®

SAFe 5
Scrum Master
Exam Study Guide (5.0)

Scaled Agile Professional Certification Program

Table of Contents

Study Guide Terms of Use ............................................................................ 3

Candidate Agreement and Delivery .............................................................. 3
Welcome to Scaled Agile Professional Certification ..................................... 4
About This Study Guide ................................................................................. 4
Why Get SAFe Certified? .............................................................................. 4
Preparing for the Exam .................................................................................. 4
1. Attend a course (required) ................................................................................... 5
2. Study SAFe materials (required).......................................................................... 5
3. Gain SAFe experience (required) ........................................................................ 6
4. Take the exam (required) .................................................................................... 7
5. Join the certified SAFe professional global community (recommended) .............. 7
6. Continue your SAFe learning journey (recommended) ........................................ 7
Certification Role—SAFe 5 Scrum Master .................................................... 8
Key Areas of Competency ....................................................................................... 8
Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge........................................................................... 8
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate ................................................................................ 8
Exam Details, Objectives, and Resources .................................................... 8
Exam Details ........................................................................................................... 9
Exam Section Numbering and Course Lesson Numbering ...................................... 9
Exam Content Percentage ...................................................................................... 9
Exam Reading and Reference List ........................................................................ 10
Exam Objectives ................................................................................................... 10
Acknowledgements...................................................................................... 12
Study Guide 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.

Candidate Agreement and Delivery

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.

Some key points to know:

• 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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Welcome to Scaled Agile Professional Certification
Scaled Agile, Inc.’s role-based offerings focus on the knowledge, skills, and mindset required to be
successful in your SAFe role. As part of your Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) learning journey,
we encourage you to attend training, read recommended articles, take advantage of videos and
enablement content, gain real-world experience in the role, and then take the exam.

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 objectives, and a comprehensive reading list as
defined by our subject matter experts. Reviewing this study guide does not guarantee success on
the exam, but it will provide guidance on your journey to become a certified SAFe professional.

Attending the class does not guarantee passing the exam. Please take the time to review the
materials covered in this study guide.

Why Get SAFe Certified?

Looking for some great information on the value and benefits of becoming a Certified SAFe
professional? Check out these video resources!
• SAFe Certification Benefits (3:44) - https://vimeo.com/307578726/50b5456425
• Why is SAFe Certification So Important (1:04) - https://vimeo.com/325023634
• How Does the Scaled Agile Role Based Certification Help to Validate a Person’s Skill Set?
(0:44) - https://vimeo.com/325023609

Preparing for the Exam

Congratulations on taking the first step toward becoming part of a growing community of certified
SAFe® professionals! Below is a quick checklist to prepare for the exam followed by more details.

❑ 1. Attend a course (required)

❑ 2. Study SAFe materials (required)
❑ 3. Gain SAFe experience (required)
❑ 4. Take the exam (required)
❑ 5. Join the certified SAFe professional global community (recommended)
❑ 6. Continue your SAFe learning journey (recommended)

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1. 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.

2. Study SAFe materials (required)

There are several resources to help you study, learn, and prepare for the exam.

Course materials – Information in the course materials are a key part of the exam. Be sure to
review all of the materials: review your student workbook, go through the course exercises and
activities again, and review your notes.

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

Practice test – The practice test is designed to be predictive of success on the certification exam.
The practice test contains the same number of questions as the exam, is the same level of difficulty,
covers the same general domain areas (using different questions from the certification exam), and
has the same timebox for completion. It is available on the Scaled Agile Community Platform as
part of your Learning Plan.

The practice test is available at no additional charge, and you can take it as often as you like, no
matter the outcome of pass or fail. 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. New for SAFe 5 – Questions are now 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.

Sample questions - The sample questions provides examples of the format and type of questions to
expect on the exam (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:
https://rise.articulate.com/share/AzITXNj_0Pe_Cm8TogNWBaJ5l4sjm6o3

The sample questions can also be found on the About SAFe Certification summary web page,
under the specific “Get Certified” links, at: www.scaledagile.com/certification/about-safe-
certification/.

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SAFe website and articles – To quote one certified SAFe professional, “Students must study from
the Scaled Agile website!” 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.

Note: All exams cover fundamental SAFe ideas and concepts including:
• SAFe for Lean Enterprises Configuration
• SAFe Implementation Roadmap
• Case Studies
• SAFe Glossary (available for download in several languages)

Need help finding a SAFe article? Looking for more details about the latest information in SAFe or
one of the SAFe roles? Use the web search option to search the entire site based on your key
search terms.

Certification video resources – Learning how Scaled Agile builds exams may provide insights into
what to expect when you take the exam. These videos are for your information only and will not be
covered in any exam:
• SAFe Certification Overview (3:50) - https://vimeo.com/307577688/974b23c7e1
• Creating SAFe Certification Exams (4:29) - https://vimeo.com/307578467/ff75d5d648

3. Gain SAFe experience (required)

There is so much more to SAFe than what is covered in a multiple day class. Additional learning
builds upon the class content and opens up the world of knowledge around each SAFe role. This is
the basis for SAFe certifications. The goal of certification is to measure what each student knows
against a standard level of competency and difficulty defined for each SAFe role and not to simply
‘pass or fail’ people.

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 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 Certification Process at Scaled
Agile? (1:12) - https://vimeo.com/325023617

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4. Take the exam (required)
When you are ready to take the exam, log into the SAFe Community Platform to access the exam
within your Learning Plan.

When you launch the exam you will be required to review and accept the Candidate Agreement
before starting the exam. Exams are timed and the timer will be visible throughout the exam.

When the exam timer ends, the exam will be submitted, regardless of the number of questions
answered. A score will be calculated based on the number of questions answered. Unanswered
questions will be automatically marked as incorrect. If you finish answering all questions before the
exam timer ends, you can click the “Submit” button and your score will be calculated.

Questions are structured in multiple choice or multiple response format. Most questions require one
answer. There may be a few “Choose two” or a “Choose three” style multiple response questions
that indicate the number of answers required for the question. Multiple response questions require
all correct answers to be selected (no partial credit is given).

5. Join the certified SAFe professional global community (recommended)

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
Acclaim, our digital badging partner, where you can accept and share your digital badge and have
your skills recognized worldwide. Acclaim by Credly is free to use and you can set up an account at
any time.

Check out some of the key benefits of becoming a certified SAFe professional!
• SAFe Certification Benefits (3:44) - https://vimeo.com/307578726/50b5456425

6. Continue your SAFe learning journey (recommended)

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—SAFe 5 Scrum Master
A Certified SAFe® 5 Scrum Master (SSM) is a SAFe Scrum Master professional responsible for
integrating Scrum practices into an organization.

Key Areas of Competency

• Using Scrum and Kanban to facilitate team events

• Supporting program execution
• Coaching Agile teams

Prerequisite Skills and Knowledge

• Experience working in a Lean-Agile environment

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate

This role is based on three levels of difficulty: foundational, intermediate, and advanced. Candidates
who pass this exam have demonstrated their knowledge, skill, and mindset at this level of difficulty.
This will also appear on the Certified SAFe digital badge.

Level of Competency: 3 [Proficient]

This role is based on a five-point competency scale -- one being a novice competency level, five
being master competency level. Candidates who pass this exam have met a qualifying standard
and can demonstrate their knowledge, skill, or mindset at this level of competency.

SAFe Certification Role Levels of Competency Difficulty

1 - [Novice] Minimal knowledge or experience Foundational

2 - [Competent] Some knowledge or experience; can perform tasks with assistance Foundational

3 - [Proficient] Capable; can perform tasks with some assistance Intermediate

4 - [Expert] Fully competent; can perform tasks with little assistance Advanced

5 - [Master] Content developer or contributor; can perform tasks with no assistance Advanced

Exam Details, Objectives, and Resources

An exam blueprint creates the foundation for the overall exam competency standard, outlines the
exam objectives, and identifies key areas to test. Scaled Agile subject matter experts use the
blueprint to develop exam questions. It is recommended that you review these objectives and ask
yourself a few questions. Do I know how to complete the tasks in the objective? Am I familiar with
the terms and concepts? Do I know the outcome of NOT performing the tasks correctly (anti-
patterns)? Additionally, think about the exercises and practice scenarios covered during class which
serve as a foundation for scenario-based exam questions.

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Exam Details
The latest information can also be found on the “About SAFe Certification” web page at:
www.scaledagile.com/certification/about-safe-certification/.

Exam Details

Exam name SAFe 5 Scrum Master Exam

Multiple choice, questions are randomized, can skip questions and

Exam format
answer later
All questions are multiple choice (one correct answer) unless
Exam question format
otherwise stated in the question (two or three correct answers).
Web-based (single-browser), closed book, no outside assistance,
Exam delivery
timed
Candidates can access to the exam within the SAFe Community
Exam access
Platform upon completion of the SAFe 5 Scrum Master course
Once the exam begins, candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours) to
Exam duration
complete the exam.

Number of questions 45

Passing score 34 out of 45 (75%)

Language English

First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if

Exam cost the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake
attempt, or attempt past the 30-day window, costs $50.

Exam Section Numbering and Course Lesson Numbering

The exam section numbers may not specifically map to the course lesson numbers because the
course content may evolve to support an ongoing learner-centric instructional approach. Please
review the “Exam Section Numbering and Course Lesson Numbering” sections below for more
information.

Exam Content Percentage

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

Percent of Items
Exam Sections
on Exam
SECTION 1: Introducing Scrum in SAFe 13%

SECTION 2: Characterizing the Role of the Scrum Master 38%

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 SECTION 3: Experiencing PI Planning 18%

SECTION 4: Facilitating Iteration Execution 22%

SECTION 5: Finishing the PI 9%

Exam Reading and Reference List

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

Please remember that the goal of this reading list is not only to provide focused areas of study for
the exam but also to provide a broader context for learning SAFe.

Exam Objectives

SECTION 1: Introducing Scrum in SAFe

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details.

Reading and Reference List for Section 1

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

• SAFe Scrum Master Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials
and exercises from Lesson 1
• www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html www.scaledagileframework.com/iterations/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/why-safe/

*Any additional materials referenced above that are outside the course or Scaled Agile
Framework website will not be provided by Scaled Agile.

SECTION 2: Characterizing the Role of the Scrum Master

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details.

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 Reading and Reference List for Section 2

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

• SAFe Scrum Master Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials
and exercises from Lesson 2
• www.scaledagileframework.com/scrum-master/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/team-level/

*Any additional materials referenced above that are outside the course or Scaled Agile
Framework website will not be provided by Scaled Agile.

SECTION 3: Experiencing PI Planning

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details.

Reading and Reference List for Section 3

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

• SAFe Scrum Master Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials
and exercises from Lesson 3
• https://agilemanifesto.org/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/

*Any additional materials referenced above that are outside the course or Scaled Agile
Framework website will not be provided by Scaled Agile.

SECTION 4: Facilitating Iteration Execution

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details.

Reading and Reference List for Section 4

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

• SAFe Scrum Master Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials
and exercises from Lesson 4

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 • www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/story/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/iterations/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/devops/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/release-on-demand/

*Any additional materials referenced above that are outside the course or Scaled Agile
Framework website will not be provided by Scaled Agile.

SECTION 5: Envisioning the Future State

Please refer to your student workbook for lesson details.

Reading and Reference List for Section 5

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

• SAFe Scrum Master Student Workbook (available only from taking the course): materials
and exercises from Lesson 5
• www.scaledagileframework.com/innovation-and-planning-iteration/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/scrum-master/
• www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/

*Any additional materials referenced above that are outside the course or Scaled Agile
Framework website will not be provided by Scaled Agile.

Acknowledgements
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!

Elba Rodriguez
Jim Brisson
Ram Kompella
Shane Harrison
Steve Martinez

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