This document discusses PI planning for agile release trains. It begins by defining PI planning as a cadence-based, face-to-face event that aligns teams to a shared mission and vision. It notes when PI planning typically occurs and its goals of commitment, alignment, fast decision making, and cross-team collaboration. The document then examines why teams struggle with PI planning and what could be done differently, such as cultural awareness and clear communications. It outlines elements of preparation including logistics, organizational, and content readiness. Finally, it discusses setting SMART objectives, planning communication for business alignment, and takes questions.

2. How to do effective PI
Planning….

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4. Sudha Madhuri
18+ years of global experience as a
Project/Program management Trainer
4 years as an Agile coach and a Trainer
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Webinar Agenda
● PI Planning: What, Why, and When?
● PI planning workflow
● Sample PI planning schedule
● Why do teams struggle with PI Planning?
● What could we do differently?
● Elements of preparation for planning readiness
● SMART Planning and Objective setting
● Planning Communication for better business alignment
● QnA

6. What?
Cadence-based, face-to-face event that serves as the heartbeat of the Agile Release Train (ART), aligning all the teams on the
ART to a shared mission and Vision.
Why?
• Commitment to agreed PI
• Alignment between Development and Business
• Fast Decision making
• Establishing cross team collaboration & communication
When?
Innovation and Planning Iteration of the current PI
Duration: Standard agenda 16 Hrs
Distributed teams: 3-4 days with 4 hrs overlap
PI Planning

9. Why do teams struggle with PI planning?
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Geo spread
Assumptions
Process over
Value
Culture
Visualization
Collaboration
Logistics Alignment
Participation
Commitment
Technology
Engagement
Mindset
Outputs vs.
Outcome
Business
context
Remote PI
planning
External
dependencies

11. What could we do differently?
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Cultural awareness Geo sensitive planning Clear communications strategy
Common collaboration toolkit
Focus on 1-2 objectives – limit WIP
PI objective score based prioritization
Communicate vision & business context
Working agreements across teams Leadership Commitment
External & Business inclusivity

13. Elements of Preparation for Planning Readiness
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14. Logistics
Readiness
Organizational
Readiness
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Content
Readiness

15. Organizational Readiness
Supporting teams
identified
.
Agile teams identified & on boarded
Business owners agreed & aligned
with priorities
.
Scope of PI defined
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16. Frameworks to be used
Development practices
Architectural guidelines
Leadership buy-in
Content Readiness
Product vision
Executive briefing
.
Architectural vision
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Current business performance
Customer satisfaction measures
Organizational development
Top 10 PI features
Product roadmap
Customer journey
Features with short description & value

17. Logistic Readiness
Calendars of BOs
.
Dedicated technical support
.
Facilities
Infrastructure for home office space
Multiple connectivity options
Central document repository
Readiness, access to all tools
All briefings published prior to
event
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18. SMART Planning & Objective Setting
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Rolling waves of short term
commitments Build bottom-up!
Articulate achievements to
shared train goals
Business engagement in
objective scoring
Demonstrable
1 or more uncommitted
objective
Business value aligned
Avoid 1 to 1 feature-objective
mappings
Setting PI Objectives : A Few Pro Tips!

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•• Clearly stating action and
intended outcome
Specific
•• Quantifiable and measurable
key results
Measurable
•• Skills and capabilities to
achieve objectives
Achievable
•• Recognize and plan for
factors that cannot be
controlled
Relevant
•• Tied to milestones and fits a
PI cycle
Timely

21. Planning communication for better business
Alignment
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● Initiate PI planning with executive briefing by leaders / BOs
● Maximize direct communication between Business owners (BO) and agile teams – for outcome based solutions
● Ensure team / PI objectives are evaluated and scored for business value - by BOs
● Drive direct BO engagement through the objective setting exercise
● Drive bottom-up communication of iteration goals and relevant progress to maximize alignment

23. ‘Questions’
We might help you :)
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24. Some References
Check our upcoming public Micro Training batches -
https://benzne.com/micro-training-levels-of-planning-product-release-sprint/
Check out our blogs at www.Benzne.com/blogs
Reference: https://www.scaledagileframework.com
http://www.instituteengmgt.com/wp-content/uploads/PIPlanning.pdf
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THANK YOU
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