SAFe® 5

Agilist Exam Study Guide

(5.1)
Scaled Agile Professional Certification Program

1
 Table of Contents

Terms of Use.................................................. 3 Certification Role Levels of Competency ........... 18

Candidate Agreement .................................... 4 Exam Details ...................................................... 19
Acknowledgements ........................................5 Exam Sections ....................................................20
About This Study Guide ................................. 6 Exam Reading and Reference List .....................21
Getting SAFe Certified ................................... 7 Exam Objectives ................................................. 22-27
Preparing for the Exam .................................. 8-12
Take the Exam ................................................13
What to Expect ................................................ 14-15
SAFe Professional Global Community
and your Learning Journey ............................. 16
Certification Role .............................................. 17

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Terms of Use

This study guide is the copyrighted property of Scaled Agile, Inc. Scaled Agile
provides this study guide solely for your personal use in preparing for the exam
associated with the SAFe course you attended. You may not disclose the
content of this study guide with anyone else in any format; modify or create
derivative works of the content; resell any portion of the content; or alter,
remove, or add any trademark or copyright identifier.

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Candidate Agreement

Each candidate will be required to agree to the Candidate Agreement* terms on the Certification Program
Policies page prior to launching the exam. Scaled Agile regularly monitors exam data and looks for trends
indicating cheating, collusion (group/instructor testing), and exam breaches.

Key points
• Exams are closed book and must be taken independently without assistance from another person and
without written notes, published materials, testing aids, or any other material during the exam.
• Candidates cannot reproduce, use, or disclose any exam or test content in any form (digital, print, verbal) to
anyone before, during, or after testing.
• Candidates, instructors, or any other person cannot give, seek, or receive unauthorized assistance during an
exam.

Please review the complete Candidate Agreement on the Certification Program Policies page for information
related to the terms of testing and certification. Thank you for helping us maintain the integrity of SAFe exams!

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Acknowledgments

This exam and related study materials are made possible by a very dedicated group of global
SAFe subject matter experts. Scaled Agile thanks these individuals for their hard work, focus, and
willingness to dedicate many hours to the success of this program. Thank you!

Amanda Scherzer
Andrew Long
Brandon Frechette
Crista Grasso
Patt Brotschul
Shuchi Singla
Steven Martinez

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About This Study Guide

This study guide is designed

to provide relevant and
content-specific exam
information, such as the
certification role description
and skill level, exam Attending the class does not
objectives, and a guarantee passing the exam.
comprehensive reading list as Please take the time to review
defined by our subject matter the materials covered in this
experts. Reviewing this study study guide.
guide does not guarantee
success on the exam, but it
will provide guidance on your
journey to become a certified
SAFe professional.
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Getting SAFe Certified

Congratulations on taking the first step toward becoming part of a

growing community of certified SAFe® professionals!

SAFe Certification Benefits(3:44)

Why is SAFe Certification Important? (1:04)

How does the Scaled Agile Role-Based Certification Help Validate a Person's Skill
Set? (0:44)

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Preparing for the Exam -
Attend a Course (required)

Attendance for all days of the course is required. Once the

course roster is uploaded after the class, you will be given
access to the exam, which is part of your SAFe Learning
Plan found on the SAFe Community Platform. Attending the
class does not guarantee passing the exam. Please take
the time to review the materials covered in this study guide.

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Preparing for the Exam – Study SAFe
Materials
SAFe website and articles
All course content and SAFe roles are based on the many articles found on the Scaled Agile
Framework website. Use this resource to extend your classroom learning and further your
SAFe knowledge.

Course materials
Be sure to review all course materials, the student workbook, course exercises and
activities, and your notes.

Study guide
Review all information found in this study guide. It will direct you to key areas of focus,
provide exam section percentages, and provide links to specific articles that exam questions
cover.
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Preparing for the Exam – Study SAFe
Materials

Sample questions
The sample questions provide examples of the type of questions to expect on the exam in
flashcard format (these are not the actual exam questions). Performance on the sample
questions is NOT an indicator of performance on the exam, and it should NOT be
considered an assessment tool. A web-enabled version of the sample questions can be
found here: Exam Sample Questions.
The sample questions can also be found on the About SAFe Certification summary web
page, under the specific “Get Certified” links.

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Preparing for the Exam – Study SAFe
Materials

Practice test
Designed to be predictive of success on the exam, the practice test contains the same
number of questions as the exam, is the same level of difficulty, covers the same domain
areas using different questions from the exam, and has the same timebox for completion. It
is available at no additional charge on the Scaled Agile Community Platform as part of your
Learning Plan and can be taken unlimited times. However, it provides the same bank of
questions randomized in a different order. Practice test score reports are available and can
be used to focus on areas where you may need improvement.
Questions are highlighted to show correct and incorrect answers. Be sure to take a
screenshot of the score report, as the practice test will reset after completion, and your
previous score reports are not available. The practice test falls under the Candidate
Agreement policy, and you are not authorized to copy, share, or reproduce it in any way.

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Preparing for the Exam – Gaining SAFe
Experience

There is so much more to SAFe than what is covered in a multiple-day class. Your SAFe
learning journey should continue after class as you become more familiar with your role
in SAFe. We encourage you to read Framework articles, refine your understanding of
key SAFe concepts, talk to your peers and other SAFe professionals, and expand your
SAFe knowledge, skills, and mindset. Extending your learning beyond the class will
prepare you to take and pass the exam to become a certified SAFe professional.

Listen to one of Scaled Agile’s SAFe Program Consultant Trainers (SPCT) talk about the
importance of extending the learning beyond the classroom to prepare for the exam:
What are Some of the Misconceptions about Testing and the Certification Process at
Scaled Agile? (1:12)
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Take the Exam

When you launch the exam you will be

When you are ready to take the exam, required to review and accept the
log into the SAFe Community Platform Candidate Agreement before starting
to access the exam within your the exam. Exams are timed and the
Learning Plan. timer will be visible throughout the
exam.

When the exam timer ends, the exam

Questions are structured in multiple
will be submitted, regardless of the
choice or multiple response format.
number of questions answered. A
Questions will require either one
score will be calculated based on the
answer or multiple. “Choose two” or a
number of questions answered.
“Choose three” style multiple response
Unanswered questions will be
questions indicate the number of
automatically marked as incorrect. If
answers required for the question.
you finish answering all questions
Multiple response questions require all
before the exam timer ends, you can
correct answers to be selected as no
click the “Submit” button and your
partial credit is given.
score will be calculated. 13
What to Expect – Accessing Exam

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What to Expect – During Exam

• Next button = advance to next question

• Submit button = all questions complete, final submission for score
• Navigation button = shows all questions, indicates which are unanswered, and
allows you to return to any question
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Join the Certified SAFe Professional Global Community
and continue your SAFe Learning Journey!

When you become a Certified SAFe professional, you will automatically be added to the specific
SAFe Community of Practice (CoP) on the SAFe Community Platform for that certification. CoPs
are a great place to share ideas, post questions, collaborate, and network with other Certified
SAFe professionals.

Certified SAFe professionals also earn a SAFe digital badge. You will receive an e-mail from
Credly, our digital badging partner, where you can accept and share your digital badge and have
your skills recognized worldwide. Credly is free to use and you can set up an account at any time.

Once you have demonstrated your SAFe knowledge, skills, and mindset you can continue your
SAFe learning journey through all the learning resources available on the SAFe Community
Platform.

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 Certification Role

A Certified SAFe® Agilist (SA) is a Key Areas of Competency Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge
Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe) Apply SAFe to scale Lean and Agile 5+ years experience in software
enterprise leadership professional who development in the enterprise development, testing, business
is part of a Lean-Agile transformation. analysis, product or project
Apply Lean-Agile Mindset and
principles management
Plan and successfully execute Experience in Scrum
Program Increments
Execute and release value through
Agile Release Trains
Build an Agile portfolio with Lean-Agile
budgeting 17
SAFe Certification Role Levels of Competency

Level of Difficulty: This role is based on

three levels of difficulty: foundational,
SAFe Certification Role Levels of Competency Difficulty
intermediate, and advanced. Candidates who
1 - [Novice] Minimal knowledge or experience Foundational pass this exam have demonstrated their
knowledge, skill, and mindset at this level of
2 - [Competent] Some knowledge or experience; difficulty. This will also appear on the Certified
Foundational
can perform tasks with assistance SAFe digital badge.

3 - [Proficient] Capable; can perform tasks with Level of Competency: 2 [Competent]

Intermediate
some assistance This role is based on a five-point competency
4 - [Expert] Fully competent; can perform tasks scale -- one being a novice competency level,
Advanced five being master competency level.
with little assistance Candidates who pass this exam have met a
5 - [Master] Content developer or contributor; can qualifying standard and can demonstrate their
Advanced knowledge, skill, or mindset at this level of
perform tasks with no assistance competency.

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 Exam Details
Exam name SAFe 5 Agilist Exam

Exam Details Exam format

Multiple choice, questions are randomized, can skip
questions and answer later
All questions are multiple choice (one correct answer)
Exam question format unless otherwise stated in the question (two or three
correct answers).
An exam blueprint creates the foundation for the overall Web-based (single-browser), closed book, no outside
Exam delivery
exam competency standard, outlines the exam objectives, assistance, timed
and identifies key areas to test. Scaled Agile subject Candidates can access to the exam within the SAFe
matter experts use the blueprint to develop exam Exam access Community Platform upon completion of the Leading SAFe
questions. It is recommended that you review these course
objectives and ask yourself a few questions. Do I know Once the exam begins, candidates have 90 minutes (1.5
how to complete the tasks in the objective? Am I familiar Exam duration
hours) to complete the exam.
with the terms and concepts? Do I know the outcome of
Number of questions 45
NOT performing the tasks correctly (anti-patterns)?
Passing score 35 out of 45 (77%)
Additionally, think about the exercises and practice
scenarios covered during class which serve as a Language English
foundation for scenario-based exam questions. The most First exam attempt is included as part of the course
current information can also be found on the “About SAFe registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of
Exam cost
Certification” web page. course completion. Each retake attempt, or attempt past
the 30-day window, costs $50.

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 Percent of
Exam Sections
Items on Exam

Exam Sections SECTION 1: Thriving in the Digital Age with

Business Agility
13%

SECTION 2: Becoming a Lean-Agile Leader 29%

Exam Section Numbering and Course
Lesson Numbering SECTION 3: Establishing Team and Technical
9%
The exam section numbers may not Agility
specifically map to the course lesson numbers
because the course content may evolve to SECTION 4: Building Solutions with Agile Product
33%
support an ongoing learner-centric instructional Delivery
approach. Please review the “Exam Section
Numbering and Course Lesson Numbering” SECTION 5: Exploring Lean Portfolio
sections below for more information. 11%
Management

Exam Content Percentage SECTION 6: Leading the Change 4%

The table below outlines the approximate
percentage of questions from each section that
will appear on the exam.

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 As part of the exam development process, each
exam question is assigned a reference where the
answer can be found. The references are converted
into a reading list and provided at the end of the
relevant exam objectives section in this study guide.
Exam Be sure to read the linked content and resources
contained in the reading list because there is at least
Reading and one exam question written to each item.

Reference The goal of this reading list is not only to provide

focused areas of study for the exam but also to
List provide a broader context for learning SAFe.

*Any additional materials referenced that are outside

the course or Scaled Agile Framework website will
not be provided by Scaled Agile.

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 Exam Objectives – Section 1

Thriving in the Digital Age with Business Agility

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

• Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and
exercises from Lesson 1
• www.scaledagileframework.com/implementation-roadmap/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/business-agility/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/lean-agile-leadership/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/organize-around-value/ 2
 Exam Objectives – Section 2

Becoming a Lean-Agile Leader

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

• Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and exercises from Lessons 2 & 3
• www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-core-values/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/lean-agile-mindset/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-lean-agile-principles/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/assume-variability-preserve-options/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/visualize-and-limit-wip-reduce-batch-sizes-and-manage-queue-lengths/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/apply-cadence-synchronize-with-cross-domain-planning/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/unlock-the-intrinsic-motivation-of-knowledge-workers/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/decentralize-decision-making/ 2
• www.scaledagileframework.com/organize-around-value/
 Exam Objectives – Section 3

Establishing Team and Technical Agility

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and exercises
from Lessons 3, 4, and 7

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 Exam Objectives – Section 4

Building Solutions with Agile Product Delivery

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

• Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and exercises
from Lessons 4, 5, and 7
• www.scaledagileframework.com/business-owners/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/customer-centricity/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/design-thinking/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/continuous-integration/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/DevOps/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/solution-demo/ 2
 Exam Objectives – Section 5

Exploring Lean Portfolio Management

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

• Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and exercises from
Lessons 5 and 7
• www.scaledagileframework.com/Portfolio-SAFe/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/value-streams/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/strategic-themes/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/guardrails/ 2
 Exam Objectives – Section 6

Leading the Change

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details

Reading and Reference List

At least one exam question is written from each of these resources:

• Leading SAFe Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials and exercises from
Lessons 2 and 6
• www.scaledagileframework.com/lean-agile-leadership/

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