing regular feedback loops built into the learning cycle

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Correct Answer: D

One of the high-performing team characteristics that Team A is demonstrating is using regular feedback loops built into the learning cycle.A high-performing Agile Team is a cross-functional group of people that have everything, and everyone, necessary to produce a working, tested increment of product1They are empowered, collaborative, aligned, and committed to delivering value to the customers and the organization1One of the factors that enable a high-performing Agile Team is using regular feedback loops to learn and improve.Feedback loops are mechanisms that provide the team with information about the outcomes and impacts of their actions, as well as the needs and expectations of their customers and stakeholders23Feedback loops help the team to validate their assumptions, measure their progress, and adjust their plans accordingly23Feedback loops also help the team to foster a culture of experimentation, innovation, and continuous improvement, as well as to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty23Team A is using regular feedback loops by releasing the functionality with a method for collecting direct customer feedback. This allows them to learn from the actual users of their product, and to incorporate their feedback into the next iteration of development.This way, they can deliver value faster and more effectively, as well as to enhance the quality and usability of their product4(Must be taken from SAFe 6 Scrum Master resources)

Feedback - Scaled Agile Framework

Agile Teams - Scaled Agile Framework

Feedback Loops: The Key to Building Better Products Faster | UserTesting Blog

The Importance of Customer Feedback in Product Development | SurveyMonkey

Question No. 3