Online PI planning board for collaborative agile teams

How Mural supports PI planning

Program increment (PI) planning is a crucial process in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), a subset of Agile project methodology where teams come together to plan and align their work for the upcoming PI (typically an 8-12 week increment of work).

Traditional PI planning methods can be cumbersome, especially for distributed teams. Enter Mural’s online PI planning board template. This digital workspace is designed to streamline the PI planning process, making it more visual, collaborative, and conducive to fast decision-making and rapid agreement.

Benefits of using Mural for your online PI planning board

If you’re one of the many teams that utilize SAFe to enjoy a 30-75% improvement in time to market, a PI planning tool like our digital board can help you achieve cross-team alignment and transparency, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and driving towards outcomes at an efficient pace.

Specific benefits of tapping Mural for your next PI planning session include:

• Goal-focused collaboration: Mural’s platform allows all team members to synchronously or asynchronously participate in the planning process regardless of their location. Features like sticky notes, comments, and real-time editing let team members contribute their ideas, ask questions, and make adjustments on the fly. This ensures all voices are heard and efficient decisions can be made that will drive outcomes for the project. 
• Improved transparency and documentation: Transparency is a core principle of SAFe. Mural’s PI planning board’s visual layout makes it easy to collectively view project documentation, track progress, identify dependencies, and ensure that all team members are aware of their roles and responsibilities. This clarity reduces the risk of miscommunication and ensures that everyone is aligned on the objectives and milestones.
• Structured and efficient planning: Pre-designed sections of the PI planning board and provided prompts help you organize your thoughts and ideas, making the planning session more efficient and focused. This structure is particularly useful to avoid delays in large, complex projects where multiple teams need to coordinate their efforts.
• Seamless integration with Agile principles: The online PI planning board is designed to support the SAFe principles of achieving cross-team alignment and transparency within an Agile Release Train (ART). It allows teams to visualize their work, identify and manage dependencies, and plan for the next PI cycle.

Common challenges when creating a PI planning board and how Mural helps overcome them

PI planning can be a powerful driver for alignment, but it’s not without its challenges. From scattered communication to unclear priorities, these pain points can slow momentum and keep teams from reaching their full potential.

• Managing dependencies: One of the biggest challenges in PI planning is managing dependencies between teams. Projects stall when the teams involved are unable to tell when it’s their turn to pick up the ball and run with it. Visual PI planning tools like Mural let you use different colors, labels, and connectors to show how different tasks and milestones are interconnected. This visual representation makes it easier to identify potential bottlenecks and develop strategies to address them.
• Achieving clarity and alignment: Another common cause for delays is misalignment on goals and strategies, which often boils down to a lack of clear communication. With Mural, you can create a comprehensive, visual overview of the PI plan that everyone can access and contribute to. This helps to prevent confusion and ensures that all teams are working towards the same objectives.
• Facilitating remote participation: For distributed teams, traditional PI planning methods can be difficult to execute. Mural’s online PI planning board solves this problem by providing a virtual workspace that supports remote collaboration, saving time and money on unnecessary travel.
• Tracking progress and adjusting plans: PI planning is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process that requires regular tracking and adjustments. Mural’s PI planning board includes features that help you monitor the plan’s progress and make changes as needed. You can update the board in real time, add new tasks, and adjust timelines based on feedback and changing conditions.

Best practices for building and using a PI planning board

If you’re ready to accelerate workflows within your team’s SAFe methodology, here are some tips for getting the most out of your PI planning board:

• Define clear objectives: What are the key goals you want to achieve during the program increment? Are there specific metrics or KPIs you need to track? By setting these objectives upfront, you can ensure that the planning session stays focused and that the resulting plan is aligned with your business strategy.
• Involve all stakeholders: PI planning is a team effort, and involving all relevant stakeholders is crucial for success. Use the online PI planning board to gather input from various teams, including development, marketing, sales, and customer support. This collaborative approach helps to identify potential issues early and ensures that the plan is comprehensive and well-rounded.
• Use visual aids: Visual aids are a powerful tool for enhancing understanding and engagement during PI planning. Mural’s platform includes a wide range of visual features, such as sticky notes, images, and diagrams, that you can use to illustrate your plan. For example, you can create a visual timeline of key milestones or  use color-coded sticky notes to represent different tasks. These visual elements help team members quickly internalize strategies, workflows, and dependencies.
• Regularly review and update the plan: PI planning is an iterative process, and regularly reviewing and updating the plan is essential for success. Treat the PI planning board as a living document that evolves as your project progresses. Schedule regular check-ins to review the plan, gather feedback, and make adjustments as needed.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration: PI planning involves multiple teams, and ensuring they speak a common language and have access to the same planning materials are key. The online PI planning board includes features that encourage collaboration, such as real-time editing, comments, and voting. These features help to break down silos and ensure that all teams are working together to hit deadlines and achieve successful outcomes.

Related: The complete PI planning guide for remote teams