SAFe 6.0

What problem falls between the Understanding the Problem phase and the Design the Right Solution phase of Design Thinking?

4. How do we develop a whole-product solution?

What is a research game that can be played to help build empathy for customers? A. Win-loss analysis B. Conjoint analysis C. Gabor-granger D. The Apprentice

D. The Apprentice

What is the difference between primary and secondary data?

Primary data is custom designed and implemented to answer a specific question as best as possible. It is qualitative or quantitative. Secondary data is typically previously collected or published data. It may or may not address specific questions.

Product Managers can increase performance by

Proactively identifying and managing stakeholders and collaborators.

What is one characteristic of well-defined market segments? A. Sustainable B. Homogeneous C. Feasible D. Large

B. Homogeneous

What are the two broad motivations for research?

Understand: Market Research Design: User research

Which tool does SAFe recommend to help analyze Epics before they potentially get funding for initial implementation? A. Value Stream analysis B. Net Promoter Score (NPS) C. Portfolio Kanban D. Lean business case

D. Lean business case

What is the description of the "Understand" motivation of research?

- Focuses on the who and the what - Evaluates what larger samples say - Asks people about concepts, opinions, and values - Asks a market what they will buy - Focuses on selling and marketing the product This motivation primarily drives product strategy.

What are the core questions for products in the growth phase?

- How should our product change to meet changing expectations? - Is our product growing well? If not, is the product failing, or are we in a chasm? If we are in a chasm, what do we need to do to cross it? - Has our success changed the macro-environment? How are competitors responding?

What are ways of gathering quantitative data as it relates to product questions?

- A/B testing - Questionnaires/surveys - Choice modeling, conjoint analysis This is used as market research.

Describe the Sustainable theme of Design Thinking.

- Continue innovation throughout product's lifecycle - Ensure product's future health (for example, Architectural Runway, technical debt, and so on)

Design Thinking is a continuous process that

- Delivers value quickly in small batches allowing for fast feedback, promoting innovation - Arrives at the optimum Solution by deciding and learning faster - Supports new product development and ongoing product enhancement

What are the core questions for developing new products?

- Do customers recognize that they have the problem you are trying to solve? - What are customers doing to solve the problem now? - IF there was a Solution, would the customers buy it? - Will Customers buy the Solution from us? - Can we build a Solution for the problem? - How can we differentiate our Value Stream?

Describe the Feasible aspect of Design Thinking.

- Drive product strategy and execution - Communicate the vision - Manage ART backlog - Collaborate with stakeholders

What are ways of gathering qualitative data as it relates to product questions?

- Empathy interviews - Simple surveys - Gemba - Voice of Customer activities - Customer advisory boards - Trade studies - Ethnography This is used as user research.

Describe the Viable aspect of Design Thinking.

- Ensure economic investment is in line with business strategy - Own pricing, licensing, and ROI - Manage suppliers and supply chain

What is the description of the "Design" motivation of research?

- Focuses on the how and the why - Evaluates what smaller samples do - Observes what people do - Determines how a market will use - Focuses on the requirements of the product This motivation primarily drives product design.

Passives in the Net Promoter Score fall into which range? A. 3-4 B. 5-6 C. 7-8 D. 9-10

C. 7-8

Define technical debt.

When code is written (possibly in haste) to prioritize speedy delivery rather than perfect code.

What is one of the key factors that determines the value of a market segment? A. Amount customers are willing to pay B. Historical value of the segment C. Total cost of ownership D. Market research data

A. Amount customers are willing to pay

What are the core questions for mature Solutions?

- Is this segment still attractive? - How can we further extract profit from superior operations? - Have we lost sight of the core challenges facing our Customers? - Has the problem changed? - Is it time to exit this segment and invest elsewhere?

Describe the Desirable aspect of Design Thinking.

- Understand your markets and customers. - Perform market research. - Segment and size markets - Use personas

What are the four types of customers that Product Management flows value to?

1. Business to Consumer (B2C) 2. Business to Professional (B2P) 3. Business to Business (B2B) 4. Business (Supplier) to Business to Consumer (B2B2C)

What are the five Product Management areas of responsibility?

1. Delivering value 2. Exploring markets and users 3. Connecting with the Customer 4. Defining Product Strategy, Vision, and Roadmaps 5. Managing and Prioritizing the ART Backlog

What are the nine product management questions?

1. What is the problem we want to solve? 2. Who has this problem? 3. Is this a problem we need to solve? 4. How do we develop a whole-product solution? 5. How do we test Solution ideas? 6. Which features are most valuable? 7. Should we build or buy the Solution? 8. How are we and our Customers evolving? 9. How do we track and manage value?

Which type of Enabler Story contains Verification and Validation (V&V) of prospective Solutions? A. Compliance B. Exploration C. Infrastructure D. Architecture

A. Compliance

Market research is conducted as a part of Design Thinking to help determine if a Solution is what? A. Desirable B. Viable C. Sustainable D. Feasible

A. Desirable

Which of the nine product management questions align with the sustainable loop in Design Thinking?

8. How are we and our Customers evolving? 9. How do we track and manage value?

What are user personas? A. Fictional characters that represent a group of people who might use an application in a similar way B. Groups of users that have similar characteristics in their personal lives C. Roles within an application that are designed to enable specific Feature or data access permissions D. A group of actual potential Customers who agreed to participate in product design research

A. Fictional characters that represent a group of people who might use an application in a similar way

What is an example of a question that the Product Manager might ask during the discover and define phase of Design Thinking? A. How do we communicate our business model? B. How do we create a plan for the future? C. Should we build or buy? D. Which Features should we remove?

A. How do we communicate our business model?

Which statement is true about the Sweet Spot of Strategy? A. It helps identify competitive advantage B. It refines the customer journey map C. It identifies market segments D. It is easier to use than the whole-product marketing

A. It helps identify competitive advantage

What is one benefit of using a Solution Roadmap? A. It supports long-term planning of Epics and Enablers B. It enables Lean Portfolio Management to hold the Product Manager accountable for future work C. It helps the ART understand and commit to work in future PIs D. The Product Manager can define the work for teams

A. It supports long-term planning of Epics and Enablers

Which tool can best help a Product Manager analyze significant investments? A. Lean Business Case B. Continuous Delivery Pipeline (CDP) C. Lean-agile Mindset D. Implementation Roadmap

A. Lean Business Case

In the Business Value Game, New Business, Up-sell, Retainment, and Operational Efficiency are used as broad buckets for what? A. Organizing Roadmap Features B. Determining acceptance criteria for Roadmap Features C. Prioritizing Roadmap Features D. Calculating the business value of Roadmap Features

A. Organizing Roadmap Features

As a Product Manager, which canvas is most useful to help better understand the customer? A. Value proposition B. Operational Value Stream C. Portfolio D. Business model

A. Value proposition

Which activity does a Product Manager perform to support different functions in product delivery? A. Support Team management B. Review legal agreements C. Build Solution Architecture D. Finalize sales contracts

B. Review legal agreements

How do Story maps address backlog challenges? A. By helping to understand work in process (WIP) limits B. By helping to understand workflows C. By helping to visualize the Roadmap implementation D. By providing an alternative to Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) prioritization

B. By helping to understand workflows

What is a possible application programming interface (API) strategy? A. Identify the Solution Context B. Charge for each data transfer invocation C. Refine the architecture investments D. Define the platform structure

B. Charge for each data transfer invocation

What is an example of deriving innovative ideas from primary market research? A. Capturing new product ideas through innovation riptides B. Hosting a Prune the Product Tree event with key Customers C. Creating a Solution Roadmap based on market rhythms D. Developing Strategic Themes based on an analyst report

B. Hosting a Prune the Product Tree event with key Customers

What is one reason that is helpful for Solution Intent to contain both business and technical artifacts? A. It houses all design documents with Customer feedback B. It guides Roadmaps and backlogs C. It makes negotiating Enterprise contracts easier D. It makes defect analysis on previous source code easier

B. It guides Roadmaps and backlogs

Why is a platform important as a key decision around product strategy? A. It refines the Customer journey map B. It is configured to support specific market segments C. It defines investment horizons D. It updates the Architectural Runway

B. It is configured to support specific market segments

During which product phase is the focus more on optimizing existing Features instead of introducing entirely new Features? A. New B. Mature C. Decline D. Growth

B. Mature

Customer loyalty is a form of what kind of metric? A. Output B. Outcome C. Vanity D. Variable

B. Outcome

To foster alignment during the PI execution, the Product Manager may often be asked to facilitate which event in the closed-loop system? A. Insepct & Adapt (I&A) B. PO Sync C. Coach Sync D. System Demo

B. PO Sync

A Product Manager has developed a hypothesis about a potential new feature. They have released this Feature to a subset of their target market. Which kind of data could the Product Manager use to determine if the Feature should be released to all users? A. Libraries B. Product telemetry data C. Government data D. Competitor analysis

B. Product telemetry data

What is the Architectural Runway referencing? A. Requirements to improve the solution context B. The capacity of the system to meet changing business requirements C. Technological stacks utilized for product development D. The System Architect's improvement backlog

B. The capacity of the system to meet changing business requirements

Research generally aligns to planning horizons. Describe these planning horizons. Hint: there are six.

Broadest to shortest: 1. Portfolio roadmap- 1 to 3 year forecast. 2. Solution roadmap- 1 to 3 year forecast. 3. PI roadmap- 6 to 9 month forecast. 4. PI Plan- 8 to 12 week forecast. 5. Iteration Plan- 1 to 2 week plan. 6. Daily plan- 1 day plan. Understand phase takes place in the first two horizons, and design takes place in the second to fifth horizons.

What are the Product Management domains and their respective stakeholders?

Business Goals: Portfolio Management Delivery: Business Owners Product Adoption: Sales, marketing, distribution channels, partners Leveraging support: customer experience, support, legal, finance, operations

What is the earliest stage in the ART Kanban where Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) is applied? A. Funnel B. Backlog C. Analyzing D. Implementing

C. Analyzing

What is one activity that is most likely performed when conducting market research? A. Examine Solution options for development B. Consult a Solution Architect on creating a sustainable product C. Ask people what they would buy D. Define requirements for the product

C. Ask people what they would buy

Which role is a Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) stakeholder? A. Portfolio Manager B. Project Manager C. Business Owner D. Agile Team

C. Business Owner

Which option is available when an Epic Hypothesis Statement is proven true? A. Stop development and create a new hypothesis statement B. Begin implementing a minimum viable product (MVP) C. Continue development with the Epic in the 'Done' state D. Stop development and move the Epic to the 'Done' state

C. Continue development with the Epic in the 'Done' state

Which of the following aspects is most closely associated with the viability of the Solution? A. Collaborating with Stakeholders B. Continuous innovation C. Determining the value of target market segments D. Managing lower Supplier costs

C. Determining the value of target market segments

Which is an example of gathering data through user research? A. Syndicated data B. Competitive analysis C. Empathy interview D. Market survey

C. Empathy interview

What is a key factor in determining the value of a market segment? A. Qualitative Metrics on Customer behavior B. Quantified cost of the segment C. Estimates of current spending D. Previous size of the segment

C. Estimates of current spending

How might a Product Manager use Strategic Themes when considering the results of a market segmentation study? A. Begin crafting a product Vision for a segment B. Expand the existing strategy to cover all segments C. Focus on the right segment D. Create an initial elevator pitch for the segment

C. Focus on the right segment

When considering innovation and investment horizons, which area typically consumes the bulk of the Value Stream's budget? A. Horizon 2 (emerging) B. Horizon 0 (retiring) C. Horizon 1 (investing and extracting) D. Horizon 3 (evaluating)

C. Horizon 1 (investing and extracting)

What is one question to consider when evaluating the fit for a market segment? A. Is the market segment a new entry for us? B. How will the segment affect our margins? C. Is the segment aligned with our values? D. What is the total size of the market segment?

C. Is the segment aligned with our values?

What is one reason to user a Customer journey map? A. It helps define the market segment B. It validates Development Value Streams C. It identifies opportunities for new products D. It provides a greater understanding for pricing features

C. It identifies opportunities for new products

What is the primary purpose of Product Manager interactions with Lean Portfolio Management? A. Selling the product B. Providing effective operational support C. Meeting the business goals D. Getting the product built

C. Meeting the business goals

Which statement is true about personas? A. User personas may be changed, but buyer personas should not B. Personas should not be changed C. Personas are fictional characters based on Customer research D. Personas should focus on a single user role

C. Personas are fictional characters based on Customer research

What group would external Product Managers collaborate with to deliver a Solution to external Customers? A. Business owners B. Lean Portfolio Management C. Product marketing D. Enterprise executives

C. Product marketing

Which research game helps to facilitate a better understanding of Customer needs? A. Spider Web B. Buy a Feature C. Prune the Product Tree D. The Apprentice

C. Prune the Product Tree

Which is a prioritization anti-pattern? A. Time criticality B. Cost of Delay (CoD) C. Return on Investment (ROI) D. Duration

C. Return on Investment

Two Product Managers on the same ART are working together to identify personas for a new banking product. They quickly realize they must be aligned on what information to capture for each persona. One Product Manager wants to add all details discovered about each persona, and the other Product Manager wants to provide just enough information about the personas to inform decision-making on Product Features. Which strategy is likely to create the best results? A. The "as many details as possible" strategy B. Both strategies are correct C. The "just enough details" strategy D. Neither strategy is correct

C. The "just enough details" strategy

While using Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) for Feature estimation, Product Management indicates that a Feature is needed to demo at a conference in five weeks. Which WSJF element reflects the concern in the calculation? A. Job size B. User/business value C. Time criticality D. Risk reduction/opportunity enablement value

C. Time criticality

What is the role of the Product Manager during the IP Iteration? A. To determine feature sequencing for upcoming deployment windows B. To proactively negotiate business value scores for PI Planning objectives C. To add improvement items to the backlog D. To set the capacity guard rail for the train

C. To add improvement items to the backlog

During backlog refinement, a new Feature is being discussed. A Business Owner explains that the Feature will serve existing Customers best as an add-on. Which category should this Feature be placed in? A. Retainment B. Operational efficiency C. Up-sell D. Market research

C. Up-sell

A Product Manager for a mobile banking application performs a demo for current customers with new menu options. Through this session, the Product Manager learns that some of the menu options use a small font that is difficult to read in low light. Which stakeholder(s) would the Product Manager collaborate with first to discuss options for addressing this feedback? A. Business analysts B. Solutions architect C. User interface designers D. Quality assurance

C. User interface designers

Which of the five areas of responsibility of the Product Owner is Design Thinking involved with?

Connecting with the customer.

Design Thinking is a Customer-centric development process that

Creates desirable products that are profitable and sustainable over their lifecycle.

What does a pivot directly lead to in the SAFe Lean Startup Cycle? A. A new minimum viable product (MVP) B. A stop to all development C. A new business model D. A new hypothesis statement

D. A new hypothesis statement

What is an output of a PI Planning event? A. PI retrospective action items B. Top 10 Features C. 10-15% allocation to the Architectural Runway D. ART planning board with dependencies

D. ART planning board with dependencies

What is one question that helps assess market segment fit? A. Do Customers recognize they have the problem the Solution solves? B. Is this defined as a current segment or is there need for further evaluation of the Strategic Theme? C. How is the competition performing in this market space? D. Are there existing relationships or opportunities to create relationships with the right partners?

D. Are there existing relationships or opportunities to create relationships with the right partners?

Which interview technique should be used during an empathy interview? A. Discourage stories B. Ask multiple questions at a time C. Ask leading questions D. Build rapport before asking questions

D. Build rapport before asking questions

Which research game would be most useful when using qualitative research for an existing product? A. Spider Web B. 20/20 Vision C. Product Box D. Buy a Feature

D. Buy a Feature

What helps define the Sweet Spot of Strategy? A. Solution Context B. Strategic Themes C. Competitors' offerings D. Company's Capabilites

D. Company's Capabilities

Which type of canvas includes details about how a product is implemented and by whom? A. Value proposition canvas B. Business value canvas C. Portfolio canvas D. Development Value Stream canvas

D. Development Value Stream canvas

In what situation would using research games be an effective technique? A. Raising management's confidence in unit forecasts of a new product B. Understanding the primary competitor's market strategy C. Determining the sales strategy for a new product launch D. Helping a diverse group of Customers prioritize enhancement requests

D. Helping a diverse group of Customers prioritize enhancement requests

Which statement is true about the Continuous Exploration process? A. It delivers the minimum viable product (MVP) B. It captures the Return on Investment (ROI) C. It manages the release process D. It creates alignment on what should be built

D. It creates alignment on what should be built

The sales and marketing team is working on a new campaign promoting a substantial upgrade to an enterprise HR Solution targeted to commercial and government organizations. The product is sold successfully by the direct sales team in the same configurations and at the same price to both groups. HR leaders from both sectors typically attend the same conferences and belong to the same professional groups. A single advertising campaign works for both groups. Does the scenario describe one or two segments, and why? A. Two segments, because each group has different funding models B. Two segments, because each group must comply with different workforce regulations C. One segment, because the primary buyer in both groups is the HR executive D. One segment, because both groups react the same way to the product offers

D. One segment, because both groups react the same way to the product offers

A new Feature is created to position the business in a new market and to reduce cost. What is one category that this Feature be placed in? A. Consumer research B. Retainment C. Up-sell D. Operational efficiency

D. Operational Efficiency

The highest Cost of Delay (CoD), and what other value should be considered when looking at the Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) scoring? A. Return on Investment (ROI) B. Longest duration C. Number of Features D. Shortest duration

D. Shortest duration

A Product Manager is hired to lead the development of a new tablet designed for artists who create public art projects. According to Simon Sinek's model, The Golden Circle, which statement might best capture the strategic purpose? A. This company wants to make writing tablets for artists B. This company wants to make inexpensive tablets for artists C. This company's writing tablets will have the latest technology D. This company wants to enable the creative genius of artists

D. This company wants to enable the creative genius of artists

Based on Simon Sinek's model The Golden Circle, what should be the primary consideration in effectively communicating the strategic purpose of a product? A. Who will buy the product? B. What market segments the product will serve? C. How the product will work? D. Why the product is being created?

D. Why the product is being created?

What are the three tenets (and the underlying theme) of Product Management w/ Design Thinking?

Desirable, Viable, Feasible. All must be sustainable.

Product Management delivers to both external and internal customers. What are the differences between these two groups?

External customers purchase or acquire Solutions, and requires Product Management to collaborate with product marketing, sales, channel partners, and distribution. Internal customers provide Solutions to another Value Stream. Internal customers generally are groups like IT Solution and release management, or a Purchasing department

Describe the Design Thinking process of divergence and convergence.

Four D's: Discover (diverge) Define (converge) Develop (diverge) Deliver (converge) The first two involve understand the problem, and the next two are to design the right solution.

What is Continuous Exploration?

It is the process that fosters innovation and builds alignment on what should be built by continually exploring market and Customer needs and defining a Vision, Roadmap, and set of Features for a Solution that addresses those needs.

In Design Thinking, what is the "Develop" phase of Design the Right Solution?

Leverage insights and data to develop compelling options?

Innovations follow a predictable curve of growth known as the

S-shaped curve of adoption.

Product Managers support development efforts of various sizes. What does this mean in terms of the Agile Release Train?

Some small teams create multiple products, but some products may require multiple teams. In other words, some Value Streams can be covered by a single Agile Release Train, but larger Value Streams require multiple ARTs.

What are the key collaborators that a Product Manager works with?

Steering the ART - System Architect, Release Train Engineer. Align on Outcomes - Business Owners, Customer, Solution Management. Evolve the Solution - Product Owners.

What activities might the Product Manager take part in?

The duties of a Product Owner, like making stories prioritizing team backlogs, accepting stories, etc. Other activities that support all product aspects, like product marketing, contact for product sales, reviewing legal agreements, responding to service requests, and managing Value Stream economics.

Describe the steps included in each loop of Continuous Exploration.

The main loop is Exploration and includes Hypothesizing, Collaboration & Research, Architect, and Synthesizing. The second and third loops are Integration and Deployment, followed by the ending Release on Demand.

Which of the nine product management questions align with Designing the Right Solution in Design Thinking?

There are three, all aligning with the converging process of the "Deliver" phase. 5. How do we test Solution ideas? 6. Which features are most valuable? 7. Should we build or buy the Solution?

Which of the nine product management questions align with Understanding the Problem in Design Thinking?

There are three, all part of the diverging process in the "Discover" phase. 1. What is the problem we want to solve? 2. Who has this problem? 3. Is this a problem we need to solve?

In Design Thinking, what is the "Deliver" phase of Design the Right Solution?

Use data-based techniques to converge on compelling products and services.

In Design Thinking, what is the "Define" phase of Understanding the Problem?

What are possible ways to address those needs? Where should we start? How would we measure progress?

In Design Thinking, what is the "Discover" phase of Understanding the problem?

What do our customers and stakeholders want? What are their needs?