SAFe-POPM SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager POPM (6.0) Questions and Answers

Program Increments (PIs) are the unit of time used on Solution Roadmaps, which are visual tools that forecast and communicate the planned deliverables, milestones, and investments over a time horizon12. PIs are fixed-length timeboxes, typically 8 to 12 weeks long, that provide a regular and predictable planning cadence for the Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and Solution Trains3. PIs are used on Solution Roadmaps to:

•Align the solution delivery with the PI objectives, which are the SMART goals that define the expected outcomes and benefits for each ART and Solution Train in a PI3.

•Coordinate the dependencies and interfaces between the ARTs and Solution Trains that contribute to the solution3.

•Provide a near-term forecast of the features and capabilities that will be delivered in the next two to three PIs12.

•Incorporate feedback and learning from the previous PIs and adjust the scope and priority of the work items as needed12.

Some additional information that might be helpful for you are:

•The other options (A, B, and D) are not the unit of time used on Solution Roadmaps, but rather units of time that may be used for other purposes or in other contexts.

•Iterations are fixed-length timeboxes, typically one or two weeks long, that provide a regular and predictable development cadence for the Agile Teams4. Iterations are used to plan, execute, and demo the work items in the Team Backlog4.

•Years are a unit of time that may be used to provide a high-level overview of the roadmap, outlining major milestones, goals, and initiatives that are planned over multiple years2. Years are not used to plan or forecast the solution delivery in detail, as they are too long and uncertain for Agile planning2.

•Days are a unit of time that may be used to estimate the effort or duration of a work item or a task5. Days are not used to schedule or forecast the solution delivery on the roadmap, as they are too granular and variable for Agile planning5.

Identifying the Value Stream for each product is one of the five Lean Thinking principles proposed by Womack and Jones in 1996. A value stream is the sequence of activities that deliver value to the customer, from the initial request to the final delivery1. Identifying the value stream for each product helps to eliminate waste, optimize flow, and increase customer satisfaction2.

References:

•The Five Principles of Lean - Project Management Institute

•Value Streams - Scaled Agile Framework

The problem-solving workshop is more effective than traditional lessons learned documents because it makes improvements actionable through backlog items for the next Program Increment (PI). A problem-solving workshop is a structured approach to identify and solve problems that affect the performance and quality of the Agile Release Train (ART) or Solution Train1. Unlike traditional lessons learned documents, which are often passive and rarely implemented, a problem-solving workshop results in a set of improvement backlog items that are prioritized and planned for the next PI2. This way, the teams can implement the improvements and measure their impact on the value delivery3.

References:

•Inspect and Adapt - Scaled Agile Framework

•Why is the problem-solving workshop more effective than traditional …

•Problem-solving workshop: Step-by-Step - Agilephoria

The top ten Features are a PI planning input that demonstrates how Product Management plans to accomplish the Vision. The vision is a description of the future state of the solution under development, reflecting customer and stakeholder needs, as well as the features and capabilities proposed to meet those needs1. The top ten Features are the highest priority features of the ART backlog, which are derived from the vision and roadmap, and provide the most value to the customers and stakeholders2. By presenting the top ten Features to the Agile Release Train (ART) during PI planning, Product Management communicates the main objectives and scope of the upcoming Program Increment (PI), and guides the teams to plan their work accordingly2. The top ten Features also help align the teams and stakeholders to a shared mission and vision, and foster cross-team and cross-ART collaboration2.

References: 1 Vision - Scaled Agile Framework, 2 PI Planning - Scaled Agile Framework

The definition of done specifies the requirements for completeness of a work product or increment of value1. It is important to establish a clear and consistent definition of done across all Agile Teams to ensure that the work products meet the appropriate quality standards and are ready for integration and delivery23. Without a common definition of done, there may be confusion, rework, delays, and technical debt3.

References:

•What is the Definition of Done (DOD) in SAFe®? - Agilemania

•Built-In Quality - Scaled Agile Framework

•Definition of Done - Scaled Agile Framework

One input to the Vision is customer feedback. Customer feedback is the information and opinions that customers and stakeholders provide about the solution, its features, and its value proposition1. Customer feedback helps to validate the assumptions, test the hypotheses, and measure the satisfaction of the solution2. Customer feedback also helps to identify the needs, preferences, and expectations of the customers and stakeholders, which are essential for defining and communicating the Vision3. The Vision is a description of the future state of the solution under development, and it reflects the problem(s) that the solution will solve and the benefits that it will deliver4.

References:

•Customer Feedback - Scaled Agile Framework

•Continuous Exploration - Scaled Agile Framework

•Solution Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

•Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

The event that shows how well the Agile Release Train (ART) is progressing toward meeting the Program Increment (PI) objectives is the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event. The Inspect and Adapt event occurs at the end of each PI and provides an opportunity for the entire ART to reflect on the progress made during the PI, identify and address the root causes of any impediments, and plan for improvement actions in the next PI1.

•Inspect and Adapt - Scaled Agile Framework

One of the questions that helps Product Management create a Vision is what problem(s) will the Solution solve for the customers and stakeholders. The Vision is a description of the future state of the Solution under development, and it reflects the needs and expectations of the customers and stakeholders1. The Vision also provides the context and purpose for the features and capabilities of the Solution2. Therefore, Product Management needs to understand the problem(s) that the Solution aims to address, and how it will deliver value and benefits to the customers and stakeholders3.

References:

•Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

•Solution Vision - Scaled Agile Framework

•What is a Product Vision Statement? | Definition and Overview

One of the factors that can increase the effectiveness of Backlog Refinement is to schedule the event on a regular cadence. Backlog Refinement is the process of reviewing, updating, and prioritizing the backlog items to prepare them for future iterations or sprints1. By scheduling the event on a regular cadence, such as once or twice per week, the team can ensure that the backlog is always accurate, relevant, and ready for planning2. A regular cadence also helps the team to avoid cramming too much work into a single session, which can lead to lower quality and reduced collaboration3.

References:

•Team Backlog - Scaled Agile Framework

•Backlog refinement - How I learned to love agile business analysis …

•Essential Checklist for Effective Backlog Refinement (and What To Avoid …

A solution is defined as a product, service, or system delivered to the customer in SAFe. A solution can be a small mobile application built by a single Agile Release Train (ART) or a large automotive system of systems built by a network of Development Value Streams (DVSs) in a supply chain1. A solution may also be an insurance or banking product offered by a financial institution. Solutions can be the products a company sells or the internal products they use to run the business. They may provide direct value to an end-user or may be a component of a larger solution1.

References:

•Solution - Scaled Agile Framework