Free SAFe® for Architects Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the SAFe® for Architects practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1During development, an Agile Team evolves a solution's design from needs it discovers while implementing features. Which architectural approach describes this work?

   1. A.Intentional architecture
   2. B.Emergent designCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Architectural runway
   4. D.Solution intent

   Explanation: The guidance says "emergent design arises bottom up, driven by the needs identified and implemented by Agile Teams during development." That is the approach in the scenario.

   Reference: Implementing the Architectural Runway Competency — Balancing Intentional Architecture and Emergent Design

2. 2An architect is designing a continuous integration workflow that hosts and validates a solution in an environment before production. Which CI activity is this?

   1. A.Develop
   2. B.Build
   3. C.Test end-to-end
   4. D.StageCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: The SAFe guidance states that "Stage describes the steps required to host and validate solutions in a staging environment before production". That is the activity in the scenario.

   Reference: Continuous Integration — The Four Activities of Continuous Integration

3. 3An enterprise architect needs portfolio-level business objectives that connect enterprise strategy to portfolio decisions. Which SAFe artifact provides these objectives?

   1. A.Strategic ThemesCorrect answer: A
   2. B.Solution Intent
   3. C.Team Backlog
   4. D.Iteration Goals

   Explanation: The source states that "Strategic themes connect the enterprise strategy to a portfolio" and provide context for portfolio decisions.

   Reference: Strategic Themes — Details

4. 4An architect is preparing for a cadence-based event that aligns the entire ART and its stakeholders to a shared mission and vision. Which event is it?

   1. A.Iteration Planning
   2. B.PI PlanningCorrect answer: B
   3. C.System Demo
   4. D.Inspect and Adapt

   Explanation: SAFe defines PI Planning as "a cadence-based event for the entire ART that aligns teams and stakeholders to a shared mission and vision."

   Reference: PI Planning — Definition

5. 5Leaders want an ordered guide for introducing Lean-Agile ways of working across their organization. Which SAFe roadmap is designed for that organizational journey?

   1. A.SAFe PI Roadmap
   2. B.SAFe Solution Roadmap
   3. C.SAFe Portfolio Roadmap
   4. D.SAFe Implementation RoadmapCorrect answer: D

   Explanation: The official definition describes the SAFe Implementation Roadmap as an article series with "a strategy and an ordered set of activities for successfully implementing SAFe."

   Reference: SAFe Implementation Roadmap — Getting Started with Implementing SAFe; Definition

6. 6An architect keeps several design alternatives available until empirical results clarify their trade-offs. Which SAFe principle is the architect applying?

   1. A.Apply systems thinking
   2. B.Assume variability; preserve optionsCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Decentralize decision-making
   4. D.Take an economic view

   Explanation: The principle advises teams to "maintain multiple requirements and design options for a longer period in the development cycle." Empirical data is then used to narrow the alternatives.

   Reference: SAFe Lean-Agile Principles — #3 – Assume variability; preserve options

7. 7A team familiar with the CALMS DevOps model is adopting SAFe's CALMR approach. Which element does SAFe add while treating sharing as part of culture?

   1. A.Lean flow
   2. B.RecoveryCorrect answer: B
   3. C.Measurement
   4. D.Automation

   Explanation: SAFe states that "sharing is a natural component of culture" and makes room for "‘recovery’ as a new element." This distinguishes the models.

   Reference: CALMR — CALMR approach to DevOps

8. 8One value stream creates a digital claims system; another uses that system to process claims. In the order described, which SAFe value-stream classifications apply?

   1. A.Development; operationalCorrect answer: A
   2. B.Operational; development
   3. C.Development; development
   4. D.Operational; operational

   Explanation: The guidance describes development value streams as activities "to develop and support the products and solutions used by operational value streams". In the scenario, claims processing is the operational stream.

   Reference: Development Value Streams — What is a development value stream?

9. 9An ART wants stakeholders to see an integrated view of features delivered by all its teams during the latest iteration and give feedback. Which event should the architect prepare for?

   1. A.Iteration Review
   2. B.Solution Demo
   3. C.System DemoCorrect answer: C
   4. D.Team Sync

   Explanation: The System Demo provides "an integrated view of new features for the most recent iteration delivered by all the teams on the ART" and offers stakeholders a chance to provide feedback.

   Reference: System Demo — Definition

10. 10During a SAFe adoption, one architecture leader changes policies that govern how work is performed; another demonstrates desired behaviors in daily work. In that order, which leadership actions are illustrated?

    1. A.Leading change; leading by exampleCorrect answer: A
    2. B.Leading by example; leading change
    3. C.Leading change; leading change
    4. D.Leading by example; leading by example

    Explanation: The guidance identifies both "leading by example" and "leading the change to a new way of working." Changing work-governing policies illustrates the latter; demonstrating desired behavior illustrates the former.

    Reference: Lean-Agile Leadership — Introduction