Leading SAFe (SA)

Certified SAFe® Agilist

Required course: Leading SAFe

Job role description/target audience

A Certified SAFe® Agilist (SA) is a Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe) enterprise leadership professional who is part of a Lean-Agile transformation.

Key areas of competency

• Apply SAFe to scale Lean and Agile development in the enterprise
• Apply Lean-Agile Mindset and principles
• Plan and successfully execute Program Increments
• Execute and release value through Agile Release Trains
• Build an Agile portfolio with Lean-Agile budgeting

Learners taking this course are:

• CEO
• Program or Project Manager
• Scrum Master
• Team Lead
• Release Train Engineer
• Business Analyst
• Agile Coach
• CIO
• Portfolio Manager
• Consultant
• Engineer
• Program Manager
• Change Agent
• Solution or Systems Architect

Exam & Certification Details

Exam prerequisite skills

• 5+ years experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project management
• 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® 4 Agilist Exam – or – SAFe® 5 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 – SA4 = 34 out of 45 (75%); SA5 = 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:

• 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.

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:

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