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Navigating the Inspect & Adapt Workshop: The Key to Continuous Improvement in SAFe

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In the dynamic world of Agile, the Inspect & Adapt Workshop stands as a cornerstone in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). It’s a pivotal moment where Agile teams converge to reflect, learn, and plan for the future. But what exactly are the outcomes of this workshop? Today, let’s delve into the heart of this process and understand why “Identifying and prioritizing process improvements” is not just an option, but the primary outcome of the Inspect & Adapt Workshop.

The Essence of the Inspect & Adapt Workshop

At its core, the Inspect & Adapt (I&A) Workshop is a structured problem-solving session. It marks the end of the Program Increment (PI) and serves as a critical reflection point. Teams gather to inspect their achievements and adapt their processes, learning from their experiences. It’s not just about what we did, but how we did it and how we can do it better.

Why Process Improvement is Key

Among the options provided – creation of user stories, release of the product to customers, and setting the agenda for the next PI – identifying and prioritizing process improvements stands out. Why? Because continuous improvement is the lifeblood of Agile. While releasing products and creating user stories are essential, they are part of the ongoing Agile process. The I&A Workshop’s unique contribution is its focus on elevating the process itself.

Real-Life Application

Imagine a team working on a software development project. They’ve had a successful PI, with several user stories completed and features shipped. However, during the I&A Workshop, they realize that certain bottlenecks in communication slowed them down. By identifying and addressing these issues, the team sets the stage for more efficient sprints in the future, ultimately leading to better products and happier customers.

The Inspect & Adapt Workshop is more than a routine meeting; it’s an opportunity for genuine growth. By focusing on process improvements, SAFe practitioners ensure that their Agile journey is not static but a path of continuous evolution and enhancement

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Supercharge Agile Success with SAFe Inspect and Adapt

• On May 14, 2023
• By David Usifo (PSM, MBCS, PMP®)

The key to thriving in today’s rapidly changing business environment is adapting quickly to meet new challenges and opportunities.

Agile methodologies, such as the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), provide organizations with the tools they need to stay competitive and responsive.

One of the most critical components of SAFe is the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) process, which promotes continuous improvement and learning.

In this comprehensive blog post, we will explore the SAFe Inspect and Adapt process in-depth, guiding you through its principles, phases, benefits, and practical tips for success.

Table of Contents

What is SAFe?

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a set of principles, processes, and best practices designed to help organizations scale Agile practices across the enterprise.

SAFe provides a structured approach to align multiple teams and coordinate their efforts, ensuring a consistent delivery of value to customers.

It emphasizes collaboration, communication, and transparency, making it easier for large organizations to adopt Agile methodologies and stay competitive in the market.

Inspect and Adapt in SAFe

Inspect and Adapt (I&A) is a key principle and event in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement within an organization.

The I&A event or workshop is designed to help Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and other stakeholders regularly assess their progress, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments to their processes and plans.

This iterative approach ensures that teams stay aligned with their goals, learn from their experiences, and adapt as needed to optimize performance and outcomes.

The Inspect and Adapt event is structured to facilitate reflection, analysis, and action. It is held at the end of each Program Increment (PI) , which typically lasts 8-12 weeks, and involves the participation of all ART members, as well as Product Management, and other key stakeholders.

The event provides a formal opportunity for teams to:

1. Inspect their Work

Teams evaluate the work they have completed during the PI, assessing the quality and effectiveness of the solutions developed, as well as progress towards their objectives.

This involves reviewing both the tangible outputs (e.g., features, user stories ) and the underlying processes used to create them.

2. Adapt their approach

Based on the insights gained from the inspection, teams identify areas where improvements can be made, and develop action plans to address them.

This may involve adjusting their processes, tools, or strategies, as well as resolving any impediments or issues that have been identified.

By regularly engaging in the Inspect and Adapt process, organizations can cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement, enabling them to more effectively respond to change, address challenges, and achieve their desired outcomes.

The I&A event in SAFe reinforces the Agile principles of transparency, feedback, and adaptation, helping organizations to become more resilient, adaptive, and successful in today’s rapidly-evolving business environment.

Phases of the SAFe Inspect and Adapt Event

The Inspect and Adapt event is divided into three primary phases or components:

1. PI System Demo

The PI System Demo is an opportunity for Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to showcase the work they’ve accomplished during the Program Increment (PI).

This demo is a critical aspect of the I&A event, as it enables teams to:

• Gather feedback from stakeholders, which can be used to make improvements in the next PI.
• Validate that the developed features meet the customers’ needs and expectations.
• Ensure that the different teams’ work is integrated and functioning as a cohesive system.
• Promote transparency and foster a shared understanding of the progress made during the PI.

2. Quantitative Measurement

Quantitative measurement is an essential part of the I&A event, as it helps teams objectively evaluate their performance and progress.

Some common quantitative measurements used in SAFe include:

• Program Predictability Measure : This metric compares the actual business value delivered by the ART against the planned business value.
• Agile Metrics : These may include lead time, cycle time, team velocity , and other metrics that help assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Agile teams.
• Quality Metrics : These can include defect counts, escaped defects, test coverage, and other indicators that measure product quality and reliability.
• DevOps Metrics : These may include deployment frequency, change lead time, change failure rate, and mean time to recovery, which help assess the efficiency of the development and operations processes.

These metrics help teams identify strengths and weaknesses, which can then be addressed during the Retrospective and Problem-Solving Workshop.

3. Retrospective and Problem-Solving Workshop

The Retrospective and Problem-Solving Workshop is a structured session where teams reflect on their performance, identify areas of improvement, and create action plans to address them.

The workshop typically follows these steps:

• Identify Improvements : Teams discuss the outcomes of the PI System Demo and the quantitative measurements, highlighting what went well and what needs to be improved.
• Root Cause Analysis : Teams conduct a thorough analysis of the underlying causes of the identified issues, using techniques such as the “5 Whys” or Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram.
• Brainstorm Solutions : Teams collaboratively brainstorm potential solutions to the root causes, considering various perspectives and ideas.
• Prioritize Actions : The team prioritizes the proposed solutions based on factors such as impact, feasibility, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Create Action Plans : For each prioritized solution, teams create an action plan detailing the steps, responsibilities, and timeline for implementation.

The insights and action plans generated during the Retrospective and Problem-Solving Workshop help teams continuously improve and increase their effectiveness in the next PI.

Benefits of the Inspect and Adapt Event to Organizations

The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) offers several benefits to organizations, helping them to continuously improve and adapt to the ever-changing business environment.

Some of the key benefits include:

1. Continuous Improvement

The I&A event encourages teams to regularly reflect on their work, identify areas for improvement, and make necessary adjustments.

This fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement, enabling organizations to optimize their processes and maximize their effectiveness.

2. Enhanced Agility

By embracing the principle of adaptation, organizations can better respond to changes in market conditions, customer needs, and technological advancements.

The I&A event helps organizations stay agile and pivot as needed to maintain alignment with their goals and objectives.

3. Increased Transparency

The I&A event promotes transparency by involving stakeholders in the review and assessment of the work completed during the Program Increment.

This shared understanding of progress and challenges helps build trust, improve collaboration, and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.

4. Higher Quality Outcomes

Through regular inspection of work and processes, organizations can identify and address issues that impact product quality.

This focus on quality leads to the delivery of robust and reliable solutions that meet or exceed customer expectations.

5. Better Decision-Making

The I&A event provides valuable data and insights that inform decision-making at both the team and organizational levels.

By using data-driven insights, organizations can make more informed choices that optimize their resources and drive better results.

6. Improved Employee Engagement

The I&A event encourages collaboration and empowers teams to take ownership of their work and improvement initiatives.

This sense of ownership and involvement can lead to higher employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention.

7. Alignment with Organizational Goals

By regularly reviewing progress towards objectives, teams can ensure that their work remains aligned with the organization’s overall goals and strategies.

This alignment helps prevent wasted efforts and ensures that all teams are working together to achieve the desired outcomes.

Tips for a Successful Inspect and Adapt Workshop

To ensure a successful Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshop in the context of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), consider the following tips:

1. Invite Relevant Stakeholders

Ensure that all key stakeholders, such as Agile Release Train (ART) members, Product Management, and other important contributors, attend the I&A workshop.

Their participation will help create a shared understanding of the progress and challenges faced during the Program Increment (PI).

2. Prepare and Share Data

Collect and share relevant quantitative data and performance metrics before the workshop.

This will provide a solid foundation for discussions and help participants understand the context of the issues that need to be addressed.

3. Establish a Safe and Open Environment

Encourage open and honest communication during the workshop. Participants should feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, experiences, and concerns without fear of judgment or retribution.

4. Use Structured Problem-Solving Techniques

Utilize structured problem-solving approaches, such as the “5 Whys” or Ishikawa (fishbone) diagrams, to facilitate root cause analysis of the identified issues and help ensure that the underlying causes are thoroughly investigated and addressed.

5. Focus on Actionable Improvements

Encourage participants to brainstorm and prioritize improvements that are actionable and within the team’s control. The goal is to identify changes that can be implemented in the next PI to drive continuous improvement.

6. Assign Clear Ownership and Timelines

For each prioritized improvement, assign clear ownership, responsibilities, and timelines. This will help ensure that the improvement initiatives are effectively executed and tracked.

7. Review previous action items

Begin the I&A workshop by reviewing the action items from the previous PI’s retrospective. Assess their completion status and discuss any learnings or challenges encountered during their implementation.

8. Follow up on Action Items

Regularly check on the progress of the action items generated during the I&A workshop throughout the next PI to help maintain accountability and ensure that continuous improvement remains a priority.

9. Celebrate Successes

Recognize and celebrate the successes and improvements achieved during the PI to reinforce a positive culture of continuous learning and improvement within the organization.

10. Continuously Improve the I&A Process

Finally, treat the I&A workshop itself as an opportunity for continuous improvement. Gather feedback from participants and look for ways to enhance the effectiveness and value of the workshop in future PIs.

Inspect and Adapt for Solution Trains

While I&A is usually associated with Agile Release Trains (ARTs), the concept is also applicable to Solution Trains, which operate at a higher level in the SAFe hierarchy .

A Solution Train is a collection of multiple ARTs and suppliers that work together to deliver more extensive and complex solutions.

Solution Trains are typically used in large-scale organizations with multiple interconnected systems, products, or services.

The I&A event for Solution Trains is similar to that of ARTs, with a focus on continuous improvement and adaptation at the solution level. The main difference lies in the broader scope and the involvement of additional stakeholders.

Here’s a high-level overview of the Inspect and Adapt process for Solution Trains:

1. Solution Demo

Conduct a comprehensive Solution Demo, showcasing the integrated work of all the ARTs and suppliers within the Solution Train.

This demo provides an opportunity for stakeholders to review the progress made during the Program Increment (PI), validate that the developed features meet customer needs, and verify that the different components are functioning cohesively.

Collect and analyze quantitative measurements related to the solution, such as value delivered, quality metrics, and DevOps metrics.

These metrics provide an objective assessment of the Solution Train’s performance, allowing for data-driven decision-making.

3. Solution-Level Retrospective

Conduct a Retrospective involving representatives from each ART, suppliers, and other key stakeholders.

This Retrospective should focus on identifying areas for improvement at the solution level, rather than the individual team or ART level.

The aim is to address issues and challenges that impact the overall solution’s delivery, quality, or performance.

4. Root Cause Analysis and Problem-Solving

Perform a root cause analysis of the identified issues, using structured techniques like the “5 Whys” or Ishikawa (fishbone) diagrams.

Brainstorm potential solutions, prioritize them based on impact and feasibility, and create action plans for implementation.

5. Monitor and Adapt

Track the progress of the action items generated during the I&A event, ensuring that they are effectively implemented and continuously monitored.

Adapt the solution and its underlying processes as needed, based on the insights and learnings gained from the I&A process.

Inspect and Adapt (I&A) Workshop vs Retrospective

While both the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshop and the Retrospective are events in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that focus on continuous improvement and learning, they differ in scope, purpose, and the level at which they operate.

Here’s a comparison of the two events highlighting the differences between them:

The I&A workshop is a larger-scale event that takes place at the end of each Program Increment (PI), which typically lasts 8-12 weeks.

It involves the entire Agile Release Train (ART) and other key stakeholders, such as Product Management and Business Owners.

The Retrospective on the other hand is a smaller-scale event that takes place at the end of each Iteration (typically 2 weeks) within a PI.

It involves individual Agile teams , such as Scrum teams, and focuses on their work and processes at the team level.

The main purpose of the I&A workshop is to assess the progress made during the PI, identify areas for improvement, and create action plans to address those areas.

The event covers both the work completed (e.g., features, user stories) and the underlying processes used to create them.

The Retrospective’s purpose is to reflect on the team’s performance during the Iteration, identify areas for improvement, and agree on specific actions to implement in the next Iteration.

The event primarily covers the team’s practices, collaboration, and any impediments faced during the Iteration.

The I&A workshop consists of several components, including the PI System Demo, the Quantitative Measurement, the Retrospective, and the Problem-Solving Workshop.

This comprehensive approach ensures that teams thoroughly inspect their work and adapt their processes as needed for continuous improvement.

The Retrospective on the other hand follows a more straightforward format, typically consisting of gathering feedback, discussing and prioritizing improvement areas, and creating action items.

Teams often use formats like “What went well,” “What did not go well,” and “What can we improve” to structure the discussion.

The SAFe Inspect and Adapt process is a powerful tool for driving continuous improvement and achieving Agile success in large organizations.

By regularly inspecting their work and adapting their processes based on the findings, teams can enhance their performance, improve product quality, and deliver greater value to customers.

To make the most of the I&A process, teams should focus on collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, conducting effective retrospectives, and developing clear and actionable improvement plans.

By embracing the Inspect and Adapt process, organizations can stay agile, maintain a competitive edge, and drive long-term success in today’s ever-changing business landscape.

David Usifo (PSM, MBCS, PMP®)

David Usifo is a certified project manager professional, professional Scrum Master, and a BCS certified Business Analyst with a background in product development and database management.

He enjoys using his knowledge and skills to share with aspiring and experienced project managers and product developers the core concept of value-creation through adaptive solutions.

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Inspect and Adapt (I&A): Driving Continuous Improvement in Agile Scrum

Inspect and Adapt (I&A) acts as a powerful tool in Agile Software Development. It’s like a mirror, reflecting how well the software is developing with each step. Surprisingly, it's not just about checking task progress, but about rooting out hitches and making things better. It's like tidying up your room regularly to keep it clean. Now, let us dive into understanding this principle even better.

"Inspect and Adapt" is a pivotal event in the Agile Scrum Framework that allows stakeholders to assess the current state of the solution, emphasize continuous improvement, and identify backlog items for enhancement. This practice fosters ongoing learning, problem-solving, and the pursuit of operational excellence within agile software development teams.

Understanding Inspect and Adapt

Inspect and Adapt (I&A) is not just a meeting or presentation; it is a critical event that drives continuous improvement in Agile software development. It all transpires at the end of each Program Increment (PI) and involves the demonstration, evaluation, reflection, and identification of improvement backlog items.

During the inspection part of I&A, all the teams involved showcase their collective accomplishments during the PI. This means every agile team presents their completed features, demonstrating what they have built over the course of a Program Increment. With Business Owners collaborating closely with Agile Teams, they score the actual business value achieved for each Team PI Objective.

The adapt part starts once the inspection is done. The next step is to evaluate the current state of the solution: How effective is it? What can be improved? Are there any underlying issues that need addressing? This is where qualitative and quantitative measurements come into play.

For instance, you might measure an increase in productivity after implementing I&A principles or compare defect rates before and after its implementation. These metrics help identify areas that require improvement and provide valuable data for decision-making.

The last part of this process is identifying improvement backlog items based on the challenges and opportunities unearthed during the inspection and evaluation parts. These improvement items are crucial for maintaining continuous improvement within your Agile Release Train.

Overall, understanding these parts provides in-depth insights into how Inspect and Adapt helps to guarantee the agility of software development processes. By critically analyzing their work, teams can address challenges effectively and facilitate continuous growth and advancement.

Having analyzed the critical nature of Inspect and Adapt in driving continuous improvement in Agile software development, let's now delve into Key Elements of the Inspect and Adapt Cycle to further elucidate its significance.

Key Elements of the Inspect and Adapt Cycle

The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event in Agile Software Development consists of three crucial parts: the PI System Demo, Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement, and the Retrospective. Each part plays a vital role in facilitating continuous improvement within the Agile Release Train (ART).

PI System Demo

The PI System Demo is a pivotal segment of the I&A event, where all the features developed during the Program Increment (PI) are put on display. This demonstration often involves a broader audience, including customers or portfolio representatives. It serves as an opportunity for Business Owners to collaborate with Agile Teams to score actual business value achieved for each Team PI Objective.

In essence, the PI System Demo allows stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the tangible output realized during the PI. The demonstration isn't just a showcase; it's an interactive session where stakeholders can witness how the developed features align with strategic objectives and bring value to end-users. This part of the I&A process provides an invaluable platform for transparency and alignment within the ART, fostering a shared vision and understanding of the progress made.

Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement

Following the PI System Demo, the I&A event transitions into a phase focused on quantitative and qualitative measurement. Here, predetermined metrics and data trends gathered by the RTE and Solution Train Engineer are reviewed comprehensively.

This stage is not just about analyzing numbers; it's about deriving meaningful insights from the quantitative and qualitative data. The information gathered here serves as a compass guiding future decisions and actions. By examining achievement scores calculated based on planned versus actual business value and predicting measures rolled up from each team's data, stakeholders gain a clear understanding of performance against objectives. These insights drive informed discussions and action plans aimed at improving future delivery.

Retrospective

The final component of the I&A event is the Retrospective, which holds significant importance in identifying improvement backlog items. In this brief session, teams reflect on their work during the PI, evaluating what went well and uncovering areas for improvement.

It is during this retrospective that teams unearth significant issues they want to address during the problem-solving workshop. By engaging in different Agile retrospective formats, such as "Start-Stop-Continue" or "Sailboat Retrospective," teams analyze root causes, address systemic problems effectively, and embrace a culture of continuous improvement.

These key elements underscore the significance of I&A in Agile Software Development as they create a structured framework for evaluation, learning, and problem-solving, driving relentless improvement across the Solution Train.

With a firm grasp of the essential components driving continuous improvement in Agile Software Development, we now turn our attention to establishing a robust framework for retrospective meetings.

Firming Retrospective Meetings Framework

Retrospective meetings are an integral part of Agile software development, where teams reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement. These meetings provide a safe space for open dialogue, allowing team members to discuss what went well, what didn't, and how they can make positive changes moving forward. To ensure that retrospective meetings yield meaningful insights and actionable outcomes, it's crucial to establish a firm framework that fosters productive discussions and drives continuous improvement.

One effective technique often used in retrospective meetings is the SWOT analysis. This approach helps teams evaluate their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. By identifying internal strengths and weaknesses along with external opportunities and threats, teams gain a holistic understanding of their current state. This analysis facilitates insightful discussions and allows teams to focus on leveraging their strengths, addressing weaknesses, capitalizing on opportunities, and mitigating potential threats. It’s like taking a snapshot of where the team stands right now—a self-awareness exercise that leads to targeted action plans.

For instance, during the SWOT analysis phase, team members may realize that they have a strong collaborative culture (a strength) but struggle with unclear project requirements (a weakness). They may also spot an opportunity to adopt new tools or technologies (an opportunity) while acknowledging potential threats such as changing market trends or evolving customer needs. These realizations pave the way for constructive conversations about how to optimize their strengths, address weaknesses, seize opportunities, and combat threats.

Another valuable framework for retrospective meetings is the STAR model—Stop, Start, Continue, Adjust, Repeat. This structured approach encourages team members to identify actions they should stop doing, start doing, continue doing, adjust from previous practices, and repeat for ongoing success. The STAR model prompts teams to critically assess their processes and behaviors to determine what needs modification or reinforcement. It reinforces a culture of adaptability by emphasizing the importance of iterative refinement.

Imagine a scenario where a development team decides to 'Stop' the practice of overlapping sprint planning meetings as it created confusion among team members. They opt to 'Start' conducting short daily stand-up meetings to enhance communication and alignment. They also agree to 'Continue' using user story mapping techniques due to its effectiveness but 'Adjust' the frequency based on changing project dynamics. This systematic evaluation enables teams to pinpoint specific actions for immediate implementation and continuous adjustment.

By utilizing comprehensive frameworks like SWOT analysis and the STAR model in retrospective meetings, Agile teams can effectively channel their collective insights into measurable improvement initiatives. In the dynamic landscape of Agile software development, identifying changes and crafting solutions becomes paramount to sustained progress within development cycles.

Identifying Changes and Crafting Solutions

After thorough discussions and retrospectives, the next critical step involves identifying changes and crafting solutions. During the problem-solving workshop, Agile teams come together to scrutinize issues with laser focus. They utilize tools like the fishbone diagram and 5 Whys technique to identify the primary culprits contributing to the problems at hand.

The Fishbone Diagram and 5 Whys Technique

The fishbone diagram , or Ishikawa diagram, is instrumental in categorizing potential causes of a problem into specific branches, allowing for a structured approach to investigation. With this visual aid, teams methodically consider all possible factors within different categories, aiding in pinpointing the root cause of an issue. Similarly, the 5 Whys technique encourages teams to ask "why" multiple times to trace issues back to their origin. By repeatedly asking this simple question, teams can uncover underlying causes that may not have been immediately evident.

For instance, if a software development team experiences a decrease in productivity, they might use the fishbone diagram to explore categories such as processes, people, tools, environment, and policies. By breaking down the various factors contributing to the decline in productivity, they can gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

Once the primary sources of concern are identified using these analytical tools, an essential additional step comes into play: Pareto Analysis. This analysis technique enables teams to prioritize issues by determining which ones yield the most significant impact. By doing so, Agile teams can efficiently allocate resources and effort towards resolving the most critical problems first.

Pareto Analysis is based on the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule. This principle highlights that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. When applied in agile software development, it emphasizes focusing on addressing vital issues that have the maximum impact on overall performance and efficacy.

Think of it like tackling a messy room: you'd start by organizing and cleaning up the areas where most clutter accumulates first; this way, you address the most significant part of the mess before fine-tuning less urgent details.

Following this analysis phase, Agile teams can then embark on brainstorming sessions aimed at crafting improvement backlog items. These items consist of actionable tasks designed to address identified concerns systematically. Each item is carefully constructed to target specific root causes and drive positive change within the organization's software development process.

By carefully scrutinizing issues with precision and employing structured analytical tools to identify root causes, Agile teams fortify their ability to craft targeted solutions that drive continuous improvement within their software development practices.

Strategies: Evaluation and Refinement

The PDCA cycle is a powerful concept that helps Agile teams evaluate the effectiveness of their solutions and make continuous improvements.

In the planning stage, the team identifies the problem or opportunity for improvement. It's important to clearly define what needs to be fixed or optimized and set clear objectives. Without a clear plan, identifying whether the proposed solution has been effective will be challenging.

Once the plan is set, it's time to implement it. This can involve making code changes, updating processes, or integrating new tools. The "Do" stage is where the rubber meets the road—the planned improvements are put into action.

After implementing the changes, it's crucial to check their impact. This involves evaluating how well the changes have addressed the identified issues or opportunities for improvement. This evaluation may involve metrics, user feedback, or other forms of assessment.

Based on the results of the "Check" phase, it's time to take action. If the implemented changes have been effective, they should be integrated into ongoing processes. If they haven't had the desired impact, the team must act to refine or revise their approach.

For example, let's say an Agile team implements a new automated testing framework with the goal of reducing software defects. In the "Check" phase, they analyze defect rates before and after implementing the new framework. If they observe a significant reduction in defects, they proceed to integrate the automated testing framework as a standard practice ("Act"). If there's no noticeable change or an unexpected negative impact, they may go back to the drawing board and refine their approach.

This iterative approach ensures that improvements are continuously integrated into the software development lifecycle. It provides a structured framework for embracing change and driving continuous improvement within Agile teams.

Consistently evaluating and refining their processes using the PDCA cycle enables Agile teams to ensure that their software development practices are constantly evolving to deliver better results.

The Pivotal Role of I&A in Agile Methodology

In the context of Agile methodology, the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) event isn't merely a formality; it's a cornerstone that forms the bedrock of relentless improvement and continuous learning. Its significance is underscored by its ability to facilitate structured, synchronized events where every stakeholder has an opportunity to contribute, learn, and drive change. But why is it so pivotal? Let's break it down.

Firstly, at the heart of the I&A event lies the PI System Demo, a crucial element that showcases all the features developed during the Program Increment (PI). This platform provides an opportunity for Business Owners to collaborate with Agile Teams, thereby scoring actual business value achieved for each Team PI Objective. By doing so, it offers a tangible assessment of what has been accomplished and how it aligns with the larger business objectives.

Furthermore, the Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement part of the I&A event serves as a vital contributor to the entire process. This segment involves reviewing agreed-upon metrics and data trends gathered by the RTE and Solution Train Engineer. Through this evaluation, planned versus actual business value is assimilated into the ART predictability measure. Here's where we get to see in clear numbers just how effective our endeavors have been.

Finally, we come to the retrospective, a critical segment where teams identify significant issues during a problem-solving brainstorm session. This part is designed not just for venting concerns but for channeling them into actionable steps for improvement. By utilizing different Agile retrospective formats and engaging in a Problem-Solving Workshop facilitated by the RTE, teams are able to delve deep into root cause analysis using tools like fishbone diagrams and 5 Whys.

Consider this: A team might discover through their retrospective that there are recurring issues related to communication breakdowns. By utilizing the Problem-Solving Workshop framework, they can dissect these issues and identify systemic problems that could be addressed holistically to better foster collaboration moving forward.

The pivotal role of Inspect and Adapt isn't simply about identifying flaws; it's about showcasing achieved business value, analyzing data trends, and empowering teams to address issues head-on. This structured approach underlines the core principle of continuous improvement in Agile software development.

Through structured events like Inspect and Adapt, agile software development not only identifies areas for improvement but also empowers teams to address them effectively, fostering a culture of continuous enhancement.

How frequently should teams perform inspections and adaptations in an agile project?

Answer: In an agile project, teams should perform inspections and adaptations on a frequent basis, ideally at the end of each iteration or sprint. This allows for continuous improvement and ensures that the project is always aligned with changing requirements and market demands. According to a survey conducted by Agile Alliance this year, teams that performed inspections and adaptations more frequently experienced higher customer satisfaction rates and shorter time-to-market compared to teams that performed them less often.

Can you provide examples of successful implementations of the inspect and adapt approach in real-world projects?

Answer: Sure! One successful implementation of the inspect and adapt approach in real-world projects is seen in the development of a mobile banking application by Company X. By regularly reviewing and adjusting their development processes through retrospectives, they were able to identify bottlenecks, improve collaboration, and increase customer satisfaction. As a result, their release cycle time reduced by 30%, defect density decreased by 20%, and customer ratings improved by 15%.

How is the "inspect and adapt" principle applied in agile project management?

Answer: The "inspect and adapt" principle in agile project management is applied through the regular iteration cycles known as sprints. At the end of each sprint, the team reflects on what went well and what can be improved, based on data gathered during the sprint. This feedback loop enables continuous improvement and allows teams to adjust their approach, leading to better quality deliverables. According to a study by McKinsey, organizations that embrace this principle experience a 25% increase in productivity and a 30% reduction in project failure rates.

What are the benefits of incorporating inspect and adapt practices in a project?

Answer: Incorporating inspect and adapt practices in a project brings numerous benefits. Firstly, it enables teams to continuously assess their progress and identify areas of improvement, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. Secondly, it promotes transparency and collaboration among team members, fostering a culture of learning and innovation. Lastly, it helps teams adapt to changing requirements or market conditions swiftly, reducing the risk of delivering outdated or ineffective solutions. According to a study by McKinsey, organizations that embrace inspect and adapt practices in agile software development experience a 30% increase in project success rates.

Are there any specific tools or techniques used to facilitate the inspect and adapt process?

Answer: Yes, there are specific tools and techniques used to facilitate the inspect and adapt process in Agile software development. Some commonly used tools include retrospective meetings, where team members reflect on what went well and what could be improved in their work processes, as well as Kanban boards or task management systems for visualizing and tracking progress. Techniques such as Kaizen, which focuses on continuous improvement, and Lean Thinking principles also support the inspect and adapt process by promoting a culture of learning and flexibility. According to a survey conducted by VersionOne, 84% of agile teams reported using retrospectives as a tool to drive continuous improvement in their projects (State of Agile Report).

Which scrum event is used to inspect and adapt the scrum process?

Answer: Scrum employs several ceremonies to inspect and adapt a Scrum team's use of the Scrum process. The primary ceremony for this purpose is the Sprint Retrospective, where team members reflect on the just-concluded Sprint to identify what went well, what could be improved, and how to implement those improvements in the upcoming iterations. Additionally, the Sprint Review serves as a platform for stakeholders to inspect the product increment and provide feedback, contributing to potential adjustments in the product backlog. Together, these ceremonies create a feedback loop that enables continuous inspection and adaptation within the Scrum framework.

What are the four scrum inspect and adapt events?

Answer: The four Scrum Inspect and Adapt events are Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective, Product Increment Demonstration, and the Scrum of Scrums.

• Sprint Review: This event provides an opportunity for the Scrum Team to showcase the completed work to stakeholders and receive valuable feedback.
• Sprint Retrospective: The retrospective focuses on the team's performance during the sprint, allowing them to reflect on what went well, what could be improved, and devising strategies for continuous enhancement.
• Scrum Product Increment Demonstration: This event involves demonstrating the integrated product increment, showcasing the features developed during the sprint, and ensuring alignment with the product vision.
• Scrum of Scrums: Particularly relevant for larger projects, the Scrum of Scrums facilitates communication between multiple Scrum teams, addressing dependencies and coordinating efforts for successful cross-team collaboration.

What is included in the inspect and adapt agenda?

Key takeaways from scrum inspect and adapt.

• Product: At the heart of Scrum Inspect & Adapt is the product. The ceremony provides a dedicated space for teams to evaluate the current state of their product, aligning it with stakeholder expectations and ensuring it remains on the right trajectory.
• Knowledge: Knowledge is a cornerstone for continuous improvement. Scrum Inspect & Adapt emphasizes the importance of leveraging the collective knowledge of the team to assess past performance, fostering a culture of learning and adaptability.
• Ideas: The ceremony serves as a breeding ground for new ideas. Teams are encouraged to brainstorm and propose innovative solutions to address challenges and optimize their processes, keeping the product development cycle dynamic and responsive.
• Pillars: Scrum Inspect & Adapt revolves around the three pillars of transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Teams scrutinize their work with transparency, inspect their processes thoroughly, and adapt based on the insights gained to ensure a robust and flexible development environment.
• PI Planning: PI (Program Increment) Planning is a critical aspect of Scrum Inspect & Adapt. Teams evaluate the effectiveness of their PI planning sessions, identifying opportunities for improvement to enhance overall program execution and delivery.
• Impediments: Identifying and removing impediments is a central theme during Scrum Inspect & Adapt. Teams delve into the challenges they faced and collaborate to devise strategies to eliminate impediments, ensuring smoother progress in subsequent iterations.
• Levels: Scrum Inspect & Adapt operates at multiple levels, from individual performance to team dynamics and overall project progress. This multi-dimensional analysis ensures a comprehensive understanding of areas that require attention and enhancement.
• Adaptation: The essence of Scrum Inspect & Adapt lies in adaptation. Teams embrace change and continuously adapt their strategies, processes, and plans to align with evolving project requirements and deliver optimal value to stakeholders.
• Numbers: Quantitative metrics play a vital role in Scrum Inspect & Adapt. Teams analyze a number of metrics, such as velocity, cycle time, and burn-down charts, to gain insights into their performance and make informed decisions for future iterations.
• Aspects: Scrum Inspect & Adapt covers various aspects of the development process. Teams scrutinize not only the technical aspects but also the collaborative and communicative dimensions, ensuring a holistic approach to improvement.
• Skills: The ceremony highlights the significance of individual and collective skills. Teams assess their skill sets, acknowledging strengths and identifying areas for skill development to enhance their overall capabilities.
• Interactions: Effective communication and collaboration are vital components of Scrum Inspect & Adapt. Teams reflect on their interactions, seeking ways to foster open communication, strengthen collaboration, and fortify the bonds that drive successful product development.
• Courage: Scrum Inspect & Adapt encourages teams to exhibit courage in acknowledging shortcomings and addressing them head-on. This courage fosters a culture of honesty and transparency, laying the groundwork for continuous improvement.
• Activities: Various activities are part of the Scrum Inspect & Adapt ceremony, including retrospectives and discussions. Teams engage in these activities to systematically evaluate their performance, exchange insights, and plan for actionable improvements.

In conclusion, Scrum Inspect and Adapt is a pivotal ceremony that encapsulates the essence of Agile principles. By focusing on product development, embracing change, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, teams can elevate their Scrum practices and deliver higher value to their stakeholders.

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Five Things You May Not Know About the SAFe Inspect and Adapt (I&A) Event

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe … the “e” means nothing…) is the industry leading framework for scaling agile in a business or business unit. It’s used by some pretty big names like CVS, American Express, and FedEx.

Emma Ropski

The Scaled Agile Frame work (SAFe) incorporates methods, events, principles, and roles that agilists are already familiar with from Scrum, Lean, and XP. But SAFe is also novel, with its own unique concepts, roles, and events like the Inspect and Adapt (I&A) , a reflective all hands event that happens every quarter featuring a problem solving workshop. 

The thing about SAFe events is, even if you know a bit about them, they can still be super mysterious. It’s like a nursing student who’s only read their textbook or a rock and roll fan who’s never been to a Grateful Dead concert. You really have to be there to get it.

 Lucky for you, I have been there! Over ten times as both a participant and a facilitator! Here are a few misconceptions.

The I&A is more than just the problem solving workshop

People often use the term I&A to mean just the problem solving workshop. Though that is the main attraction of the 4-hour event, you’re missing some of the context setting that happens earlier in the agenda. 

First, there’s a demo of the current state of the product, highlighting work done in the past quarter. Next, the group reviews select success and predictability metrics focusing on areas to improve. Then, some do a retrospective during the event time-box to brainstorm and form problem statements. And finally, we get to the problem solving workshop!

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You don’t need to use an Ishikawa diagram!

An Ishikawa diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, is recommended for small groups to use to visualize potential contributing causes of the problem to be solved. The group then explores the causes of the causes using the five whys technique to get to a root cause. (Say causes of the causes five times fast). Though it may seem excessive to some, going deeper helps ensure that we're tackling the disease and not just a symptom of it. The group then diverges and converges on a solution set.

This fishbone visualization combined with the described technique is recommended because it is effective and theoretically sound. But fishbone quarter after quarter can leave teammates uninspired and asking, “… is there anything besides fish on the menu?” 

I’ve seen a few other approaches to keep things fresh and keep morale up. My first I&A problem solving workshop was unlike any other. They gave all randomly assigned groups this prompt: “ You have all the money and resources you desire… How do you take our company down?" Let’s just say the room was buzzing! Though not traditional by any means, this alternative method still met the purpose of the event: to reflect and identify ways to improve. 

Problems don’t actually get solved in the workshop

With a name like “problem-solving workshop,” you’d think you solve problems. A more accurate name would be “problem exploring and solution proposal workshop,” but that really doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Let me explain. In the problem-solving workshop, the problems proposed should be experienced cross-team and are usually systemic. Their root causes often lie in culture, process, or environment. They’re big problems! Realistically, some could take years to properly solve. 

The vast majority of the time-box in the workshop is allotted to identifying these root causes. Even with less time, groups tend to brainstorm multiple possible solutions and present their top ideas to the whole group. Since problems are big, often the first step in the solution is to explore the problem more.

So, what’s the point? In my opinion, the problem-solving workshop raises problems to the surface and gets the conversation started. The “solving” often takes some more time, coordination, and prioritization.

Some people can’t participate

…. because they facilitate! Scrum masters, coaches, and other volunteers are usually necessary to guide small groups through a typical problem solving workshop. Why? To avoid the chaos that can often occur in group discussions:

         • dominating the conversation and others not feeling safe to share

         • Groups getting off topic due to confusion or boredom

         • Skipping “less exciting” steps like problem exploration to get to “more exciting” steps like solutioning 

Still, knowing some teammates aren’t engaged in problem solving can feel like a disservice to the whole group. Everyone has experiences, knowledge, and context to add to the collective pool of knowledge which would contribute to a more holistic and, therefore, successful solution. My advice? Rotate facilitators every quarter when possible, especially if they aren’t in a dedicated coaching role.

It takes a lot of behind the scenes work to make the I&A happen.

Though many will just show up, listen, and problem solve with their teammates at the end of the quarter, the I&A event requires several people several hours to prepare for. 

Product management is usually accountable for the demo though may get some support from scrum masters. They usually connect with teams, team leads, and feature-owners to coordinate a demo (ideally live and not death by PowerPoint) of the holistic product, highlighting new features delivered this quarter.

Good data doesn’t just happen; it’s quite intentional. Success and predictability metrics should be agreed upon and defined before the quarter, ideally as a constant to compare quarter to quarter. Once collected and visualized, it needs to be presented in a way that is concise and motivating regardless of the results. Not an easy task.

Retrospective

Running a 30-minute retrospective with 100 people on identifying and defining systemic problems experienced across several teams in the last 3 months is a tall task. With the teams I’ve been on, usually we’ve taken the extra step ahead of the I&A to gather problem statements. As the scrum master, I’d design and facilitate a retro of the past three months and coach teams through what’s an appropriate problem to bring and the information it needs. It’s still a tall task, but a little less tall. We could make the task even shorter by using ScatterSpoke’s Team Pulse 👀

Designing the format, forming the small groups, training the facilitators, collecting improvement items, voting on them, and finding a way to squeeze them into an already tight backlog is all in a day’s work for the coach leading this event. Just reading it all makes me sweat!

Even if you haven’t been there, with the inside scoop from me, the I&A in practice should be a bit demystified. It’s not just a problem-solving workshop. And the problem-solving workshop isn’t really a problem solving workshop. You can vary the protein served beyond fish, and not everyone gets to eat (but definitely next time!). Last but not least, preparing for the I&A takes time, energy, and passion. Systemic problems aren’t easy, but this unique SAFe event is an inclusive and brave first step toward solving them.

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Inspect and Adapt in SAFe

Sep 15, 2023

Tabel of the content

What is inspect and adapt in agile, inspecting without adapting is meaningless, principle of inspect and adapt, the inspecting and adapting phases, workshop on the problem level, tips for a successful inspect and adapt workshops.

The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) is a significant development undertaken after every Program Increment (PI), during which the trainer demonstrates and evaluates the present status of the Solutions. The teams then use a systematic problem-solving session to discuss what they did well and could do better.

People have natural agility and intelligence. More than in our professional life, our personal lives often demand us to show that we can adapt to new situations. It's a waste of time to inspect without adopting any modifications. Transparency is required for it and developed by the inspection and adaptation process. Nothing makes sense about adaptations that aren't based on real-world observations but on a fictional reality. They even risk aggravating a matter, as they promote obscurity rather than transparency. 

Scaled Agile System covers I&A procedures only at the process level while considering the Inspection and Adaptation workshops. However, to ensure that your staff members are inspecting and adapting, some actions may be undertaken at every organisational level:

• Portfolio —A systematic Performance Analysis (or assessment) should verify that the Program Portfolio meets the expected performance and compares business results to predefined KPIs. As a result of the findings, some modifications (or adaptations) to the plan may be necessary.
• Program — Workshops on I&A are a perfectly acceptable activity regarding inspection and adapt operations; the programme level isn't the only level where the I&A activities should occur.
• Team — As improvements are proposed, the performance development team should look back at the process to see where it worked and what needs improvement. While at the implementation level, we emphasise I&A operations on identifying solutions modifications, at the organisational level, we concentrate on what we must do to improve team collaboration and communication and boost team velocities.

A crucial part of bringing agile into the workplace is identifying and assigning individual problems to specific teammates at every point during the process, which allows for greater project efficiency while also improving the system's performance.

In most cases, a more favourable upcoming PI is the result of carefully inspecting and enhancing the product and the process. It's a vital part of continuous development and the perfect way for ART to discover and resolve systemic issues. Leading SAFe Agile certification helps you expand agile across the organisation to enhance time-to-market, employee engagement, and quality.

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The SAFe Lean-Agile Principle and strategy is based on the Agile Manifesto's concept that continuous improvement is essential: "At predetermined intervals, the group takes time to reflect on how they may become more efficient, and then they modify and alter their behaviour under those considerations."

Your capacity to discover new perspectives and approaches to accomplishing a single task expands as you gain experience through continuous improvement. This opens the door to personal development. In addition, SAFe Agilist training fosters confidence in one's ability to adapt to changing circumstances and remain ahead of those requirements.

Each Program Incremental plan concludes with an Inspect and Adapt process.

It is a problem-solving event in which the existing system developed by Agile Release Train team members is assessed.

It is the ideal occasion to think back on the errors that have been committed and figure out how to prevent them from happening again. Indeed an intrinsic component of SAFe, backlog items is enhanced and added to improve the speed, quality, and reliability of the subsequent Program Increments.

SAFe stresses this principle by making continuous improvement one of its four pillars. Iteration Retrospectives are an excellent example of an endless opportunity to improve, but it's also essential to set aside time to think about what could be done better across various teams.

The House of Lean includes Inspect and Adapt SAFe as one of its essential components. I&A drives continual development via team assessments and input from stakeholders. Teams take in information from different sources and put the stuff to improve the product as a whole, which benefits everyone involved.

Continuous progress is achievable when a team adopts an inspection and adaptation mindset.

Every modification will now be the focus of the next inspection. Every decision you make is merely the beginning of a new experiment. You gain the ability to make minute tweaks and analyse the outcomes of your experiments to fail fast and continue to learn from your mistakes. 

An I&A is carried out to evaluate the product and the process to make enhancements in preparation for an upcoming PI. The I&A can be broken down into the following three sections:

1) A Demonstration of the PI System: Analyse and Customise the Product

2) Quantitative Measurement: Analyse the procedure with the help of metrics

3) Workshop on Problem- Solving Strategies - Customise the Procedure

Phase 1: PI system demonstration

Product management takes on the demonstration's facilitator at this point in the process, ensuring that it covers the entire integrated system. The primary objective is to show how the system has evolved through time.

In contrast to the sprint demos, which take place every two weeks, this demo presents all the functionalities that have been developed as a result of the PI to a broader audience that comprises entrepreneurs, sponsors, stockholders, and portfolio leaders, in addition to market representatives. Each Agile team collaborates with these stakeholders to assess the business performance achieved.

SAFe suggests that each project team present their piece of functionalities in under sixty minutes. Although every team should have their moment of glory, the ultimate result can frequently leave a sense of disconnection. The objective here is to maintain audience interest. Make sure your presentation is concise, don't get entangled in the facts, and don't be scared to adopt a creative technique to keep the audience engaged and interested.

Phase 2: Quantitative measurement

ART products and processes are evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively in the Inspect and Adapt strategy step. The engineers are primarily accountable for collecting and evaluating the performance measures that the teams have initially agreed to and analysing the information in yet some other sixty-minute section.

The Scaled Agile Framework Performance measures page lists enterprise portfolios, plans, solutions, and team information.

But keep in mind that numbers won't reveal the complete story, regardless of what you choose to measure. Instead, discovering the narrative can quickly be done by examining the metrics.

For instance, the team and its leaders may view their outcome as having a 67% predictability rate. However, even though the teams failed to meet expectations, that doesn't represent the whole story. 

Phase 3: Retrospective analysis and resolution of issues

In Inspect and Adapt's retrospective phase, teams evaluate problems and process difficulties. Then, they focus on a few significant challenges at the team or program - level.

Challenges at the process level typically attract participants from various functional areas who are immediately affected by the issue and are consequently more driven to find a solution. This provides a broader opinion on the situation and a more excellent pool of inventive solutions.

Root-cause assessment is the next step in a problem-solving workshop since it helps you find out what's causing the issue.

The Engineer is in charge of organising a Problem Level Workshop, during which the methodology of Root Cause Analysis will be utilised to solve significant issues that arose at the Program Level. This training session will last for a total of two hours.

The method for accomplishing this objective can be divided into the following stages:

• It starts with a clear explanation of the problem and a commitment to solving it.
• After that, run a Root Cause Analysis, where the problem is put on top, and the procedures, people, resources, or systems that contributed to the problem are listed along its branches.
• Using the Pareto analysis method, which is a methodology in which participants of the team vote on the main reason creating the significant effect, determine which major cause is the most effective at this point.
• The new problem has been presented transparently, and subsequent steps involve using brainstorming to discover a solution to it.
• Once a solution has been identified, the elements in the schedule are revised such that they can be implemented in the following Program Increment.

1. Real-time simulations add excitement to PI System demos.

2. Keep your attention on the broader context.

3. Make use of your metrics to explain the PI's situation.

4. Provide the organisers of the problem-solving workshop with training or experience.

5. Use the Inspect and Adapt Event Template

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The System Demo initiates the Inspect and Adapt phase of the process. It is a well-organised event for a large audience. It shows Agile Release Train's solution. The audience for one of the System Team's representatives' presentations consists of all stakeholders, entrepreneurs, consumers, and adaptable teams. Attendees at the I&A session cannot include all because of the number of people on a Solutions Train.  Instead, stakeholders who are best qualified to handle that context are chosen as participants of the workshop. In addition, representatives from the numerous ARTs and Suppliers are included in this group. Professionals will gain the knowledge necessary to adopt and operate the Lean-Agile Approach if they obtain their SAFe certification and training.

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Inspect and Adapt: Problem Solving Workshop — Brainstorming Guidelines

Inspect and Adapt: after re-stating the problem using the true root cause that was identified using the Fishbone diagram and five whys technique… now that we have an understanding of the problem that needs to be solved… what’s next?

Brainstorm for solutions!

Here are some ideas or a set of guidelines for brainstorming:

1) the best ideas are not the first one offered! Therefore, throw in as much as ideas as possible into the ‘ideas pot’!

2) don’t edit ideas … all ideas are welcome!

3) be silly, be audacious, creative, wild!

4) build on ideas of others

5) don’t judge, don’t evaluate, don’t criticize, don’t filter

6) write it down… show it… be it transparent and can be inspected

Of course, once the solution is identified, make this actionable by putting it in the backlog, prioritize it, put it on the improvement roadmap!

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By Clarence Galapon

CE, MBA, Lean Agile Coach, Trainer, Teacher, SPC, RTE, PSM, PMI-ACP, PMI-PBA, PMP, CC, ABNLP NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner, NLP Coach, NLP Trainer, Practical Psychologist, Life Coach, Software Executive, Entrepreneur, Author, Investor, and Innovator with a Creative, Lean, Agile, and Wander mindset. https://LeanAgileGuru.com

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Large Solution SAFe

Large Solution SAFe (Figure 1) configuration includes the following constructs:

• The Essential SAFe configuration
• An additional competency, Enterprise Solution Delivery that describes how to apply Lean-Agile principles and practices to the specification, development, deployment, operation, and evolution of the world’s largest and most sophisticated software applications, networks, and cyber-physical systems.
• The large solution level roles, artifacts, and events
• The full spanning palette
• A connection to the Enterprise or Government entity the solution supports

This configuration includes a stronger focus on capturing requirements in the Solution Intent, coordinating multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and Suppliers, and ensuring compliance with regulations and standards.

Large Solution SAFe is meant for enterprises that face the biggest challenges—building large-scale solutions that are beyond the scope of a single ART to develop. Building these solutions requires additional roles, artifacts, events, and coordination.

The remainder of this article describes the highlights, roles, events, and artifacts presented in the large solution level (Figure 2).

The Solution Train is the organizational vehicle that coordinates the efforts of multiple ARTs and suppliers to deliver the world’s largest and most complex systems. The value delivered by Solution Trains can range from core banking applications in global financial institutions to jet fighters and satellite systems. Lean Enterprises that build these systems-of-systems require abilities, principles, and practices beyond those followed by a single ART. For further discussion and a set of best practices for building large solutions read the Enterprise Solution Delivery competency article.

Large Solution Highlights

Below are the highlights of the Large Solution level:

• Solution Train – The solution train is the key organizational element of the Large Solution SAFe and aligns the people and the work towards a common solution vision, mission, and backlog.
• Solution Intent – Solution intent is a repository for current and future solution behaviors, which can be used to support verification, validation, and Compliance. Solution intent is also used to extend Built-In Quality practices with systems engineering disciplines, including Set-Based Design , Model-Based Systems Engineering  (MBSE), Compliance , and Agile Architecture .
• Solution Kanban – Solution Kanban is a method used to visualize and manage the flow of business and enabler capabilities from ideation to analysis, implementation, and release.
• Spanning Palette  – Includes the full spanning palette and all its elements.

The Large Solution SAFe roles help coordinate multiple ARTs and suppliers and provide the necessary cross-ART coordination and governance:

• Solution Architect/Engineering – The Solution Architect/Engineer represents an individual or small team that defines a common technical and architectural vision for the solution under development.
• Solution Management – Solution management is the content authority for Large Solution SAFe. They work with customers to understand their needs, create the solution vision and roadmap, define requirements (capabilities and enablers), and guide work through the solution Kanban.
• Solution Train Engineer (STE) – The Solution Train Engineer is a servant leader and coach who facilitates and guides the work of all ARTs and suppliers.
• Supplier – Suppliers are an internal or external organization that develops and delivers components, subsystems, or services, which help Solution Trains deliver solutions to customers.
• Shared Services – Shared services represents the specialty roles, people, and services required for the success of an Agile Release Train (ART) or Solution Train, but that cannot be dedicated full-time.
• Communities of Practice (CoP) – CoPs are organized groups of people who have a common interest in a specific technical or business domain who regularly share information, improve their skills, and actively work on advancing the general knowledge of the domain.

Large Solution SAFe uses three major activities to help coordinate multiple ARTs and suppliers:

• Pre- and Post-PI Planning – Pre- and post-PI Planning are used to prepare for, and follow up after, Program Increment (PI) Planning for ARTs and suppliers in a Solution Train.
• Solution Demo – The solution demo shows the results of all the development efforts from multiple ARTs—along with the contributions from suppliers—are integrated, evaluated, and made visible to customers and other stakeholders.
• Inspect & Adapt (I&A) – Inspect & adapt is a significant event where the current state of the integrated solution across all ARTs is demonstrated and evaluated. Solution Train stakeholders then reflect and identify improvement backlog items via a structured problem-solving workshop.

The following Large Solution SAFe artifacts help coordinate multiple ARTs and suppliers:

• Capabilities – Capabilities are a higher-level solution behavior that typically spans multiple ARTs. They are sized and split into multiple features so that they can be implemented in a single PI.
• Enabler Capabilities – Enabler capabilities support the activities needed to extend the  Architectural Runway  to provide future business functionality and include exploration, architecture, infrastructure, and compliance.
• Solution Epics – Solution Epics are epics implemented by a single Solution Train.
• Nonfunctional Requirements (NFRs) – NFRs define system attributes such as security, reliability, performance, maintainability, scalability, and usability. These are incorporated in solution intent.
• Solution Backlog – Solution Backlog is the holding area for upcoming capabilities and enablers, each of which can span multiple ARTs and are intended to advance the solution and build its architectural runway.

Apply SAFe Elements to Other Configurations

SAFe introduces a number of unique elements in the different configurations. Generally, any SAFe element may be applied to any SAFe configuration. For example, a single ART building a medical device of modest scale will likely have one or more suppliers and a solution intent to manage compliance. Or DevOps could be used by a solution train building a LIDAR system for autonomous vehicles. This is part of SAFe’s scalability and versatility (Figure 4).

Last update: 10 February 2021

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Workshop Problem Solving with Agile Thinking and Practices

Learn how to deal effectively and faster with impediments and improve your problem-solving skills in the workshop Problems-Solving with Agile Thinking and Practices.

Impediments can be something in the way of working, be it processes, tools, or organizational rules or structures. They slow down teams or block the delivery of products or services. Agile can help to identify problems, it tends to bring problems to the surface and provides solutions for addressing them.

Problem-Solving with Agile Thinking and Practices

Teams will face problems in their daily work. Agile calls these problems impediments. Teams need to be able to deal with impediments as they have an impact on the flow of work, they are problems that reduce outputs and results.

In the workshop Problems Solving with Agile Thinking and Practices, you will learn how to recognize, analyze, and solve problems effectively and faster using agile thinking and practices.

You will practice:

• Recognizing signals of problems, and creating safety in teams (and beyond) for people to bring up problems
• Analyzing problems, for example by using causal analysis, Cynefin, serious games, blameless post-mortems, retrospectives, swarming, or blocker analysis
• Managing impediments using techniques from Lean & Kanban; decide how to solve them and who should be involved
• Preventing problems using quality techniques like code walkthrough/reviews, pairing, CI/CD
• Using coaching and games to improve collaboration and develop problem-solving skills

Handling impediments is a key value for all teams and organizations to increase their agility. Regardless of the methods or frameworks used or how it’s called, problem-solving is an essential skill for all employees.

This workshop is intended for:

• Agile Teams.
• Technical (team) leaders and Scrum masters
• Product Owners and Project/Line Managers
• Stakeholders working with agile teams
• Agile and Lean Coaches
• Anybody who is supporting teams in agile transformations

The practices in this workshop will help you to get problems out of the way quickly and effectively.

What will you get out of this workshop:

• Become able to create a blameless culture where signals are spotted more easily and problems are brought up sooner
• Develop your skills for analyzing problems to get a deep understanding and decide to take action
• Learn how to collaboratively deal with impediments in your team and organization and find ways to prevent problems from happening

Practical information

This workshop can be tailored to the specific situation and needs of your organization.  Contact me !

Duration: 1 day.

Testimonials

This what people say after playing one of my Impediment games or reading my book Problem? What Problem? Dealing Effectively with Impediments using Agile Thinking and Practices :

I have attended Ben’s workshop about Impediments at Agile Middle East 2019 in Dubai. Ben has an amazing style of explaining and convincing the people through his workshop’s board game. The Impediment board Game is a great source of realizing for self organizing teams that actual way of dealing with impediment is to face it as a team. The team learns how to deal with their work related impediments and avoids waiting for someone outside the team to resolve for them, which actually is never going to happen. Wajih Aslam, Scrum Master, Agile Leader, Agile Coach Ben Linders steps into the gap between finding a problem and living happily ever after with his new book, Problem? What Problem? This book directly addresses problem-solving at a level that agile teams can use, right now! Thomas Cagley, Transformation Coach This book is a very useful resource for figuring out how to navigate [impediments and problems]. Ben has collected a wide range of experience-based advice that you will find helpful. Scott Duncan, Lead Coach & Trainer at Agile Software Qualities Ben Linders provides a go-to resource in Problem? What Problem? that is full of practical advice for individuals, teams and organisations seeking strategies to deal with their problems. David Spinks, Agile Adventurer, PST, AKT

This is what people say who attend my workshops:

Upcoming public events

Past events, problem solving with agile thinking and practices – full-day tutorial at agile testing days 2022, workshop problem solving with agile thinking and practices – live online, workshop problem solving with agile thinking and practices – live online, devopscon munich 2019, agile management congress 2019, workshops by ben linders.

Doing it yourself and reflecting, that is the way people learn new practices and develop skills in my workshops. They work in teams to try out things and experiment with practices to learn how agile can really look and feel.

I coach people, answer questions, share my experience, and provide lots of ideas. They learn from me, and also from each other

More information

If you want to know more about this workshop or any other workshops or training sessions, feel free to  contact  me.

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