Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Release Train Engineer Practice Test

The ART is near the end of the final Iteration of its first PI. Why is adding a week to the Innovation and Planning Iteration for integration and testing considered an anti-pattern?

1. It reduces the overall predictability established through cadence and synchronization

2. It substantially decreases the predictability of the Solution Intent

3. It decreases job satisfaction by removing autonomy and purpose

4. Overall, train velocity goes up, and the time-to-market goes down

The correct answer is: It reduces the overall predictability established through cadence and synchronization

Adding a week to the Innovation and Planning Iteration for integration and testing is viewed as an anti-pattern because it disrupts the predictability that is critical to the cadence and synchronization of the Agile Release Train (ART). In the Scaled Agile Framework, maintaining a consistent rhythm through fixed iterations is essential for teams to plan and deliver effectively. Each iteration provides a reliable time box for teams to complete their work, and straying from this timetable can lead to unpredictability in planning and delivery. By extending iterations, you introduce variability that makes it harder for teams and stakeholders to foresee and manage what will be delivered and when. This unpredictability can result in a lack of trust in the ART's ability to deliver, as teams must adapt to this new and unforeseen schedule, undermining the benefit of regular, predictable delivery cycles. The other options touch on related issues but do not capture the primary concern of predictability and rhythm within the ART. A stable and predictable cadence is fundamental to effective Agile practices, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining consistent iteration lengths to support planning, expectation management, and efficient coordination among teams.