0:00
The topic we're about to cover is scaled
0:02
agile frameworks. How agile is applied
0:04
when multiple teams collaborate toward a
0:07
shared goal. As organizations grow,
0:10
agile isn't just about a single team
0:12
working in isolation. The PMP exam
0:15
expects you to understand how agile
0:17
scales across teams, departments,
0:20
portfolios, and entire enterprises and
0:23
how coordination, delivery, and
0:24
communication are managed in those
0:26
environments. In this section, we'll
0:29
focus on five key frameworks you need to
0:32
know. Safe, scrum of scrums, less,
0:35
disciplined agile, and crystal. Each one
0:38
approaches scaling differently, and each
0:40
has core ideas you'll want to remember
0:42
for the exam. Let's start with safe, the
0:45
scaled agile framework. It's the most
0:47
widely adopted scaling method,
0:49
especially in large enterprise
0:50
environments. SAFE introduces a layered
0:53
structure with team, program, and
0:55
portfolio levels to coordinate across
0:58
many agile teams. You'll want to
1:00
understand concepts like agile release
1:03
trains, program increment planning, and
1:05
roles such as the release train
1:07
engineer. What makes SAFE stand out is
1:09
how it connects daily agile work to
1:12
strategic business goals using value
1:14
streams and synchronized planning. Next
1:17
is Scrum of Scrums, a lightweight
1:19
coordination technique. Rather than
1:21
creating new roles or layers, each scrum
1:23
team selects a representative to join a
1:26
scrum of scrums meeting. They address
1:28
dependencies, blockers, and alignment
1:30
between teams. This approach preserves
1:32
the simplicity of scrum while providing
1:35
a way to scale coordination without
1:37
extra overhead. Then we have less or
1:40
large scale scrum. Less is all about
1:42
scaling scrum without scaling
1:44
complexity. Multiple teams share a
1:46
single product owner and one product
1:48
backlog. Teams still follow scrum
1:50
practices, but they do so together often
1:53
holding joint reviews and retrospectives
1:55
to ensure alignment. Less emphasizes
1:58
transparency, empirical process control
2:01
and lean thinking. Discipline agile or
2:04
DA is a toolkit rather than a framework.
2:07
It helps teams choose their way of
2:09
working based on their context.
2:11
Considering size, culture, risk, and
2:13
regulatory needs. DA combines guidance
2:16
from agile, lean, conbon, scrum, and
2:19
even traditional methods. You're not
2:21
told what to do. Instead, you're
2:23
supported in tailoring your approach
2:25
with flexibility and governance.
2:28
Finally, there's Crystal, a family of
2:30
agile methods that are tailored based on
2:32
team size and project criticality. For
2:34
example, Crystal Clear is great for
2:36
small colloccated teams with low risk,
2:39
while Crystal Orange or Red might be
2:40
used for larger, more complex efforts.
2:43
Crystal focuses on people and
2:45
communication rather than strict rules
2:47
or artifacts. It emphasizes frequent
2:49
delivery, face-to-face collaboration,
2:51
and adaptability to context. Now, we'll
2:54
go through 10 practice questions to help
2:56
you test your understanding of these
2:58
frameworks and how agile scales in real
3:00
world environments. Let's get started.
3:03
Question 31. An organization is
3:06
implementing safe to improve
3:08
coordination across agile teams.
3:10
Leadership wants to ensure that
3:12
strategic goals are consistently
3:13
translated into team level execution
3:16
without disrupting agile delivery
3:18
practices. What should the project
3:20
manager emphasize to support alignment
3:23
in the safe environment? A. Establishing
3:26
a consistent cadence and synchronizing
3:28
teams through agile release trains. B.
3:32
Coordinating work using a single product
3:34
backlog shared across all teams. C.
3:37
Empowering scrum masters to prioritize
3:39
work based on team capacity each sprint.
3:43
D. Allowing each team to tailor their
3:45
planning and governance approach based
3:47
on their context. You can pause the
3:50
video here if you need more time to work
3:52
on the question. The correct answer is
3:54
A. This question is testing your
3:57
understanding of how safe enables
3:59
enterprisewide coordination while
4:01
preserving agile values. The key
4:04
mechanism in safe that ensures alignment
4:06
is the agile release train which groups
4:09
multiple teams into a synchronized unit
4:11
operating on a shared cadence. This
4:14
cadence provides regular opportunities
4:16
to align goals, assess progress, and
4:18
adapt. Choice A is the best option
4:21
because arts and cadence-based planning
4:24
are foundational practices in safe to
4:26
synchronize delivery and align teams
4:29
with business goals. Choice B is
4:31
incorrect. A single shared backlog is a
4:34
hallmark of large-scale scrum, not safe.
4:37
Safe utilizes layered backlogs at the
4:39
team, program, and portfolio levels to
4:42
manage complexity. Choice C is
4:45
incorrect. Scrum masters help facilitate
4:48
team agility but do not own
4:50
prioritization. In safe prioritization
4:53
happens at the program level through PI
4:55
planning and is led by roles like the
4:58
product manager. Choice D is incorrect.
5:01
This reflects a concept more aligned
5:03
with disciplined agile which allows
5:05
tailoring per team. SAFE on the other
5:08
hand relies on standardized coordination
5:11
mechanisms for alignment. Let's move on
5:14
to the next question if you're ready.
5:16
Question 32. A large organization using
5:19
SAFE is preparing for the upcoming
5:22
program increment planning event. The
5:24
agile release train includes 10 teams
5:26
working on a shared product roadmap.
5:29
Some team members are questioning the
5:31
value of the event given the time
5:32
commitment. What should the project
5:34
manager do to reinforce the purpose of
5:36
program increment planning? A emphasize
5:40
that the main goal is to finalize scope
5:42
and timelines across all teams for the
5:44
next increment. B explain that the event
5:47
fosters alignment, transparency, and
5:50
risk mitigation through shared planning.
5:53
C. Reassure teams that any changes after
5:56
PI planning will be managed by the
5:58
release train engineer. D. Encourage
6:01
each team to define their own backlog
6:03
before the event to speed up the
6:04
planning process. You can pause the
6:07
video here if you need more time to work
6:08
on the question. The correct answer is
6:11
B. This question is testing your
6:14
understanding of why SAFE emphasizes
6:16
program increment planning as a critical
6:18
cadence-based event. PI planning isn't
6:21
just a coordination activity. It's
6:23
designed to align teams around shared
6:25
goals, surface risks early, and foster
6:28
collaboration at scale. This alignment
6:31
is key in large distributed agile
6:34
environments. Choice B is the best
6:36
option because it highlights the
6:38
strategic purpose of PI planning.
6:40
Alignment, transparency, and early risk
6:43
mitigation. These are core benefits that
6:45
make the time investment worthwhile.
6:48
Choice A is incorrect. While scope and
6:50
timelines are discussed during PI
6:53
planning, the goal is not to finalize
6:55
everything. Agile promotes adaptation
6:58
over rigid planning. Choice C is
7:01
incorrect. This downplays team
7:03
accountability. Managing change is a
7:06
shared responsibility across teams, not
7:08
just the release train engineer. Choice
7:11
D is incorrect. While team preparation
7:13
is valuable, defining team level
7:15
backlogs in isolation undermines the
7:17
shared planning and alignment PI
7:18
planning is meant to achieve. Let's move
7:21
on to the next question if you're ready.
7:23
Question 33. Multiple agile teams are
7:26
working on a shared product.
7:28
Dependencies between teams are creating
7:30
bottlenecks and duplicated effort. The
7:32
teams want a better way to identify and
7:34
manage cross teamam risks without
7:36
slowing down individual team delivery.
7:38
What should the project manager do to
7:41
improve coordination across teams? A.
7:44
Ask team leads to review
7:46
interdependencies at the end of each
7:48
sprint and document lessons learned. B.
7:51
Establish a scrum of scrums with
7:53
representatives from each team to share
7:55
progress and raise impediments.
7:58
C. Combine all teams into one larger
8:00
team with a shared product owner and
8:02
single backlog to reduce dependencies.
8:05
D. Schedule a full team sync across all
8:08
agile teams every other day to improve
8:12
You can pause the video here if you need
8:14
more time to work on the question. The
8:17
correct answer is B. This question is
8:20
testing your knowledge of cross team
8:21
coordination mechanisms in multi-team
8:23
agile environments. When multiple scrum
8:26
teams are working on a shared product,
8:28
dependencies can lead to misalignment,
8:30
duplicated effort, or delays. The scrum
8:33
of scrums is specifically designed to
8:35
address this. Choice B is the best
8:38
option. The scrum of scrums allows teams
8:40
to maintain autonomy while coordinating
8:43
effectively. Representatives from each
8:45
team meet regularly to share updates,
8:47
surface risks, and manage dependencies,
8:50
all without disrupting each team's
8:53
Choice A is incorrect. Reviewing
8:56
interdependencies after the sprint is
8:58
too late. Agile encourages addressing
9:00
blockers early and continuously, not
9:02
just during retrospectives.
9:04
Choice C is incorrect. This reflects a
9:07
concept from large-scale scrum, which
9:09
combines teams under one product owner
9:11
and backlog. However, it may reduce
9:13
autonomy and doesn't scale well for all
9:15
environments. Choice D is incorrect.
9:18
While transparency is important, syncing
9:20
all teams every other day can lead to
9:22
excessive coordination, overhead, and
9:24
slow down delivery. Let's move on to the
9:27
next question if you're ready. Question
9:29
34. An organization has three agile
9:32
teams working on the same product.
9:34
Leadership wants to scale agile while
9:37
keeping the structure lightweight,
9:38
avoiding additional roles or governance
9:41
layers. They prefer unified
9:42
prioritization and minimal duplication
9:44
of effort across teams. What is the most
9:47
appropriate approach the project manager
9:50
should recommend? A. Assign a dedicated
9:53
product owner to each team to manage its
9:55
individual backlog. B. Form an agile
9:58
release train and use PI planning to
10:01
align all teams every quarter. T create
10:04
crossf functional feature teams and
10:06
assign team specific goals through the
10:08
PMO. D. Use a single product owner and
10:12
shared product backlog to guide all
10:14
three teams collaboratively.
10:16
You can pause the video here if you need
10:18
more time to work on the question. The
10:20
correct answer is D. This question is
10:23
testing your ability to identify
10:24
framework traits based on desired
10:26
outcomes even when the framework isn't
10:28
named. The scenario describes a
10:30
preference for simplicity, minimal
10:32
overhead, and unified product direction.
10:35
All of which are core principles of
10:36
large-scale scrum. Choice D is the best
10:39
option because less promotes a single
10:41
product owner and one shared backlog
10:43
across all teams. This ensures
10:45
streamlined prioritization and efficient
10:47
coordination without adding roles or
10:49
bureaucracy. Choice A is incorrect.
10:53
Giving each team its own product owner
10:55
creates silos and diverging priorities
10:57
which less explicitly avoids. Choice B
11:01
is incorrect. that describes safe where
11:03
agile release trains and PI planning are
11:06
used. While useful in more complex
11:08
settings, this adds overhead the
11:10
organization wants to avoid. Choice C is
11:14
incorrect. Assigning goals through the
11:16
PMO introduces top- down control which
11:18
goes against the self-organizing nature
11:21
of agile and less. Let's move on to the
11:24
next question if you're ready. Question
11:26
35. A company is exploring ways to scale
11:29
agile and improve how teams select their
11:32
ways of working. They want to avoid
11:34
rigid one-sizefits-all practices and
11:37
instead encourage teams to make
11:41
choices that reflect their unique needs.
11:45
What should the project manager do to
11:47
support this goal? A adopt safe to
11:50
provide a structured role-based
11:52
framework across all teams. B. Use Scrum
11:56
of Scrums to ensure each team
11:57
coordinates without altering their
11:59
workflows. C. Allow each team to define
12:02
its own approach using lightweight
12:04
people focused methods without guidance.
12:08
D. Guide teams to evaluate options using
12:10
a goal-driven approach that considers
12:12
their specific context. You can pause
12:15
the video here if you need more time to
12:16
work on the question. The correct answer
12:18
is D. This question is testing your
12:21
understanding of discipline agile, a
12:24
process decision framework that helps
12:25
teams choose their way of working.
12:28
Discipline agile doesn't prescribe a
12:30
fixed methodology. Instead, it provides
12:32
goal-based guidance to help teams make
12:35
informed choices based on their unique
12:37
situation. Choice D is the best option
12:40
because it reflects disciplined agile's
12:43
approach supporting decisionmaking by
12:45
helping teams evaluate trade-offs and
12:47
tailor their practices based on context.
12:50
Choice A is incorrect.
12:53
SAFE is a structured framework with
12:55
defined roles, layers, and ceremonies.
12:58
Helpful in some environments but not
13:00
ideal when the goal is flexibility and
13:03
contextspecific decisionmaking.
13:05
Choice B is incorrect. Scrum of scrums
13:08
helps with team coordination but doesn't
13:11
guide teams in selecting or evolving
13:13
their processes. Choice C is incorrect.
13:16
While Crystal promotes lightweight
13:18
people ccentric approaches, it doesn't
13:21
offer systematic guidance for evaluating
13:23
process decisions across varying team
13:26
contexts. Let's move on to the next
13:29
question if you're ready. Question 36. A
13:33
software development company wants to
13:35
adopt an agile approach that emphasizes
13:37
people and interactions while allowing
13:39
teams to tailor processes based on team
13:42
size and project criticality. They value
13:44
simplicity and favor minimal
13:46
documentation when possible. Which agile
13:49
approach best supports this need? A safe
13:52
because it provides detailed
13:54
documentation and coordination
13:55
structures. B less because it focuses on
13:59
alignment through shared product
14:01
ownership and scaled team events.
14:04
Crystal because it adapts practices
14:06
based on team size and project
14:08
complexity. Disciplined agile because it
14:11
provides teams with decision trees and
14:13
guidance on choosing their way of
14:15
working. You can pause the video here if
14:18
you need more time to work on the
14:19
question. The correct answer is C. This
14:23
question is testing your understanding
14:25
of Crystal, one of the lesserknown agile
14:27
frameworks that focuses on lightweight
14:30
people ccentric approaches. Crystal
14:32
recognizes that different teams need
14:34
different levels of process and
14:36
formality depending on the size of the
14:38
team and the criticality of the project.
14:41
It encourages tailoring and favors
14:43
simplicity and communication over rigid
14:46
structure. Choice C is the best option
14:49
because Crystal supports customization
14:51
while emphasizing individuals and
14:53
interactions aligning perfectly with the
14:56
needs described in the scenario. Choice
14:59
A is incorrect. SAFE provides structure
15:02
and coordination across large
15:03
organizations, but it's not lightweight
15:06
and involves considerable documentation
15:08
and defined roles. Choice B is
15:10
incorrect. less promotes team
15:12
coordination through shared backlog and
15:14
ownership, but it still follows a more
15:16
structured model than what the scenario
15:18
is asking for. Choice D is incorrect.
15:22
While disciplined agile helps teams
15:24
select their way of working, it includes
15:26
more decision-making structure and
15:28
formal guidance than the simplicity
15:29
desired here. Let's move on to the next
15:32
question if you're ready. Question 37. A
15:36
global enterprise is evaluating
15:37
different scaled agile frameworks. Their
15:40
primary goals are flexibility in
15:42
choosing team level practices,
15:44
minimizing role duplication and keeping
15:47
overhead light while still coordinating
15:49
across multiple teams.
15:51
What is the best action the project
15:53
manager should take? A recommend safe
15:56
because it provides a structured
15:58
portfolio layer and clearly defined
16:00
roles at all levels. B recommend less
16:04
because it encourages minimal roles,
16:06
shared backlogs, and team level
16:08
autonomy. C. Recommend disciplined agile
16:12
because it allows teams to choose their
16:14
way of working using guided process
16:16
decision tools. D. Recommend scrum of
16:20
scrums because it supports cross team
16:22
synchronization without requiring
16:24
structural changes. You can pause the
16:27
video here if you need more time to work
16:28
on the question. The correct answer is
16:31
C. This question is testing your ability
16:33
to evaluate scaled agile frameworks and
16:36
align them with organizational needs. In
16:38
this case, the company is looking for a
16:40
flexible, lightweight coordination
16:42
approach that allows individual teams to
16:44
choose their practices while minimizing
16:46
added roles or overhead. Choice C is the
16:49
best option because disciplined agile
16:52
provides a toolkit that guides teams to
16:54
select their way of working based on
16:57
context. It supports coordination
16:59
without imposing rigid roles or
17:01
centralized control, making it ideal for
17:04
organizations that value flexibility and
17:06
autonomy. Choice A is incorrect. SAFE
17:10
introduces defined roles and layers at
17:12
portfolio, program, and team levels,
17:15
increasing structure and overhead, which
17:18
contradicts the goal of simplicity.
17:20
Choice B is incorrect. While less
17:22
promotes shared backlogs and minimal
17:24
roles, it's less flexible than DA and
17:26
has a stricter structure that may not
17:28
fit all teams needs in a large diverse
17:30
enterprise. Choice D is incorrect. Scrum
17:34
Scrums helps coordinate teams, but it
17:36
lacks the broader decision-making
17:38
support or customization capabilities
17:40
that the scenario calls for. Let's move
17:43
on to the next question if you're ready.
17:45
Question 38. When an organization is
17:48
transitioning from a traditional
17:49
structure to agile at scale, teams have
17:52
different levels of agile experience and
17:54
the company operates in a regulated
17:56
industry that requires portfolio level
17:58
coordination and compliance tracking.
18:01
What is the best course of action for
18:03
the project manager? A. Adopt Crystal
18:06
because it allows each team to define
18:08
its own practices based on personality
18:10
and context. B. Adopt less because it
18:14
uses minimal roles and simplifies
18:16
scaling across teams. C. Use safe
18:19
because it provides portfolio alignment,
18:21
supports regulatory needs, and
18:23
accommodates different team maturities.
18:25
D. Use Scrum of Scrums because it helps
18:28
coordinate teams without requiring
18:30
changes to roles or structure. You can
18:33
pause the video here if you need more
18:35
time to work on the question. The
18:37
correct answer is C. This question is
18:40
testing your ability to evaluate which
18:42
scaled agile framework is best suited
18:44
for a complex organization that must
18:46
coordinate across multiple teams with
18:48
varying agile maturity and strict
18:50
regulatory requirements. Choice C is the
18:53
best option because safe scaled agile
18:56
framework is built for large complex
18:58
organizations. It provides portfolio
19:00
level alignment, integrates compliance
19:02
needs and offers a scalable structure
19:04
that accommodates teams at different
19:06
stages of agile adoption. Choice A is
19:09
incorrect. Crystal is lightweight and
19:12
highly adaptable, but relies on team
19:14
personality and informal coordination.
19:17
It lacks the governance and scalability
19:20
needed for a regulated enterprise.
19:22
Choice B is incorrect. Less works well
19:25
for smaller organizations that want
19:27
minimal overhead and shared backlogs,
19:29
but it doesn't offer the governance and
19:31
compliance structure required in
19:33
regulated industries. Choice D is
19:35
incorrect. Scrum of scrums is a
19:38
coordination technique rather than a
19:39
full framework. It doesn't provide the
19:42
enterprise level support or regulatory
19:44
scaffolding needed in this scenario.
19:47
Now, let's move on to the next question
19:49
if you're ready. Question 39. During a
19:52
program increment planning session
19:54
across multiple agile teams working in
19:56
different locations, several
19:58
participants express confusion about
20:00
priorities and dependencies. Some teams
20:02
are unclear about how their work aligns
20:04
with the broader objectives. What should
20:07
the project manager do to improve
20:09
collaboration and clarity in future
20:11
remote workshops? A. Use a shared
20:14
digital program board to visualize cross
20:17
team dependencies and objectives during
20:19
the session. B. Break the workshop into
20:22
multiple shorter sessions across time
20:24
zones to improve focus and accommodate
20:26
availability. C. Assign one facilitator
20:29
per team to manage presentations and
20:31
gather feedback ahead of time to
20:33
streamline participation. D. Assign a
20:36
representative from each time zone to
20:37
attend on behalf of others to simplify
20:40
scheduling and decisionmaking. You can
20:42
pause the video here if you need more
20:44
time to work on the question. The
20:46
correct answer is A. This question is
20:49
testing how well you understand
20:51
collaboration techniques in a scaled
20:53
agile environment, particularly when
20:55
teams are remote and must align during
20:57
major planning events like PI planning.
21:00
Choice A is the best option because
21:02
using a shared digital program board
21:04
improves transparency, visualizes
21:06
dependencies, and keeps everyone focused
21:08
on the broader program level objectives.
21:10
It supports effective alignment and
21:12
decision-making across teams, a key part
21:15
of successful remote safe practices.
21:18
Choice B is incorrect. While shorter
21:21
sessions may reduce fatigue, spreading a
21:23
PI planning event over multiple time
21:26
slots can fragment discussions and make
21:29
it harder to maintain realtime alignment
21:31
on priorities and dependencies. Choice C
21:34
is incorrect. Pre-gathering input and
21:36
using individual facilitators per team
21:39
can streamline logistics, but it risks
21:41
siloed planning and reduces the dynamic
21:44
interaction required to coordinate
21:46
across teams. Choice D is incorrect.
21:49
Having a representative attend on behalf
21:51
of others can simplify scheduling, but
21:53
it undermines inclusivity and shared
21:55
ownership, both of which are essential
21:56
to collaborative agile planning. Let's
21:59
move on to the next question if you're
22:01
ready. Question 40. A large organization
22:04
with siloed departments is transitioning
22:06
to agile. Leadership wants to improve
22:09
enterprise agility without enforcing a
22:11
single framework across all teams. Some
22:14
teams prefer scrum, others use conbon,
22:16
and several follow hybrid models based
22:19
on legacy processes.
22:21
What should the project manager do to
22:23
support the transition? A. Apply the
22:25
choose your wow principle to guide teams
22:27
in selecting their way of working based
22:29
on context. B. Standardize on scrum
22:33
across all teams to create consistency
22:36
and enable easier scaling. D. recommend
22:39
using safe to align team structures,
22:41
cadence, and planning across the
22:43
organization. D. Recommend that teams
22:45
follow a hybrid agile waterfall approach
22:48
to reduce resistance during transition.
22:51
You can pause the video here if you need
22:53
more time to work on the question. The
22:55
correct answer is a. This question tests
22:58
your understanding of discipline agile's
23:00
core principle process tailoring. The
23:03
idea behind DA is that there is no
23:05
oneizefits-all agile solution. Teams are
23:08
encouraged to make contextbased choices
23:10
to find and choose their best way of
23:12
working. Choice A is the best option
23:15
because it aligns with DA's flexible
23:17
approach to enterprise agility. It
23:19
empowers teams to make informed
23:21
decisions based on their unique needs,
23:23
which helps scale agility across complex
23:25
organizations without enforcing a rigid
23:27
framework. Choice B is incorrect. While
23:30
consistency can simplify coordination,
23:32
mandating scrum across all teams ignores
23:35
the varied needs and maturity levels of
23:37
different groups. It goes against DA's
23:39
belief in flexibility and situational
23:41
decision-making. Choice C is incorrect.
23:44
SAFE is a structured scaling framework.
23:47
While it might work for some
23:48
organizations, recommending it here
23:50
contradicts leadership's desire not to
23:52
enforce a single framework. Choice D is
23:56
incorrect. Suggesting a hybrid agile
23:58
waterfall model to reduce resistance may
24:01
seem pragmatic, but it delays meaningful
24:03
transformation and reinforces legacy
24:05
thinking. DA encourages informed,
24:08
purposeful adaptation, not fall back to
24:11
the status quo. Great job in finishing
24:14
all 10 scaled agile framework questions.
24:16
That's 40 agile questions mastered so
24:19
far. By the way, if you found this video
24:21
helpful, don't forget to like the video
24:24
and subscribe to our channel. Keep up
24:26
the momentum and continue building
24:28
confidence with each step. You're doing
24:30
an incredible job. Let's keep going and
24:32
I will see you in the next topic.