Program increment (PI) planning is part of the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) and allows all Agile Release Train (ART) collaborators to align on goals, workflows, and releases included in the next PI. Historically, PI planning is completed in person on whiteboards with lots of sticky notes and red yarn. Our PI planning templates enable teams to plan collaboratively in real-time from anywhere — without transcribing notes later or potentially losing valuable ideas.
The program increment (PI) planning board is an important tool for organizations that use the Agile framework. PI planning is a process that helps teams to establish a common understanding of their goals and objectives, and to identify the necessary steps to achieve them.
The PI planning board provides a visual representation of this information, allowing team members to track progress and make adjustments as needed. In addition, the PI planning board can help to identify dependencies between different parts of the project, and ensure that all team members are working towards the same goal.
Ultimately, the PI planning board is an essential tool for any organization that wants to be successful in using the Agile framework.
The benefits of program increment (PI) planning are many and varied, but can be broadly grouped into four key areas: improved communication, increased transparency, better alignment with business objectives, and enhanced team collaboration.
Perhaps the most significant benefit of PI planning is the improved communication that it facilitates between all stakeholders in a project or program. By definition, PI planning is a time-boxed event that occurs every 12 weeks, during which the entire team comes together to review progress, identify risks and dependencies, and adjust the plan accordingly. This regular cadence of communication helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that any potential problems are identified and addressed in a timely manner.
Another key benefit of PI planning is the increased transparency that it provides. Because the entire team is involved in the process and there is a regular cadence of communication, everyone has visibility into the status of the project or program at any given time. This increased transparency helps to build trust between team members and stakeholders and can help to avoid surprises down the line.
Another important benefit of PI planning is that it helps to better align projects and programs with business objectives. By involving stakeholders in the planning process from the outset, teams can ensure that their work is aligned with what the business is trying to achieve. This alignment helps to improve decision-making throughout the life of the project or program and can ultimately lead to better outcomes.
Finally, PI planning also enhances team collaboration by providing a forum for team members to come together on a regular basis and work together towards common goals. The regular cadence of communication and collaboration that PI planning fosters helps teams to build strong relationships and trust, which can make them more effective overall.
To get the most out of our PI planning board templates, it's best to install Jira. Then, refer to the guide on the left side of the mural, and follow the steps below:
Create a visual summary of the goals, features, risks, dependencies, and timelines defined in the program increment plan.
Estimate the capacity of each team to accomplish the tasks in each iteration. You'll need one per team who participate in the planning.
