The SAFe Agile certification is one of the most popular agile certifications available today. It validates your knowledge of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) to successfully drive business results in large enterprises. But what exactly does the certification exam entail? In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the key details on the SAFe Agilist certification exam format so you know what to expect on test day.

Leading SAFe / SAFe Agilist certification exam Format (2024 Format)

Leading SAFe Exam Overview

Here’s an at-a-glance overview of the logistics for the Leading SAFe certification exam:

Exam Details	Description
Format	45 multiple choice questions
Length	90 minutes to complete
Content	Applying SAFe principles and practices, supporting PI planning events, ARTs , Agile Product Delivery, Agile Product Management behaviors, SAFe portfolio (Added more details in table 2)
Passing Score	36/45 questions correct (80%)
Allowed Materials	Closed book, no outside materials allowed
Delivery Format	Online proctored or in-person testing center
Languages Available	English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish, French, German, Russian

Exam Content Breakdown

The SAFe Agilist exam covers six key competency areas aligned to the SAFe 6.0 curriculum. Here is the breakdown of topics and percentage of questions from each lesson domain:

Download Syllabus

Lesson	Topics	Percentage of Exam
Lesson 1: Digital Age and Business Agility	Thriving in the digital age, SAFe as an operating system, Core competencies of business agility	12-14%
Lesson 2: Lean-Agile Leaders	Lean-Agile Mindset, SAFe Core Values, SAFe Lean-Agile Principles	29-33%
Lesson 3: Team and Technical Agility	Cross-functional teams, Built-in quality, Organizing around value with ARTs	6-8%
Lesson 4: Agile Product Delivery	Customer-centric culture, Design thinking, Managing flow with ARTs, PI planning, Continuous delivery pipelines	29-33%
Lesson 5: Lean Portfolio Management	SAFe portfolio, Strategic themes, Portfolio canvas, Lean budgeting, Portfolio Kanban	12-14%
Lesson 6: Leading the Change	Lead by example, Lead the change, SAFe Implementation Roadmap	6-8%

As you can see, a significant portion of the exam focuses on applying Lean-Agile principles as a leader and delivering value through Agile Product Delivery and PI Planning. This aligns with the core knowledge and behaviors required of a SAFe Agilist.

Question Format

The questions on the SAFe Agilist exam are situational and scenario-based. You will be presented with a real-world agile scenario and asked to identify the best response based on SAFe principles and practices. For example:

Which of the following is the BEST way for a System Team to manage dependencies during a Program Increment planning session?

A. Negotiate directly with other System Teams during planning B. Identify dependencies and risks and escalate them to the Solution Train C. Document dependencies and negotiate solutions during the planning increment D. Identify dependencies in advance and mitigate risks before planning begins

This requires analyzing the situation and selecting the response that aligns to SAFe recommended practices for managing dependencies across value streams.

Preparing for the Exam

Since the SAFe Agilist exam is scenario-based, the best way to prepare is to understand how to apply SAFe principles and practices in real-world situations. Some tips:

Take a formal SAFe Agilist course to deeply understand the framework’s principles, values, practices, and roles
Review the exam content outline and know which topics have more exam weight
Read case studies on SAFe implementation to gain applied knowledge
Take practice tests to experience the scenario-based question format

With this overview of the SAFe Agilist certification exam format, you can feel fully prepared and confident on exam day. Understand the principles of SAFe, practice applying them situationally, and you’ll be on your way to becoming a certified SAFe Agilist!

Final Words

The SAFe Agilist certification validates your competency in leading enterprise agility with SAFe. While the exam covers a breadth of topics, being able to apply SAFe principles situationally is critical.

Make sure to prepare by fully understanding the core tenets of the framework, reviewing the exam content outline, and practicing scenario-based questions. Hands-on experience applying SAFe in the workplace can also help you connect knowledge to practice.

With the right preparation, you’ll feel ready to demonstrate your SAFe Agilist abilities on exam day. Certification will empower you in your lifelong journey as an enterprise Lean-Agile leader driving digital transformation. Good luck!

The SAFe Agilist certification opens up greater career opportunities and enables you to thrive in the digital age. I hope this breakdown demystifies the exam format and content so you feel fully prepared and confident once you sit for the exam. Let me know if you have any other questions as you begin your certification journey!

Interested in becoming a SAFe Agilist? Enroll in our 2 days training course and become a certified SAFe Agilist.