Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Scrum Master Practice Test

According to SAFe, how many Stories should teams maintain in their backlog?

1. 1-2 Iterations of detailed Stories

2. 2-3 Iterations of refined Stories

3. 3-4 Weeks of backlog items

4. 4-5 Stories per Iteration

The correct answer is: 2-3 Iterations of refined Stories

In the context of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), maintaining 2-3 iterations of refined Stories in the backlog allows teams to operate effectively and ensures that they are well-prepared for upcoming work. This approach provides adequate detail and prioritization to enable the team to deliver value in the short term while allowing flexibility for adjustments based on stakeholder feedback or changing priorities. Having 2-3 iterations of refined Stories ensures that the team can continuously pull work into their current iteration without being overwhelmed. It allows for refinement sessions to take place where Stories can be further detailed and estimated, promoting clearer understanding among team members. This foresight aids in sprint planning and helps to accommodate any emergent work that may come up. The other options do not promote the same level of readiness for the team. Maintaining only 1-2 iterations of detailed Stories might limit the team’s ability to plan adequately. A time-based estimation such as 3-4 weeks of backlog items may not provide clarity regarding the number of Stories and could lead to an ambiguous understanding of what is required for each iteration. Lastly, suggesting a fixed number of 4-5 Stories per Iteration does not account for the variability of Story size and complexity across different teams and contexts within SAFe