Preparing for PI Planning | Checklist for Scrum Masters and Product Owners for PI planning in SAFe

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PI (Program Increment) planning is a critical event in the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) framework where the Agile Release Train (ART) aligns and plans for the upcoming program increment. As a Scrum Master and a PO, here are some ways you can prepare for PI planning:

Understand the goals and objectives of the PI:

Before you start preparing for PI planning, ensure that you have a clear understanding of the program’s goals and objectives for the upcoming increment. This understanding will help you align your team’s efforts and priorities during the planning session.

Review the backlog:

Review the product backlog and ensure that it is up to date. This step will help you identify any gaps or issues in the backlog that need to be addressed before PI planning.

Communicate with the team:

As a Scrum Master, communicate with the team and ensure that they understand the purpose and expectations of the PI planning session. Also, communicate any changes in the planning process or schedule to the team.

Facilitate the planning session:

During the planning session, your role as a Scrum Master is to facilitate the meeting and ensure that everyone is engaged and actively participating. As a PO, you should help prioritize and sequence the work based on the business objectives.

Collaborate with stakeholders:

As a PO, you should work closely with stakeholders to understand their needs and priorities. This understanding will help you prioritize the backlog and make informed decisions during the planning session.

Review the PI plan:

After the planning session, review the PI plan with the team and stakeholders. Ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands the scope, objectives, and priorities for the upcoming increment.

Monitor progress:

As the PI progresses, monitor the team’s progress, and address any issues or concerns that arise. This monitoring will help you identify any potential risks and make adjustments to the plan as needed.

In summary, as a Scrum Master and a PO, your role in preparing for PI planning is to facilitate the session, ensure that the team is aligned, and the priorities are set based on business objectives. By following the above steps, you can prepare your team for a successful PI planning session. I have also added checklist items for a scrum master and a PO to follow for program increment planning below.

Checklist for Scrum Masters and Product Owners for Program Increment (PI) planning:

Checklist For Scrum Masters:

1. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the PI objectives.
2. Facilitate the PI planning event and ensure that all team members are actively participating.
3. Help the team identify dependencies and potential risks for the upcoming PI.
4. Facilitate discussions and encourage the team to come up with a realistic PI plan.
5. Ensure that the PI plan aligns with the overall organizational strategy.
6. Facilitate the creation of a PI roadmap, which outlines the major milestones and deliverables for the PI.
7. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities for the PI.
8. Help the team identify any impediments that may hinder the PI plan, and work with the team to resolve them.
9. Encourage the team to reflect on their previous PI and identify opportunities for improvement.
10. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the PI planning outcomes and next steps.

Checklist For Product Owners:

1. Work closely with stakeholders to understand their priorities and ensure they are aligned with the PI objectives.
2. Help the team identify the key features and capabilities that need to be delivered during the PI.
3. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the business value of each feature and capability.
4. Work with the team to prioritize the features and capabilities based on their business value and complexity.
5. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the product vision and how it aligns with the PI objectives.
6. Collaborate with the Scrum Master to identify any dependencies and risks that may impact the PI plan.
7. Participate in the creation of the PI roadmap and ensure that it aligns with the product vision.
8. Ensure that the team has a clear understanding of the product backlog and how it relates to the PI plan.
9. Continuously communicate with stakeholders and the team to ensure that the product backlog remains aligned with the PI plan.
10. Work with the team to identify any opportunities for improvement and continuously refine the PI planning process.

I hope you find this helpful, do let me know in comments if you have any specific questions and I will try my best to answer those.

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