Architecting for Continuous Value Flow with SAFe
In SAFe®, architects play a key role in the trio of leaders that includes product managers and the Release Train Engineer. It’s these people who work together to execute programs and guide Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to enable continuous value flow.
In the SAFe® for Architects course, you’ll get the context you need to align architecture with business value. You’ll understand how system, solution, and enterprise architects collaboratively deliver architectural solutions. And you’ll get the guidance and tools you need to work effectively in remote environments with distributed teams.
SAFe® for Architects answers the questions:
- How do I plan for and execute a program increment (PI)?
- How do I plan the architectural runway to consistently deliver business value?
- How do I create clarity and visibility into the architectural vision for an ART?
What’s included:
- Course materials
- Remote learning via SAFe® Virtual Classrooms
- Access to SAFe® Collaborate, a visual online workspace
- One-year membership to the SAFe® Community Platform
- Access to content, tools, and resources you need to practice SAFe every day
- SAFe Architect certification exam
What you get
Becoming a Certified SAFe® Architect requires an exceptional range of skills and is a career path for many servant leaders. Certification includes:
- Certified SAFe® Architect PDF certificate
- Certified SAFe® Architect digital badge to promote your accomplishment online
- One-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform, which includes access to the ARCH Community of Practice
- Access to Meetup groups and events that connect you with other certified SAFe professionals
- A variety of learning resources to support you during your SAFe journey
Three-day training program
The SAFe for Architect course is a three-day training program.
Topics Covered
- Exemplifying Lean-Agile architecture
- Architecting for DevOps and Release on Demand
- Aligning architecture with business value
- Developing Solution Vision, Solution Intent, and Roadmaps
- Preparing architecture for Program Increment (PI) Planning
- Coordinating architecture throughout PI Planning
- Supporting Continuous Delivery during PI execution
- Supporting new Strategic Themes and Value Streams
- Leading as an architect during a Lean-Agile transformation
Key areas of competency
- Apply SAFe principles to managing trade-offs between functionality, cost, risk, and sustainability
- Ensure designs can be implemented in small batches with a continuous integration/continuous delivery deployment model
- Communicate solution context and intent to Agile teams and trains
- Establish intentional architecture guidelines and enable flexibility to allow emergent technology
- Prepare architectural runway to enable delivery success
- Steer architecture decisions, support risk and issue resolution, participate in Management Review and Problem Solving during Program Increment execution
- Define, implement, and monitor quality practices, including CI/CD and DevOps
- Ensure that technology decisions made within an ART work end-to-end across components in a Solution
- Ensure that the Solution complies with the Portfolio technology strategy
- Enable Lean-Agile transformations and coach Lean-Agile practitioners
Annual Renewal
Certifications expire one year from the date the certification is earned.
Certified SAFe Membership Renewal—$295/year: One-year membership is included with first-time course attendance or can be purchased separately, Provides access to the community platform. For those who don’t seek certification but still benefit from the valuable content at the SAFe Comminatory Exam
Exam Details
Completion of this course gives you access to the exam and all related study materials as part of your Learning Plan in the SAFe Community Platform.
Exam prerequisite skills
- Application of Lean-Agile principles
Exam requirements
The first step toward becoming a certified SAFe professional is to attend the SAFe® for Architects 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
Duration |
90 minutes |
Number of questions |
45 |
Passing score |
32/45 (71%) |
Competency level |
Foundational difficulty; Competent; some knowledge or experience; can perform tasks with assistance |
Question format |
Multiple choice (one answer) or multiple select (2-3 answers) |
Delivery |
Web-based, closed book, no outside assistance, timed |
Access |
Community Platform upon completion of the course |
Languages Offered |
English |
Cost |
The first attempt is included in the course registration fee if taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake or attempt past the 30-day window is $50 |
- Retake policy – The second attempt on the exam (first retake) can be done immediately after the first attempt. The third attempt requires a 10-day wait. The 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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sample Questions – A web-enabled, flashcard-style version of the sample questions can be found online and in the study guide.