Leading SAFe®

Summary

During this two-day course, attendees will gain the knowledge necessary to lead a Lean-Agile enterprise by leveraging the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®), and its underlying principles derived from Lean, systems thinking, Agile development, product development flow, and DevOps. They will discuss the five competencies needed to become a Lean Enterprise. They will also learn and practice the skills for supporting and executing PI Planning events, and coordinating multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs).

Attendees will gain an understanding of the Lean-Agile mindset, why it’s so effective in today’s adapt-or-die marketplace, and what it means to lead a Lean-Agile transformation. They’ll also learn how to build and support Agile teams and programs, empower a Lean Portfolio, build a Continuous Delivery Pipeline and DevOps culture, and coordinate large solutions. They will develop a skillset that’s in demand worldwide—and empower their enterprises to succeed in a disruptive marketplace—when they become a SAFe® Agilist (SA).

Attending the class prepares individuals to take the exam and become a certified SAFe® Agilist (SA).

Learning Goals

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To perform the role of a SAFe® Agilist, attendees should be able to:
  1. Understand the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise
  2. Become a Lean-thinking manager-teacher
  3. Apply the values and principles of a Lean-Agile Mindset
  4. Apply SAFe’s Lean and Agile principles to the roles and practices of SAFe
  5. Create high-performing teams by establishing mission and purpose
  6. Lead the transformation with the SAFe Implementation Roadmap
  7. Support PI Planning and the events associated with successful Program execution
  8. Drive Release on Demand with the Continuous Delivery Pipeline
  9. Establish alignment and execution with Strategic Themes and Lean Portfolio Management
  10. Coordinate multiple Agile Release Trains and suppliers with a Solution Train

Topics Covered

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  1. Introducing the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
  2. Becoming a Lean-Agile Leader
  3. Establishing Team and Technical Agility
  4. Experiencing Program Increment (PI) Planning
  5. Releasing on Demand with DevOps
  6. Building Business Solutions and Lean Systems
  7. Implementing Lean Portfolio Management
  8. Leading the transformation

What Attendees Get

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The class registration includes:
  1. Attendee workbook
  2. Preparation and eligibility to take the SAFe® Agilist exam
  3. One year membership to the SAFe Community Platform
  4. Course certificate of completion

Attendees must attend both days of the course in order to be eligible for the exam.

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Who will benefit?

The following individuals will benefit from this course:

  1. CEO Program or Project Manager
  2. Scrum Master
  3. Team Lead
    Release Train Engineer
  4. Business Analyst
  5. Agile Coach
  6. CIO
  7. Portfolio Manager
  8. Consultant
  9. Engineer
  10. Program Manager
  11. Change Agent
  12. Solution or Systems Architect
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Prerequisites

All are welcome to attend the course, regardless of experience. However, the following prerequisites are highly recommended for those who intend to take the SAFe® Agilist (SA) certification exam:

  1. 5+ years’ experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product, or project management
  2. Experience in Scrum

Professional Development Units (PDUs)
and Scrum Education Units (SEUs)

Attendees may be eligible to apply for 15 PDUs toward their continuing education requirements with the Project Management Institute (PMI) for PMP, PgMP, and PMI-ACP certifications.

Attendees may be eligible to apply for SEUs under Category C, toward earning or renewing their CSP through Scrum Alliance.

Activity Number ABOYTD2 Duration 2 days
PMI Certification Technical Leadership Strategic Total
PMP® 6.00 6.00 3.00 15.00
PgMP® 6.00 6.00 3.00 15.00
PMI_RMP® 6.00 6.00 3.00 15.00
PMI_SP® 0.00 6.00 3.00 9.00
PMI_ACP® 6.00 6.00 3.00 15.00
PfMP® 0.00 6.00 3.00 9.00
PMI_PBAsm 0.00 6.00 3.00 9.00
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Exam & Certification Details

Exam prerequisite skills

  1. 5+ years experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project management
  2. Experience in Scrum

Exam requirements
The first step toward becoming a Certified SAFe professional is to attend the Leading SAFe® course. This is a requirement, because attending the course provides access to all the study materials and the exam. Note that attending the course does not guarantee passing the exam.

Exam details

  1. Exam name – SAFe® Agilist Exam
  2. Exam format – Multiple choice
  3. Exam delivery – Web-based (single-browser), closed book, no outside assistance, timed
  4. Exam access – Candidates can access the exam within the SAFe Community Platform upon completion of the Leading SAFe® course
  5. Exam duration – Once the exam begins, candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours) to complete the exam
  6. Number of questions: 45
  7. Passing score – SA = 35 out of 45 (77%)
  8. Language – English
  9. Exam cost – First exam attempt is included as part of the course registration fee if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50.
  10. Retake policy – Second attempt on exam (first retake) can be done immediately after first attempt. Third attempt requires a 10-day wait. Fourth attempt requires a 30-day wait.

Exam study materials

The exam is designed to measure knowledge and skill related to the job role. We highly recommend candidates use a variety of resources to prepare for this exam including:

  1. Course materials – The course materials are an essential artifact from the course and can be downloaded from the SAFe Community Platform. These materials can be used to refer back to the content that was presented during the class.
  2. Study guide – This comprehensive guide details the job role and all resources related to the exam, including a detailed reading list. Access is available through the Learning Plan in the SAFe Community Platform upon course completion.
  3. Practice test – The practice test is designed to be predictive of success on the certification exam,* and it has the same number of questions, level of difficulty, and time duration. It is part of the Learning Plan in the SAFe Community Platform and can be taken an unlimited number of times at no cost. *This is not the actual exam, and passing it does not guarantee success on the certification exam.
  4. Sample Questions – A web-enabled, flashcard style version of the sample questions can be found online and in the study guide.

What you get

Becoming a Certified SAFe® Agilist requires an exceptional range of skills and is a career path for many servant leaders. Certification includes:

  1. Certified SAFe® Agilist PDF certificate
  2. Certified SAFe® Agilist digital badge to promote your accomplishment online
  3. One-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform, which includes access to the SA Community of Practice
  4. Access to Meetup groups and events that connect you with other SAFe certified professionals
  5. A variety of learning resources to support you during your SAFe journey.
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