In SAFe, an iteration is a time-boxed period, typically two weeks long, during which Agile Teams deliver incremental value in the form of working, tested software or systems. Iterations provide a structured cadence for teams to collaborate, plan, execute, and deliver value. Iterations have a fixed-length timebox, offer incremental value delivery, foster continuous learning and development, and help align with PI objectives. They are the fundamental building blocks of SAFe that enable teams to deliver value incrementally, reduce risk, and adapt to changing requirements.
PI Objectives in SAFe stand for Program Increment Objectives. They are overarching goals that guide the work of an Agile Release Train during a program increment. It generally lasts for 10 to 12 weeks but can vary from project to project. PI objectives align with business strategy and goals, they are measurable and have timeframes attached to them. Like all goals, they are usually challenging but achievable and they should be SMART.
In some aspects, iteration goals can be considered to be a scaled-down version of the PI objectives. Writing iteration goals and PI objectives needs discipline and focus, without which achieving proper agility transformation would be challenging.
Why Do We Need To Write Iterations & PI Objectives?
Objectives are often seen as the short version of some targets or ideas that an individual, a team, or an organization commits to achieving. While this is an important purpose of objectives, it is not the sole purpose. Iterations and PI objectives represent an agile team’s commitment to delivery in the PI or iteration. They work on a feedback loop basis. The feedback loop ensures all stakeholders understand and are a part of the organization’s vision. Teams can ensure they have a thorough understanding of the business’ desired outcome and businesses can improvise and refine their value proposition.
The PI planning and iterations must focus on exploring, discussing, and committing to outcomes, instead of features. This helps stakeholders be on the same page and share their thoughts & inputs better.
How are PI Planning and Iterations Connected?
During the PI planning, the business teams share a prioritized feature list with the Agile Release Train or ART. The teams on the ART sequence their stories & features in line with the priorities and capacities. Through PI planning, teams would commit to subsets of the requests made by the business teams. Together all stakeholders support the team commitments.
Once the subsets are committed to, priorities are assigned, things are sequenced, and a delivery plan is formed. The delivery plan is communicated and translated into objectives, summarizing the business goals and technical goals in a way that all stakeholders – business and technical, understand. So, it goes way beyond being a summary of the planned work.
Well-crafted PI Objectives play a pivotal role in fostering alignment within Agile Release Trains (ARTs). By establishing a clear connection between individual features and stories and the overarching objectives, teams can prioritize their work effectively. This transparency enhances visibility, enabling teams to identify misaligned efforts and address any technical dependencies that may hinder progress.
Evaluation of PI Objectives by Business Owners
While understanding the purpose of Program Increment (PI) Objectives is crucial, it’s equally important to consider who these objectives are intended for. It’s essential to remember that PI Objectives are primarily written by teams for the benefit of Business Owners and key stakeholders. These objectives serve as a communication tool, conveying the business outcomes that the team contributes to and explaining their significance.
By understanding the deeper purpose behind their work, teams can foster increased employee engagement. This alignment between individual efforts and organizational goals fosters a sense of purpose and motivation.
Business Owners play a pivotal role in evaluating PI Objectives after each PI. This evaluation helps measure the performance of the Agile Release Train (ART) and the business value achieved. By assessing the alignment between PI Objectives and actual outcomes, organizations can gauge the ART’s predictability and identify areas for improvement.
It’s important to note that uncommitted objectives do not contribute to the team’s predictability measure. During PI planning, teams should write uncommitted objectives to indicate their intention to complete the work while acknowledging potential factors beyond their control that might hinder value delivery. This transparency helps maintain realistic expectations and ensures an accurate assessment of the ART’s performance.
Some important questions to address before closing PI planning would be:
- Are the tasks customer-facing?
- What will be the impact on velocity and value delivery?
- What is the timeline for value delivery?
- Which teams and functions will be involved and to what extent?
- What will be the impact if the objectives are not as planned?
The structure of Program Increment (PI) Objectives plays a pivotal role in facilitating a smooth alignment between teams and Business Owners. Clear and well-structured objectives empower Business Owners to effectively measure the value delivered within each PI. The following sections offer valuable tips for crafting PI Objectives that are easily understood by all stakeholders.
Writing Effective Iterations and PI Objectives
Ensure the objectives are SMART
Here, SMART is an acronym. It stands for:
- Specific: Clear and specific goals that are easy to comprehend
- Measurable: Track-able goals and progress that can be measured clearly
- Achievable: Clear, controllable, defined steps to achieve the goals
- Relevant: Alignment with values and long-term goals of the business
- Timely: Defined timeline to achieve the goals and outcomes
Define the key components of objectives
Every goal has five key components and when working on defining iterations and PI objectives, ensure that the components are clearly defined. These components are:
- Activity: What is to be done?
- Scope: What are the boundaries of the tasks?
- Beneficiary: Who benefits from these tasks?
- User value: What value does it generate for the users?
- Business value: What will these tasks do for the business?
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