Architectural runway is built...

• A. All at once
• B. Only after launch
• C. Incrementally, validated early and often, provides "just enough"
• D. Only for critical features

Answer: (C)

Architectural runway is the technical foundation that supports upcoming features, built progressively through architecture work and enablers. In SAFe, you don’t create it all at once; you develop it incrementally, validating early and often to ensure it actually enables future work. The idea of providing “just enough” runway means building only what’s needed to support near-term needs while keeping flexibility for change, rather than overbuilding.

This approach fits agile delivery because it keeps the system ready for upcoming features without wasting effort, and it allows teams to learn and adjust as the product evolves. Building all at once would be risky and inefficient; waiting until after launch misses the opportunity to prepare for the next increments; and limiting runway to just critical features would leave gaps for other upcoming work that also needs architectural support.