Answering: “A team’s Product Owner (PO) takes an unexpected leave of absence for the last week of the Iteration. Three of the team’s stories have been completed and are waiting to be accepted. The Scrum Master asks the Product Manager (PM) to attend the Iteration Review and accept the stories. The PM responds that he is not familiar enough with the intent to feel comfortable accepting these responsibilities. He suggests keeping the Iteration open for an additional week and waiting for the PO to come back. What should the team’s Scrum Master do?”

A team’s Product Owner (PO) takes an unexpected leave of absence for the last week of the Iteration. Three of the team’s stories have been completed and are waiting to be accepted. The Scrum Master asks the Product Manager (PM) to attend the Iteration Review and accept the stories. The PM responds that he is not familiar enough with the intent to feel comfortable accepting these responsibilities. He suggests keeping the Iteration open for an additional week and waiting for the PO to come back. What should the team’s Scrum Master do?

This article unpacks a SAFe Scrum Master scenario and explains what makes the correct response effective.

Exam Question

A team’s Product Owner (PO) takes an unexpected leave of absence for the last week of the Iteration. Three of the team’s stories have been completed and are waiting to be accepted. The Scrum Master asks the Product Manager (PM) to attend the Iteration Review and accept the stories. The PM responds that he is not familiar enough with the intent to feel comfortable accepting these responsibilities. He suggests keeping the Iteration open for an additional week and waiting for the PO to come back. What should the team’s Scrum Master do?
A. Work with the Release Train Engineer to find a solution.
B. The Scrum Master should accept the stories after the team demonstrates the stories.
C. Ask another PO in the Agile Release Train to accept the stories.
D. Strongly urge the PM to attend the Demo and accept the stories.

Correct Answer

A

Explanation

Correct Answer

A. Work with the Release Train Engineer to find a solution.:
This aligns with the SAFe Scrum Master’s responsibilities and expected behaviors.

Incorrect Answers

B. The Scrum Master should accept the stories after the team demonstrates the stories.:
This is incorrect as it doesn’t reflect the SAFe Scrum Master’s duties or decision-making scope.

C. Ask another PO in the Agile Release Train to accept the stories.:
This is incorrect as it doesn’t reflect the SAFe Scrum Master’s duties or decision-making scope.

D. Strongly urge the PM to attend the Demo and accept the stories.:
This is incorrect as it doesn’t reflect the SAFe Scrum Master’s duties or decision-making scope.

Scrum Master Insights

• Facilitation: Scrum Masters foster productive events and team alignment.
• Coaching: They enable team-level agility through guidance and reflection.
• Program Collaboration: Effective collaboration across ARTs ensures flow of value.

Relevance to the SSM Exam

This question represents key exam topics related to scaled Agile facilitation and team performance management in SAFe.

Key Takeaways

• Scrum Masters play a crucial role in enabling Agile teams and events.
• They promote alignment, remove impediments, and drive continuous improvement.
• SAFe requires facilitation skills at both team and program levels.

Conclusion

Understanding these responsibilities equips you for real-world performance and the SSM certification exam.

Read more:

• https://www.scaledagileframework.com/release-train-engineer/