Having a meaningful Sprint #1 has always been a real challenge for us. this was one of the reasons we decided to dedicate two full days for a release planning workshop based on SAFe. In this session I share why and how we did it, what we learnt before, during and after the workshop and tips for making it a success.

1. Who said Release Planning is not Agile?

4. Let’s
Experiment
–
SAFe
Release
Planning?

5. 1. Clarify
the
Release
context
2. Understand
the
big
picture
3. Availability
and
focus
of
all
4. Reveal
dependencies
early
5. Honoring
people
8me

6. Tip:
Have
a
Product
Management
partner

7. Tip:
Predefine
the
Release
Planning
8meline

8. Tip:
Share
the
Release
8meline
&
Milestones
ASAP

9. Tip:
Visualize
the
Release
content
on
a
Physical
Board

10. Agenda
of
the
Day
9:00-
10:00
10:00
-
17:00
18:00-
18:30
17:00-
18:00 ! Squad
leads
&
PO
present
draG
plans,
open
issues,
risks,
and
impediments
! Squads
raise
open
issues
&
develop
draG
plans
and
idenJfy
risks
and
impediments
! Architects R&D managers and Product
Managers circulate
! Progress & focus check-in twice
! Discussing
open
issues,
challenges,
risks,
and
impediments
1 2 3 4
! Business
context
By
Product
! Opening
words
about
the
day
By
R&D
Tip:
Be
dynamic
about
the
agenda

11. Day
1
Plan
9:00-
10:30
10:30
-
16:00
17:00-
17:30
16:00-
17:00 ! Squad
leads
&
PO
present
draG
plans
! Squads
develop
draG
plans
! Managers circulate
! Progress & focus check-in twice
! Discussing
open
issues,
challenges,
risks,
and
impediments
1 2 3 4
! Business
context
By
Product
! Opening
words
about
the
day
by
R&D

12. Tip:
Use
Team
Breakouts
for
detailed
Planning

13. Tip:
Use
Mid
day
Check-­‐ins
to
Focus
&
Collaborate

14. Tip:
Use
a
Risk
Board
For
Visualizing
and
Solving
Risks
early

15. Tip:
Con8nue
experimen8ng

16. Tip:
invite
all
to
the
Plan
Review

17. Tip:
Collect
(early)
Feedback

18. Agenda
of
the
Day
9:00-
10:00
10:00
-
17:00
18:00-
18:30
17:00-
18:00 ! Squad
leads
&
PO
present
draG
plans,
open
issues,
risks,
and
impediments
! Squads
raise
open
issues
&
develop
draG
plans
and
idenJfy
risks
and
impediments
! Architects R&D managers and Product
Managers circulate
! Progress & focus check-in twice
! Discussing
open
issues,
challenges,
risks,
and
impediments
1 2 3 4
! Business
context
By
Product
! Opening
words
about
the
day
By
R&D
Tip:
One
Focused
day
can
be
enough

19. Was
it
worth
it?
Tip:
Management
buy-­‐in
is
crucial
Itai Mendelsohn VP of R&D

21. ü Have a Product Management partner
ü Predefine the Release Planning timeline
ü Share the Release timeline & Milestones ASAP
ü Visualize the Release content on a Physical Board
ü Be dynamic about the agenda
ü Use Team Breakouts for detailed Planning
ü Use Mid day Check-ins to Focus and Collaborate
ü Use a Risk Board for visualizing and solving risks early
ü Continue experimenting
ü Invite all to the Plan review
ü Collect (early) Feedback
ü One Focused day can be enough
ü Management buy-in is crucial
Take
away

23. QuesJons