Usage Index, Ability to Innovate

Hi! I ran into the same question while studying for the PSPO. I agree, the “Usage Index” (E) isn’t explicitly explained in most EBM guides, which makes it confusing. My understanding is that it reflects how widely and actively a feature or product is being used by customers, which indirectly shows whether the team is delivering innovative, valuable solutions.

So while IVI (Installed Version Index) tracks deployment, Usage Index gives insight into actual adoption and engagement, which can indicate the impact of innovation. That’s why A, E, and F make sense together—they capture both delivery (IVI), adoption (Usage Index), and innovation outcomes (Innovation Rate).

Would love to hear if others have a more official source or elaboration!

If you're doing one of the Scrum.org open assessments some sort of explanation ought to be provided. Where did you find this question?

'Usage index' is usually a synonym for 'customer usage index', which is a KVM for the current value.
I can't see a direct connection to 'A2I'.

While you can use the Usage Index to measure whether your innovation has created any current value, as far as I know, this is not what A2I is intended for as it is rather indirect.

I'm currently preparing for the PSPO II exam and have come across some curious 'test simulation questions', which are often related to outdated guides and are sometimes obviously incorrect. (The provider claims that they are "very close to scrum.org". ;-) )
Is your question directly from Scrum.org?