SAFe-POPM SAFe Product Owner-Product Manager (POPM) Questions and Answers

A story map is a tool that visualizes features representing a workflow. A story map is a two-dimensional arrangement of user stories that shows the relationship between the user activities and the features that support them1. A story map helps the team to understand the user journey, prioritize the features based on value and dependencies, and plan the releases and iterations2.

References:

•Story Mapping - Scaled Agile Framework

•What is User Story Mapping? | Definition and Overview

One characteristic of writing effective PI Objectives is describing the value that the objectives will deliver to the customers and stakeholders. PI Objectives are a summary of the business and technical goals that the Agile Release Train (ART) intends to achieve in the upcoming Program Increment (PI)1. They are not just a list of features or stories, but rather a statement of the outcomes and benefits that the features or stories will provide2. By describing the value, the PI Objectives help align the teams and stakeholders to a shared vision and mission, and provide a basis for measuring the progress and performance of the ART3.

References:

•PI Objectives - Scaled Agile Framework

•Your Guide to Writing Great Iteration and PI Objectives - Scaled Agile

•How to Write PI Objectives - ValueGlide

One strategy for managing complex critical path challenges is to adjust work between teams or split Features and Stories. Complex critical path challenges are situations where the delivery of value depends on the completion of multiple interdependent tasks by different teams1. These challenges can cause delays, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies in the value stream. To overcome these challenges, one option is to adjust work between teams or split Features and Stories, so that the dependencies are minimized or eliminated2. This can help improve the flow of work, reduce the risk of integration issues, and increase the flexibility and responsiveness of the teams3.

References:

•Accelerating Flow with SAFe - Scaled Agile Framework

•Managing Dependencies - Scaled Agile Framework

Fostering Built-in Quality is a Product Owner responsibility that supports the team with value delivery. Built-in Quality is one of the four core values of SAFe® and it means that every aspect of the solution is continuously verified for quality1. The Product Owner fosters Built-in Quality in the following ways:

•Collaborating with the Development team and other stakeholders to define clear and testable acceptance criteria for each work item2.

•Participating in team events such as Iteration Planning, Backlog Refinement, and Iteration Review to provide feedback and guidance on the quality of the work2.

•Reviewing and approving the work items that meet the Definition of Done and the acceptance criteria2.

•Encouraging the team to apply Agile testing practices such as Test-First, Test-Driven Development, and Behavior-Driven Development3.

•Supporting the team’s continuous integration and continuous delivery practices to ensure fast and frequent feedback on the quality of the solution3.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and C) are not Product Owner responsibilities that support the team with value delivery, but rather responsibilities that belong to other roles or activities.

•Understanding market forces is a responsibility of Product Management, who is accountable for the market and business aspects of the solution4.

•Supporting the Architectural Runway is a responsibility of System Architects/Engineers, who provide technical guidance and enablement to the teams.

•Testing benefit hypotheses is an activity that occurs in the Continuous Exploration step of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline, where Product Owners and Product Managers collaborate to validate their assumptions about the customer and the solution.

Product Management is the role that ensures that the Agile Release Train (ART) has the Vision and Backlog needed to engage in PI Planning successfully. Product Management is responsible for defining and communicating the Vision, which describes the future state of the solution and its features1. Product Management also develops and maintains the Program Backlog, which contains the features and enablers that the ART will implement in the upcoming Program Increments (PIs)2. Product Management collaborates with stakeholders, customers, architects, and other roles to discover, prioritize, and refine the backlog items and present them to the ART during PI Planning3.

References:

•Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

•Product Management - Scaled Agile Framework

•PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

Journey mapping is one method for designing the end-to-end customer experience. It is a visual representation of the steps, emotions, and pain points that a customer goes through when interacting with a product or service. It helps to identify the customer needs, expectations, and goals, as well as the gaps and opportunities for improvement in the current experience. Journey mapping also helps to align the stakeholders on the customer perspective and prioritize the features and solutions that will deliver the most value and satisfaction123

References:

•The expanding role of design in creating an end-to-end customer experience

•End to End Customer Experience: Know and Control its 3 Elements - HEFLO BPM

•How Design thinking Can Shape end to end Customer Experience

The Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration is a unique, dedicated iteration that occurs every Program Increment (PI). A PI is a timebox of 8 to 12 weeks, during which an Agile Release Train (ART) delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and systems. Therefore, in a 12-week PI, the IP Iteration occurs every quarter

The minimum requirements for a feature are a name, a benefit hypothesis, and acceptance criteria12. A name is a brief and descriptive phrase that summarizes the feature. A benefit hypothesis is a statement that describes the expected outcome and value of the feature for the customer or user. Acceptance criteria are a set of conditions that the feature must satisfy to be accepted by the customer or stakeholder12.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, C, and D) are not the minimum requirements for a feature, but rather additional or optional elements that may be included in the feature definition.

•Data models are representations of the data structures and relationships that the feature requires or affects. Data models are not mandatory for a feature, but they may be useful for complex or data-intensive features3.

•Priority is the relative importance or urgency of a feature compared to other features. Priority is not a requirement for a feature, but it is a factor that influences the feature selection and sequencing4.

•Non-functional requirements (NFRs) are system qualities that guide the design of the solution and often serve as constraints across the relevant backlogs. NFRs are not specific to a feature, but they may affect the feature implementation or testing5.

•Architecture is the design and structure of the system that supports the solution. Architecture is not a requirement for a feature, but it is an enabler that facilitates the feature delivery.

The top ten Features are a PI planning input that demonstrates how Product Management plans to accomplish the Vision. The vision is a description of the future state of the solution under development, reflecting customer and stakeholder needs, as well as the features and capabilities proposed to meet those needs1. The top ten Features are the highest priority features of the ART backlog, which are derived from the vision and roadmap, and provide the most value to the customers and stakeholders2. By presenting the top ten Features to the Agile Release Train (ART) during PI planning, Product Management communicates the main objectives and scope of the upcoming Program Increment (PI), and guides the teams to plan their work accordingly2. The top ten Features also help align the teams and stakeholders to a shared mission and vision, and foster cross-team and cross-ART collaboration2.

References: 1 Vision - Scaled Agile Framework, 2 PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

The ART Planning Board is a physical or virtual board that helps visualize the work of the Agile Release Train (ART) during PI Planning. It shows the features and dependencies for each team and iteration in the Program Increment (PI)1. The ART Planning Board helps the teams and stakeholders to see the big picture, identify and resolve issues, and collaborate on the delivery plan2.

References:

•ART Planning Board - Scaled Agile Framework

•PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework