Release Train maturity path

Cope level

Startup level

Delivery engine (Mature Agile at scale)

Organisation

• One RTE at 100%

• One Product Manager at 100%

• One System Architect at 100%

• No doubt about which teams are in the train

• No doubt about who is part of Product Management

• Between 20 and 125 individuals

Organisation

• At least one Community of Practice

• No doubt about who is or are the line manager(s) for the Agile Release Train

• All dependencies of the value stream have been identified, and are known by line manager(s).

• Established vertical work groups for RTE - Scrum masters, Product Manager - Agile Product Owners and System Architect - Developers.

Organisation

• RTE, PM and SA have full operational responsibility for the product backlog and the delivery

• The Agile Release Train owns their value stream.

• Line management owns the strategic organisational design

• Several Community of Practices covering the need of the train and sponsored by line management

Metrics

• Velocity for the amount of Features delivered in one PI

• Train happiness index

• Predictability measurement on Business value

Metrics

• Velocity in Feature Points / Program Increment

• Always up to date remaining planned Feature points in current PI

Metrics

• Average lead time

• Actual WIP

• Size of Product backlog items

• SMART PI-Objectives with outcome

Process

• Program Increment (PI) in 8 to 12 weeks

• Regular Backlog refinement

• PI-Planning, 2 days

• Scrum of Scrums every week, max 30 minute meeting

• PO-sync every week, max 60 minute meeting

• Innovation & Planning sprint

• Inspect and Adapt event at the end of each PI

Process

• System demo after each iteration or equivalent period

Process

• The Agile Release Train working mission aligned in all teams

• The Agile Release Train is able to finalize features and enablers within each Program Increment.

• Collective ownership for the program backlog.

Product backlog

• Sequenced estimated features for PI planning

• Features estimated by the developers, on all features and enablers in the program backlog

• Feature and Enabler Done checklist

Product backlog

• Agile Release Train improvement enablers

• Program Epics

• Feature points, estimated by the developers, on all features in the program backlog

• Reference Feature

• No activities as backlog items.

Product backlog

• Business outcome defined for all backlog items.

• Balance between features and enablers based on business benefits.

Big visible radiators

• Program board updated during PI-planning and PI-execution

• ROAMed program risk board and PI-objectives during PI-planning

Big visible radiators

• Feature point burn down

• Program Kanban with WIP-limit on all phases

Big visible radiators

• Cumulative Flow Diagram

• PI Roadmap

Businessman-ship

• Continuous Exploration with end customers