Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Advanced Scrum Master Practice Exam

Which statement accurately describes the phase-gate Milestone model?

1. It effectively mitigates risks during development

2. It is flexible enough for Agile practices

3. It does not mitigate risk as intended

4. It provides a detailed project timeline

The correct answer is: It does not mitigate risk as intended

The phase-gate Milestone model is a project management approach that uses phases or stages separated by gates that serve as decision points. The key aspect of this model is that it aims to assess progress and viability throughout the project lifecycle. Essentially, the model allows teams to evaluate what has been accomplished before moving on to the next phase, which is intended to mitigate risks by identifying potential issues early. However, describing this model as not mitigating risk as intended can highlight some challenges associated with it. In practice, if the gates are not effectively utilized or if there is inadequate assessment during these checkpoints, the intended risk mitigation may not occur. This can lead to issues being discovered too late in the project when it becomes more costly or complex to address them. In contrast, the other statements do not accurately reflect the phase-gate model's characteristics. The claim that the model is flexible enough for Agile practices overlooks the structured and linear nature of the phase-gate approach, which can conflict with the iterative and adaptive methodologies of Agile. Additionally, while the model does aim to provide a structured timeline through its phases and gates, this does not guarantee a detailed project timeline since the focus can sometimes shift to phase completion rather than detailed scheduling. By identifying the limitations in risk mitigation