Pass the Scaled Agile SAFe Scrum Master SSM Questions and answers with CertsForce

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.

A key responsibility of the Scrum Master/Team Coach (SM/TC) in SAFe® is to support Iteration Execution. This involves ensuring that the team adheres to Agile principles, manages dependencies, removes impediments, and maintains focus on achieving iteration goals.

The Scrum Master facilitates team events, promotes collaboration, and helps the team continuously improve. They also assist in managing scope and ensuring transparency by tracking progress through iteration burndowns, Kanban boards, or burn-up charts.

From SAFe guidance:

“Scrum Masters support iteration execution, help the team meet iteration goals, and ensure all Scrum events are productive and within their timeboxes.”

Therefore, the correct answer is B. Supporting Iteration Execution, as it encapsulates a central part of the Scrum Master/Team Coach role.

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.

One benefit of holding regular system demos is that execution can be measured across the whole ART. A system demo is a significant event that provides an integrated view of new Features for the most recent Iteration delivered by all the teams in the Agile Release Train (ART). Each demo gives ART stakeholders an objective measure of progress during a Program Increment (PI). The system demo offers the ART a fact-based measure of current, system-level progress within the PI. It’s the true measure of ART velocity and progress. Achieving this requires implementing the scalable engineering practices necessary to support Continuous Integration across the ART. By holding regular system demos, the ART can evaluate the quality, functionality, and usability of the solution, as well as identify and resolve any issues, risks, or dependencies. The system demo also provides an opportunity for feedback and learning from the customers, Business Owners, and other stakeholders, which can help the ART to align with the vision and goals, and to adapt to changing needs and expectations.

In the context of SAFe® and Agile Team dynamics, healthy conflict is a defining characteristic of a high-performing team. It allows members to openly challenge ideas, explore different perspectives, and arrive at better decisions collectively.

Healthy conflict is based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to team goals. It is different from destructive conflict—rather than creating division, it fosters creativity, innovation, and stronger collaboration. When teams are psychologically safe and can engage in constructive debate, they can refine solutions and build consensus faster.

SAFe emphasizes servant leadership and coaching behaviors that enable such open communication:

“High-performing Agile Teams engage in healthy conflict, where diverse viewpoints are explored and disagreements are resolved constructively, leading to better decisions and shared commitment.”

While trust, clear goals, and decision-making are also vital attributes, healthy conflict specifically addresses how teams can manage differing opinions productively, making it the correct answer.

One method a Scrum Master/Team Coach can use to help teams overcome a fear of conflict is to give every team member the opportunity to contribute. Fear of conflict is one of the common dysfunctions of a team, which can result in artificial harmony, lack of trust, and avoidance of issues1 To overcome this fear, the Scrum Master/Team Coach can facilitate a safe and respectful environment where team members can express their opinions, ideas, and concerns without being judged, ignored, or attacked23 Giving every team member the opportunity to contribute can help them feel valued, respected, and heard, as well as foster a culture of collaboration, feedback, and learning45 The Scrum Master/Team Coach can use various techniques to ensure equal participation, such as round-robin, fist of five, dot voting, silent brainstorming, and liberating structures45 By encouraging healthy and constructive conflict, the Scrum Master/Team Coach can help the team improve their performance, creativity, and innovation23

The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event is a crucial part of the Program Increment (PI) cycle in SAFe®, held at the end of every PI. It provides a structured opportunity for the Agile Release Train (ART) to reflect, assess results, and drive relentless improvement.

According to SAFe, the I&A event consists of three distinct parts:

PI System Demo – A combined demonstration of all teams’ completed features during the PI to show the integrated solution’s current state.

Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement – Teams review performance metrics and gather stakeholder feedback to assess progress toward business objectives.

Problem-Solving Workshop – The ART collectively identifies systemic issues and applies root cause analysis techniques to create actionable improvement items.

From SAFe guidance:

“The Inspect and Adapt event consists of a PI System Demo, quantitative and qualitative measurement, and a problem-solving workshop.”

Thus, the correct answer is C. PI System Demo, qualitative and quantitative measurement, and problem-solving workshop.