The SAFe framework has allocated time and space for agile teams to get familiar with upcoming features. This activity happens in the Innovation and Planning (I&P) iteration, known as preparation for the PI Planning meeting.
SAFe®️ PI Planning, or Program Increment Planning, is a critical event in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that helps teams align and plan for the upcoming Program Increment. PI Planning involves bringing together Agile teams from different areas of an organization to collaboratively plan and prioritize work for the next few months.
To ensure the success of SAFe®️ PI Planning, it is important for Agile teams to be prepared and ready to participate. This involves several key steps, including:
- Team readiness: Agile teams should have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the upcoming Program Increment and be prepared to collaborate with other teams to achieve these goals.
- Product backlog refinement: Teams should have a well-groomed and prioritized product backlog that accurately reflects the requirements and priorities for the upcoming Program Increment.
- Cross-team dependencies: Teams should identify and communicate any cross-team dependencies that may impact the planning process and work together to address these dependencies.
- Infrastructure readiness: Teams should ensure that the necessary tools and infrastructure are in place to support the planning process, including access to collaborative planning tools and sufficient capacity for testing and deployment.
- Communication and collaboration: Finally, teams should be prepared to communicate and collaborate effectively during the planning process, including active participation in planning meetings and open communication channels with other teams.
By focusing on these areas of readiness, Agile teams can help ensure a successful and productive SAFe®️ PI Planning process, ultimately leading to better alignment, collaboration, and success in achieving program goals.