Business Agility Now Podcast

Tactical Tuesday: PI Planning's Powerful Tool Oct 29, 2024

“Why do we do PI Planning? It’s so expensive.” When a leader or manager asks that question, how do you respond? Alex Menzinsky, an SPC, RTE, and Agile Coach in Spain shares his very convincing answer in today’s episode. Like what you hear? Connect with Alex on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Enterprise Strategy Room Oct 23, 2024

“The value of the enterprise strategy room is to bring forward the information that the enterprise leaders need to do their jobs, enable others to be successful, and support the things that most need support at that moment.” Tune in as Adam talks to Rebecca Davis, Methodologist for the Framework Team, and Saahil Panikar, SPCT and CIO at Atlas Revolutions, about the concept of an enterprise strategy room—a tool designed to help leaders reconnect portfolio performance data to the overall enterprise strategy. The discussion dives into what benefits the enterprise strategy room aims to achieve and why it’s the right forum to make informed decisions to drive the business forward, the growing need to focus less on transformation and more on achieving the benefits of having transformed, and pitfalls to avoid. Like what you hear? Connect with Rebecca and Saahil on LinkedIn. Read the Enabling Strategic Alignment with an Enterprise Strategy Room article. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Lessons Learned From a PI Planning Event Oct 22, 2024

In this episode, Stefano Giovannini Agile Transformation Director at Capgemini Invent, shares a story from the field about a recent PI Planning event that he and his team supported for a financial services company. He shares what they learned and what they’ll do differently in the future to improve. Like what you hear? Connect with Stefano on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Nature as Inspiration for Continuous Improvement Oct 15, 2024

What does an ant have to do with SAFe and becoming a more effective organization? Ludvig Åhlin, Lean-Agile Coach at Swedbank and iSPCT candidate explains in today’s epsiode. Like what you hear? Connect with Ludvig on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

A Manager's Role in SAFe Oct 09, 2024

“In all the SAFe transformations I’ve been involved in, there have been struggles for managers. I often meet people who suddenly have their staff moving into teams and ARTs, and those people get a lot of guidance, training, and support from coaches. And they’re well-equipped to take on that mindset shift. But for managers ... they are left to somehow figure it out themselves.” In this episode, Adam talks to Mikael Broomé, Lean-Agile coach and SPCT candidate at Think Flow in Sweden, and Dr. Steve Mayner, VP Framework, Methodologist, and SAFe Fellow at Scaled Agile, Inc., about new guidance that offers managers much-needed support throughout this transition. The trio discusses topics including the challenges managers face, why investing in training and development for managers is crucial, and why organizations should create parallel career paths for managers. Like what you hear? Connect with Mikael and Steve on LinkedIn. Read the new guidance article, The Role of People Managers in SAFe. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Increasing HR's Impact on an Agile Transformation Oct 08, 2024

Sometimes, how you frame something can make all the difference. In this episode, Mylène Boutet, Manager of the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) at Amadeus in France, shares how she helped the HR department have a bigger impact on the company’s Agile transformation. Like what you hear? Connect with Mylène on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Making SAFe® Stick Oct 01, 2024

As your organization progresses through an Agile transformation, how do you make SAFe—and ultimately business agility—stick? In this episode, Baptise Galea, manager of the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) for FedEx in Europe, shares three key tips around people, communication, and culture. Like what you hear? Connect with Baptiste on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

I Learned it in a Band Sep 25, 2024

“I had a bet with some folks during an engagement a couple of years ago … that if I ever say ‘SAFe says’ then I have to do 10 burpees. That’s the rule because it’s not about dogma. It’s about how can we facilitate conversations and find different ways to explore things.” In this episode, Adam talks to Tim Jackson, SPCT and Agile coach, who actually learned about Agile and product management from being in a band. The two discuss topics including why it’s important to be pragmatic when implementing frameworks like SAFe, the value of effective discovery to understand the real problems and goals before jumping into a solution, and the distinction between consulting and coaching and how to be aware of your own limitations. Like what you hear? Connect with Tim on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: The OSCAR Model Sep 24, 2024

Looking for another tool to add to your coaching toolkit? In this episode, Tim Jackson, SPCT, Agile coach, and trainer, explains the OSCAR coaching model and how to use it to guide a conversation and help people take meaningful action on something that is important to them. Like what you hear? Connect with Tim on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Are Small Batches Always Best? Sep 17, 2024

What’s the difference between transaction costs and holding costs? Is working in smaller batch sizes always best? SPC Aishwarya Radhakrishnan with Deloitte explains and shares clarifying examples. Like what you hear? Connect with Aishwarya on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

AI Powered Value Streams Sep 11, 2024

“How do we get you from a culture of getting things done to a culture of process innovation at the core? We can compute what the opportunity value of a change would be and how speeding up your processes and increasing your throughput … actually relates to real-world value and real-world returns.” In this episode, Adam talks to Millie Paniccia, Brian Paniccia, and Devan Corona with TecVeris about the company’s AI-powered value stream mapping platform, nVeris. The group talks about why Millie’s and Brian’s personal experiences led them to start TecVeris and how that founding mission motivated the organization to make value stream management more collaborative, interactive, and accessible to more organizations and industries. The discussion also dives into how nVeris uses AI to help organizations quickly and collaboratively map out value streams and quantify the business impact of improving their processes. “For a lot of people, when they see their value stream mapped out end to end, that’s the first time they’ve ever seen it in their lives. Seeing future states and what could become with a little process innovation is another aha moment. We keep those in mind at every step of the process.” Like what you hear? Connect with Millie, Brian, and Devan on LinkedIn. Sign up for a special extended nVeris trial offer here. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Improving Flow Sep 10, 2024

It’s not uncommon for Agile teams to encounter challenges as they try to improve efficiency in their product delivery flow. In this episode, Mahesh Varadharajan, SPCT and SAFe practice lead at KnowledgeHut explains why this happens and offers some insights and tips on how to overcome those challenges. Like what you hear? Connect with Mahesh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Engaging Conversations with Senior Leadership Sep 03, 2024

How do you talk to a senior leader about why agility is good for your organization? In this episode, SAFe® Strategic Advisor and SPCT Michele Lanzinger shares some key suggestions. Hint: it has a lot to do with language. Like what you hear? Connect with Michele on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Inspect & Adapt: An RTE's Perspective Aug 28, 2024

“I think there is magic in SAFe, and it’s called Inspect and Adapt because it’s such an important moment for an [Agile Release] train at a company to inspect the product delivered.” In this episode, Adam talks to Gerben Kollaard, Release Train Engineer (RTE) at the Dutch Tax Authority. The two discuss Gerben’s experience switching from the commercial insurance industry to a government context where Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshops were not being done regularly or effectively. Gerben highlights the challenges of defining and identifying customers at a government organization and how that impacts the Agile mindset and practices. He also shares some of his favorite facilitation techniques for problem-solving workshops, including the 50-percent solution mindset. Like what you hear? Connect with Gerben on LinkedIn where you’ll also find his I&A blog series. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Framing Value Organization Aug 27, 2024

A lot of changes happen when companies organize and reorganize around value, which can feel overwhelming. In this episode, SAFe® Fellow and SPCT Eric Willeke from Shaping Agility shares his tips for what to focus on and when, as well as four key things to do to achieve flow throughout your portfolio. Like what you hear? Connect with Eric on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Enabling Flow and Tactical Technical Practices Aug 20, 2024

Working in smaller batches increases flow. But splitting a sticky note into smaller pieces doesn’t guarantee that those doing the work will achieve business goals. In today’s episode, Strategic Advisor and SPCT Rune Christensen explains why and how enabling team members on solid old and new technical practices can be a big advantage. Like what you hear? Connect with Rune on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

SAFe for Hardware Aug 14, 2024

What can we learn from someone who has spent a large part of his career taking software things and bringing them to the hardware world? A lot it turns out. In this episode of Business Agility Now, Adam talks to SAFe® Fellow and Methodologist Harry Koehnneman. The two discuss topics including the significant challenges the hardware industry faces and why hardware organizations have been slower to adopt Agile ways of working compared to software organizations. Harry also shares how growing recognition of the integration of hardware and software in complex systems has sparked him and his team to bring guidance and best practices for applying SAFe to hardware. Like what you hear? Connect with Harry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Prioritizing Your ESG Goals Aug 13, 2024

Organizations worldwide are creating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives to demonstrate their commitment to social issues and meet sustainability goals. In today’s episode, Odile Moreau, SPCT and strategic and ESG advisor at Scaled Agile, shares how you can use SAFe to achieve those goals. Like what you hear? Connect with Odile on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Facilitating Dependencies Aug 06, 2024

If you’re a Release Train Engineer (RTE) leading one or many ARTs, it can be challenging to coordinate everything that needs to happen during important events. In this episode, Mahesh Varadharajan shares his tips for leading large groups successfully. Like what you hear? Connect with Mahesh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Connecting Strategy to Execution at Vodafone Jul 31, 2024

“Be bold … it takes courage to do things differently.” In this episode, Adam talks to Alena Keck and Silke Eggert from Vodafone about their journey toward digital transformation and Lean Portfolio Management. Hear about the challenges, opportunities, and the cultural shift needed to implement participatory budgeting. The group also discusses why it’s important to have a culture that allows for experimentation and fun, the value of attending conferences and events as a team, and why it’s critical that leaders take risks and lead by example. Like what you hear? Connect with Alena and Silke on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: The Dichotomy of Leadership Jul 30, 2024

Middle managers often feel lost, including within a SAFe organization. In this episode, Konrad Swistelnicki shares three points to summarize how middle managers can support teams, people, and the organization on a daily basis. Like what you hear? Connect with Konrad on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Moving Couches Jul 22, 2024

How is moving a couch the perfect metaphor for joint problem-solving and joint cognition? Gene Kim explains in this episode. Like what you hear? Connect with Gene on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Build Your Career with Intent Jul 17, 2024

"We chase job titles, and then we chase salary, and we chase status, but we don't chase our version of happiness and success." In this episode, Adam talks to Adele Leah, a personal branding expert and career coach, about personal and professional growth. The two discuss why a personal brand is valuable, why evolving your career requires continuous growth, and the importance of finding happiness in work. The conversation touches on having clarity about your skills, strengths, and values, and the need to show your human side. Adele also offers advice and insights on how to start building your own personal brand. Like what you hear? Connect with Adele on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: The Science of Giving Orders Jul 16, 2024

If you’re an indirect leader, for example, a Release Train Engineer (RTE) or business owner, how can you ensure your intent is accurately communicated to the people doing the work? In this episode, Carl Starendal, SAFe® Fellow, shares proven science from Sweden about giving orders from an indirect leadership position. Hint: it involves the how, the what, and the why. Like what you hear? Connect with Carl on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: An Evolving Hardware Landscape Jul 09, 2024

In this episode, Ali Hajou, an SPCT and self-proclaimed Agile nerd, shares his take on the many elements contributing to the challenges and evolving landscape for organizations producing physical products. Like what you hear? Connect with Ali on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Drive Executive Engagement Jul 02, 2024

Leadership involvement can make or break any Agile transformation. In this episode, Alena Keck, head of the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) at Vodafone shares four detailed tips to help you keep leaders informed and keep the transformation headed in the right direction. Like what you hear? Connect with Alena on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Getting Buy-in Jun 25, 2024

How can you help an existing Agile Release Train (ART) be successful and ensure that any new ARTs you launch can do the same? Heidi Hatch, Agile coach and iSPCT candidate shares her tips. Hint: leadership plays a big part. Like what you hear? Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.c

Drinking the Agile Kool-Aid Jun 19, 2024

“I got to teach a group of high school kids some Agile basics. The kids went through a couple of iterations to design a classroom. Then they had to give feedback. And it was funny how some of them were afraid to say anything. So I told them, don’t hold back, this is Agile, you let it loose because feedback is good.” In this episode, Adam talks to Karen Lewison, a senior events manager who is part of the team that designs and executes the SAFe® Summits. Based on her background in marketing and event planning, Karen offers a different perspective on SAFe and Agile. She and Adam dive into topics including why SAFe and Agile aren’t as intimidating as they seem, why experimenting and continuous improvement are so important, and how positive thinking, kindness, and compassion contribute to a successful work environment. Like what you hear? Connect with Karen on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Collaborative Leadership Jun 18, 2024

From the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) to Agile teams, collaboration is key to success. In this episode, Eshan Chawla, SPCT candidate, explains where else you can find that theme in SAFe and why it’s critical to solving complex problems. Like what you hear? Connect with Eshan on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Keeping Track of Stuff Jun 11, 2024

RTEs are very busy people, particularly when it comes to keeping tabs on commitments, such as PI objectves, features, and the work that teams committed to during PI Planning. Good news! SPCT candidate and former RTE Diego Groiso with Cprime has two amazing tips to help RTEs like you track all the stuff to work smarter. Like what you hear? Connect with Diego on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

No Story Lost Jun 05, 2024

“If you aren’t clear on what your values are and the way that you think about answering questions or making decisions, that doesn’t empower people.” In this episode, Adam talks to Andrew Hall, co-founder of No Story Lost, a company that turns people’s life stories into personalized coffee-table books. The two discuss Andrew’s professional history as business-consultant-turned-entrepeneur to make the world a better place, the difference between academic lessons versus actual lessons learned when launching a startup, and the power of flow, empowerment, and decentralized decision-making. Like what you hear? Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. Check out the books mentioned in the podcast: Anything You Want by Derek Sivers and Turn the Ship by David Marquet.

Tactical Tip: Estimating Story Points Jun 04, 2024

More often than not, team members estimate story points based on time—something we’re advised to avoid. Jeff Wilson, iSPCT candidate with RTX explains why and shares a key tip to help teams correctly and realistically estimate their story points. Like what you hear? Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. Read the Framework article on Stories here.

Tactical Tip: The Value of Estimation May 28, 2024

Agile estimation is a balancing act and it’s important to understand the larger purpose behind it. Amogh Joshi with Advance Agility, a Scaled Agile Gold Partner, shares his tips to achieve that balance. Like what you hear? Connect with Amogh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

A Manager's Role in SAFe May 22, 2024

“[Middle managers] are the only ones who have certain keys to enable engagement in their organization, and they have unique abilities to create trust.” In this episode, Adam interviews Mikael Broomé, an SPCT candidate, and enterprise coach and trainer at Think Flow, about the critical role of a middle manager in an Agile transformation. The two discuss topics including the challenges around people and human dynamics, the importance of leading by example, and an upcoming article about the role of middle managers in SAFe that Mikael is writing in collaboration with the Framework team. Mikael also offers three tips for managers to be more effective in their roles and improve their organization’s ways of working. Like what you hear? Connect with Mikael on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Preparing Great Features May 21, 2024

How well does your ART structure its features for the next PI? Harry Narang, a coach and consultant with Skillbook Academy, offers tips to craft great features and shares real-world examples. Like what you hear? Connect with Harry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Delegation in Product Management May 14, 2024

When making decisions in product development, how do you decide whether to take them or delegate them? And what does delegating mean in context? In this episode, Stefan Becker, SPCT candidate and Agile coach with KEGON AG, shares his approach and a unique tool to help you move the needle from centralized decision-making to fully delegated. Like what you hear? Connect with Stefan on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

A Mission to Improve Work May 08, 2024

“What are the right ways that we can change that organizational wiring so that people can actually do work easily and well? That's really the goal and if you can make that happen, that is the key to high performance.” In this episode, Adam talks to Gene Kim, author of The Phoenix Project and The Unicorn Project, researcher, DevOps enthusiast, and founder of IT Revolution. The two discuss topics including the concept of the danger zone and the winning zone in organizations, the challenges and consequences of poor leadership on individuals and the broader organization, and the importance of codifying and sharing knowledge to drive positive change. Gene also shares his journey in the world of technology, what motivates him, and his advice for the SAFe community. Like what you hear? Connect with Gene on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: An Example of Flow May 07, 2024

A key reason to organize around value is to get products to customers faster than your competitors. But the principle is also valuable when it comes to culture. In this episode, Amogh Joshi with Advance Agility, a Scaled Agile Gold Partner, shares a scenario that resonates with both benefits. Like what you hear? Connect with Amogh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Baseline Assessments Apr 30, 2024

What is one of the most important things an organization should do before launching an Agile Release Train? In this episode, Michael Krug, Agile coach and SPCT candidate, explains why assessments are invaluable to determine whether an organization is on the right track with its SAFe implementation. Like what you hear? Connect with Michael on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Growing into Product Management Apr 24, 2024

“When you open yourself up to people and to experiences, the most amazing things can happen.” In this episode, Adam talks to Michelle Jimenez about a unique career journey that ultimately led her to product management. The two discuss the importance of keeping an open mind, why it’s OK not to have all the answers, and the value of taking on new challenges. Michelle also shares her advice for those interested in becoming a product manager. Like what you hear? Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Thriving in a Charged Environment Apr 23, 2024

“Don’t come to the table with problems if you don’t have ideas for solutions.” In this episode, Michelle Jimenez, product manager at Scaled Agile, shares her tips for starting positive dialogue and creating a collaborative mindset in tense situations. Like what you hear? Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Participatory Budgeting Apr 16, 2024

In this episode, Benjamin Scheffold, senior manager of Agile transformation at Deloitte shares his top tips for success in the three key phases of a participatory budgeting event. He also explains why preparation, adaptation, communication, and repetition are critical for everyone involved. Like what you hear? Connect with Benjamin on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Creating a Better Hybrid Training Model Apr 10, 2024

“I was deeply skeptical [about hybrid training] as an idea. This goes against all I’ve learned …This is going to be a challenge for me, but I said, “Challenge accepted.” Let’s figure out what we need to do.” In this episode, Adam is joined by Carl Starendal and Ola Gedenryd to talk about hybrid training sessions that combine both in-person and online participants. They discuss the challenges and benefits of hybrid training, offering suggestions for the ideal technical setup and providing recommendations for those looking to facilitate their own hybrid training, emphasizing the importance of creating a sense of togetherness and ensuring equal engagement for all participants. Like what you hear? Connect with Carl and Ola on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Value Stream Mapping + Value Stream Identification Apr 09, 2024

Identifying value streams is a cornerstone element of the SAFe® Implementation Roadmap for good reasons. In this episode, SPC and SPCT candidate Stephan Khal explains the why behind that strategy and how combining that activity with value stream mapping can produce powerful outcomes for the business. Like what you hear? Connect with Stephan on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Planning for Your Next PI Planning Apr 02, 2024

In the spirit of relentless improvement, how do you make your next PI Planning event even better than the last one? In this episode, SPC Marcin Cieslinski offers four key tips to make sure everyone is prepared to plan successfully. Like what you hear? Connect with Marcin on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Improv Your Way to Better Communication Mar 27, 2024

“Improv as a teaching tool connects people in real-time, in a real way, and it does it magically.” Today’s episode is … a little different. Adam is joined by Erin Diehl, founder and CEO of improve it!, a professional development company helping teams work better together through improvisation. Erin shares her personal journey and how she discovered not only her passion for improv but how it can be used to help others. They discuss the effectiveness of using improv to combat some of the biggest challenges facing businesses today and also share personal stories of burnout and the importance of self-care, especially for leaders. Like what you hear? Connect with Erin on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Servant Leadership Mar 26, 2024

In this episode, Helen Fleming, SAFe Coach and SPCT candidate dives into the powerful philosophy of servant leadership, which prioritizes the needs of others to empower them to succeed. Helen shares why servant leadership is experiencing a resurgence at AT&T and describes real-world examples of the effect it’s having inside the company. Like what you hear? Connect with Helen on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: I'm an Introvert and I'm a Trainer Mar 19, 2024

Does presenting in front of a large group of people make you anxious? You’re not alone. In this episode, self-proclaimed introvert Robert Dunlap, an SPCT candidate at a telecommunications company, shares his tips to help you overcome your fears and teach a great class. Like what you hear? Connect with Robert on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Managing Technology and AI in the Workplace Mar 13, 2024

“AI is not coming for your job. You don't have to fear AI. You have to fear the person who knows how to use AI better than you do.” On today’s episode, Adam sits down with William Kammersell, Director of Product Management at Scaled Agile to discuss technology and AI in the workplace and how to use both to enhance productivity and learning. They talk through their own experiences using AI, how the tools are only as powerful as the data they have access to, and their ideas for how AI might factor into the future of SAFe® Studio. Books mentioned in the podcast include: Deep Work by Cal Newport Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath Like what you hear? Connect with William on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: The Impact of Leadership Behaviors Mar 12, 2024

How are your behaviors as a manager or a leader affecting others in your organization? In this episode, Carl Starendal, SAFe Fellow in Sweden, shares his advice to help you model positive behaviors, stay involved when shifting responsibility to someone else (decentralized decision-making), and invest in developing strong relationships with your colleagues during good and bad times. Like what you hear? Connect with Carl on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: The Death Spiral of Software Mar 05, 2024

Organizations that focus too much on shiny new software features often forget about other key elements like technical debt, security, and performance. And that can compromise the software they deliver. In this episode, Lech Babula, iSPCT at Nordea Bank, shares some tips to help you avoid the software death spiral loop and take action. Like what you hear? Connect with Lech on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

User Experience Design and Managing Priorities Feb 28, 2024

“We were shipping six linear feet of technical documentation with every system that we sold. And it occurred to me that a lot of what we were documenting was just bad design and challenges using the system. I proposed that we take a look at what documentation we would prefer to write … and adjust the software to match the documentation.” In this episode, Adam talks to Harry Max about user experience design and prioritization. Harry is an executive coach and the author of Managing Priorities: How to Create Better Plans and Make Smarter Decisions. The two discuss topics including why prioritization is important in decision-making and planning, how fear can hinder effective decisions, and strategies to improve productivity. Books mentioned in the podcast include: The Timeless Way of Building by Christopher Alexander Wiring the Winning Organization by Gene Kim and Steven J. Spear Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman Deep Work by Cal Newport. Like what you hear? Connect with Harry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: The Power of Vision Feb 27, 2024

Does your organization have a vision? In this episode, Susan Gibson, CEO, cofounder, and SPCT at Temenos+Agility shares her perspective on how vision is critical to execution—and why it’s often missing from organizations’ large change initiatives. Like what you hear? Connect with Susan on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Outcomes Over Outputs Feb 20, 2024

In this episode, Konrad Swistelnicki, SPCT candidate at Kegon, explains why the evolution of commitment in Agile approaches and in SAFe is a good thing. And why value delivered is really what matters. Like what you hear? Connect with Konrad on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Planning a SAFe® Summit Feb 14, 2024

“Be present. Be engaged. Participate in everything and anything—sit at a round table, talk with an expert one-on-one, and network at the partner marketplace. You never know what you’ll learn.” Twice a year, a small but mighty team of six people plans and executes the SAFe Summit. In this episode, Adam talks to two of those six people, Karen Lewison and Eric Neal, to find out what happens behind the scenes to successfully pull off these popular events. Karen and Eric talk about the challenges and excitement of organizing and hosting the SAFe Summit, and why it’s so important to select the right venue and create a positive attendee experience. They also offer advice for first-time attendees, especially around networking, and share details for both the SAFe Summit Berlin and SAFe Summit Washington, D.C. Like what you hear? Connect with Karen and Eric on LinkedIn. Check out details on the SAFe Summits and other events here. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Navigating Management Styles Feb 13, 2024

What do you do when you are trying to implement or improve new ways of working but management isn’t hearing your message? Fernando Razo, Enterprise Lean-Agile Coach at Softtek, shares his key tips for navigating the human element of those conversations. Like what you hear? Connect with Fernando on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Industrial DevOps Feb 06, 2024

How are cyber-physical systems different than software and what does SAFe look like in that environment? Oliver Wörl, SPC at NTT Data explains and shares a tip for improving that system, one element at a time. Like what you hear? Connect with Oliver on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Agile HR Jan 31, 2024

"If we don’t get the people side … we are not going to be a successful organization going forward.” In this people-focused episode, Adam talks to Fabiola Eyholzer from Just Leading Solutions about the importance of Agile HR and its role in organizational agility. The two discuss the why behind the shift to a more human-centered approach and what being on the cusp of the augmented era means for humans. Fabiola also introduces the Agile HR Explorer course designed to help HR professionals understand and embrace Agile principles and practices. Like what you hear? Connect with Fabiola on LinkedIn. Learn more about the Agile HR Explorer course from Just Leading Solutions. And explore other SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Get the Right People in the Right Roles Jan 30, 2024

Tune in as Mahesh Varadharajan, SPCT and SAFe practice lead at KnowledgeHut shares a short story about how having the right person in the right role helped an organization avoid derailing its PI Planning event. Like what you hear? Connect with Mahesh on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: LPM: Keep the Goal in Mind Jan 23, 2024

The early stages of adopting Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) can feel a bit overwhelming. In today’s episode, Deema Dajani, SAFe Fellow and product management director has some essential advice to help you stay calm and carry on. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Real Options Jan 17, 2024

How can an approach that originated in finance help you better evaluate epics and initiatives in SAFe, particularly around uncertainty and risk? In today’s episode, Adam talks to SAFe Fellow and SPCT Joe Vallone about real options. The two discuss how the approach is best applied at the portfolio level and why it’s useful in evaluating MVPs and in deciding whether to pivot, persevere, or refactor. Read the article mentioned in the podcast. Like what you hear? Connect with Joe on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. Scaled Agile Framework Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options - Scaled Agile Framework Because traditional valuation tools such as NPV ignore the value of flexibility, real options are important in strategic and financial analysis. —McKinsey Quarterly [1] Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options By Joe Vallone, SAFe Fellow, Scaled Agile Inc., and Claus Hirzmann, Strategic-Finance SAS Note: This article is part of the Community Contributions series, which provides additional points of view and guidance based on the experiences and opinions of the extended SAFe community of experts. Abstract To maintain portfolio flow andRead more Est. reading time 12 minutes Scaled Agile Framework Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options - Scaled Agile Framework Because traditional valuation tools such as NPV ignore the value of flexibility, real options are important in strategic and financial analysis. —McKinsey Quarterly [1] Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options By Joe Vallone, SAFe Fellow, Scaled Agile Inc., and Claus Hirzmann, Strategic-Finance SAS Note: This article is part of the Community Contributions series, which provides additional points of view and guidance based on the experiences and opinions of the extended SAFe community of experts. Abstract To maintain portfolio flow andRead more Est. reading time 12 minutes Scaled Agile Which SAFe Course is Right for Me? SAFe Course Finder Use our Course Wizard to find the SAFe® course that’s right for you. Start the path toward your Scaled Agile certification today. (8 kB)

Tactical Tip Tuesday: Love the Problem, Not the Solution Jan 16, 2024

You need to be customer-centric, speaking to customers and validating, but how do you do that? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile, Inc., recommends the Double Diamond of Design Thinking. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here. linkedin.com Deema Dajani - Scaled Agile, Inc. | LinkedIn SAFe Business and Portfolio Agility Experiences | Learn more about Deema Dajani's work experience, education, connections & more by visiting their profile on LinkedIn Scaled Agile Which SAFe Course is Right for Me? SAFe Course Finder Use our Course Wizard to find the SAFe® course that’s right for you. Start the path toward your Scaled Agile certification today. (8 kB)

Embracing Agile at Norfolk Southern Jan 10, 2024

Adam is making the most of his time at the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville, this time sitting down with Alexis Williams of Atlassian, Josh Fruit with Accenture, and Dana Buttera of Norfolk Southern. They talk about some emerging trends in business and enterprise agility before launching into a thorough conversation about how, together, they’ve successfully helped Norfolk Southern, a centuries-old train company, embrace an Agile way of working by focusing on the people, the problems that need to be solved, and the “why” of it all. Like what you hear? Connect with Alexis, Josh, and Norfolk Southern on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

SAFe at B3 Dec 20, 2023

Listen to today’s conversation in two languages—the first half in English and the second half in Portuguese. In this episode, Adam talks to economist Marcio Tambelini who is responsible for Agile training at B3 in Brazil, one of the world’s largest stock exchanges. Marcio shares why B3 decided to adopt Agile methodologies, his experience implementing SAFe, and the outcomes that the company has realized around speed, autonomy, and customer satisfaction. He also highlights why he treats value streams like small businesses, and the importance of customer-centricity and product-based budgeting. Like what you hear? Connect with Marcio on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Perfect Your Product Pitch Dec 19, 2023

What’s the best way to get people to love your product when you release it? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile has some tips to consider before you even start building it. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Atomic Habits Dec 13, 2023

On today’s episode, Adam is joined by Richard Knaster, a longtime SAFe® Fellow and a leading voice in the area of value stream management. Richard shares his own journey to SAFe and tells us more about the work he’s doing today: encouraging organizations to embrace SAFe through the adoption of Atomic Habits. And how breaking things down into manageable chunks of work can help anyone achieve their goals—whether it’s eating better and exercising more or successfully completing an Agile transformation. Like what you hear? Connect with Richard on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Running Your First Participatory Budgeting Event Dec 12, 2023

So, you’re running your first participatory budgeting event and you’re nervous. What’s the best way to demystify the event for everyone involved? Deema Dajani, Product Management Director at Scaled Agile has some suggestions in today’s episode. Like what you hear? Connect with Deema on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Agile HR Dec 05, 2023

How are you supporting the people who support your people? Whether your organization is on its way or just getting started with incorporating HR into your Agile way of working, Fabiola Eyholzer, CEO of Just Leading Solutions, has some advice to help you on that journey. Like what you hear? Connect with Fabiola on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Advocating for the IP Nov 29, 2023

Adam welcomes Aly Orloff, Lead Agile Instructor and Coach at Lockheed Martin to the podcast to talk about all things innovation. They discuss the importance of encouraging a culture of innovation (which includes letting go of your fear of failure) and considering whether a healthy appetite for risk might have changed the fates of companies like Blockbuster or Kodak. Aly also shares her experience implementing SAFe at Lockheed Martin. To close out, she leaves us with three tips to convince others to adopt the IP iteration. Like what you hear? Connect with Aly on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Improving Portfolio Outcomes with Real Options Nov 28, 2023

Is your funding rationale the best match for your organization’s MVPs and development value stream? In today’s episode, Joe Vallone, SPCT and SAFe® Fellow, describes the Real Options financial framework and why it’s attractive for funding Lean-Agile development. Read the article Joe mentions in the podcast. Like what you hear? Connect with Joe on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Flow Accelerators - French Nov 14, 2023

Today’s episode is in French and features Odile Moreau, SAFe Strategic Advisor and SPCT at Scaled Agile. She shares three key areas where organizations can use the eight flow accelerators to constantly improve. Like what you hear? Connect with Odile on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Using AI to Complement the Human Perspective Nov 08, 2023

Today, Adam talks to Terry Densmore, principal product manager at Digital.ai, about—you guessed it—artificial intelligence (AI). Terry describes how the company is using AI to improve Agile planning, deployment, and other aspects of business agility—and how that benefits customers. Adam and Terry also dive into the importance of value stream management, using AI to surface data and compare the plan to the truth, and the implications of commitment to simplify the business. Finally, Terry describes the future of digital.ai, including further integration of AI capabilities to enhance—not replace—human decision-making and creativity. Like what you hear? Connect with Terry on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: Strategic Themes Nov 07, 2023

Today, Saahil is back to talk about how to go from good to great with your strategic themes. He shares what kind of strategic themes he’s seeing in the field, what’s missing, and tips to make them better to drive success for the entire enterprise. Like what you hear? Connect with Saahil on Linked In. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: PO for the System Team Oct 31, 2023

Today’s episode contemplates a unique approach to address system team challenges. Tune in to hear SPCT Saahil Panikar describe the idea of a profit-to-owner for the system team and how it has the potential to generate powerful results. Like what you hear? Connect with Saahil on Linked In. Explore SAFe courses here.

Reflection to Action with Feedback Loops Oct 25, 2023

In today’s episode, Adam sits down with Tegan Harbridge from Easy Agile. After getting her expert opinion on how the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville holds up from an event design perspective, the two dive into conversation. They discuss the importance of knowing that you can’t be everything to everyone, accepting that not all feedback is created equal, and answering the question of why you’re doing what you’re doing—in SAFe, and in life. Like what you hear? Check out Easy Agile. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tip: SAFe is Human Oct 24, 2023

In today’s episode, SPCT Vikas Kapila explains why SAFe is a lot more than a framework—and why you should use it when planning your next vacation. Like what you hear? Connect with Vikas on LinkedIn. Explore SAFe courses here.

Tactical Tuesday: Customer Perspective Oct 17, 2023

Ramesh Nori is here to offer insight on his approach to helping others when they ask.

The Art of Work Not Done Oct 11, 2023

Today’s episode finds Adam at the 2023 SAFe® Summit Nashville, where he sits down with David Gipp, an SPCT with Agile Velocity. After bonding over their shared experiences in the athletic retail space, and the value of the energy found there, they discuss the importance of outcome (not output), why the improv principle of “yes, and” is relevant, and how the “COVID pivot” is informing how the Agile community is working today.

Tactical Tip: 100 Coffees Oct 10, 2023

Gez Smith wants to have coffee with you. Actually, he wants to have coffee with 100 of you. Inspired by a colleague who is setting out to have coffee with 100 random people, Gez makes an argument for why doing something similar will help encourage social connection and spark creativity on your next Agile Release Train.

Tactical Tip: Lean Portfolio Management Hacks Oct 03, 2023

How do you foster innovation at an organization? Hazurasingh Siviya, SPCT with Temenos + Agility, is here today to offer three tips on just that—from looking at enhancements to current products and services to being a disruptor and adopting innovation as a mindset. He also highlights the importance of MVPs to drive innovation.

PI Planning: Collaboration, Dependencies, and Physical vs Virtual Sep 27, 2023

Adam sits down with Justin Oke, cofounder of Kendis, to talk all things PI Planning. They dive into what Kendis has to offer, how it evolved from an idea born from a social conversation over a few drinks to what it is today, and where it’s headed next—including the three things that Justin is most excited about. Adam and Justin also reflect on how their time spent in the military and law enforcement has had a lasting impact on their approach to the work they do today.

Tactical Tip: Innovation Sep 26, 2023

How do you foster innovation at an organization? Hazurasingh Siviya, SPCT with Temenos + Agility, is here today to offer three tips on just that—from looking at enhancements to current products and services to being a disruptor and adopting innovation as a mindset. He also highlights the importance of MVPs to drive innovation.

Mindset Over All Else Sep 20, 2023

What do quotes from Spiderman, Adam Grant, and Steve Jobs have to do with SAFe? Find out in this engaging conversation with Adam and Anand Murthy Raj, SAFe Fellow, SPCT, and Managing Director at Gladwell Academy – Asia. They discuss what they’ve learned over the course of their careers—both inside and outside of SAFe. And they highlight the importance of being relentlessly curious, seeking discomfort, and remembering to enjoy the space between point A and point B.

Tactical Tip: Collaboration Advice for External SPCs Working with Internal Teams Sep 19, 2023

Eren Özdemir is here to offer a few quick tips and things to keep in mind when working with an external client on a SAFe® transformation.

Applying SAFe in Highly Regulated Environments Sep 13, 2023

In this episode, Adam sits down with Gez Smith to talk about his specialty: applying SAFe in highly regulated environments, specifically banks. They discuss the unique challenges of matching SAFe with a regulatory framework and how at the end of the day, SAFe is all about people and relationships. The two also share some lessons learned the hard way during SAFe workshops in other countries—and why that kind of learning has been some of the best.

Tactical Tip: SAFe Principle #5 and the System Demo Sep 12, 2023

There are few things worse than getting to the end of a project and realizing that things just aren’t working the way you anticipated. That’s where SAFe® Principle 5 comes in. Hear from Natalia Kuzmina, Head of Agile Practices at S&P Global, about how using a system demo is a better way to evaluate a project.

Measuring Progress to Improve Agile Maturity Sep 06, 2023

In today’s episode, Adam takes a step back from SAFe to explore something a little different with Brent Hurley from Agility Health, one of the leading Agile team management platforms. After hearing a little bit about Brent’s background, the two take a deep-dive into all things Agility Health, including the history of the company, and how the tool helps companies build, assess, and grow Agile teams.

Tactical Tuesday: Eight Tips for Coaching a Well-established ART Sep 05, 2023

In today’s episode, Mauricio Gambini, enterprise Agile coach from Enterprise Agility, offers his eight suggestions to start coaching on a well-established ART to help facilitate continued growth and improvement.

Business Agility in Corporate Functions Aug 30, 2023

In today’s episode, Adam sits down with Markus Vogg, SPCT and global head of business agility at Capgemini Invent, and Em Sperring, SPC and business agility senior consultant, to discuss their Agile journeys. You’ll hear about their experience in bringing Agile to traditionally non-Agile spaces, like HR and accounting, and how that experience informs their approach to any Agile transformation—big or small. They also discuss the joys of working with intercontinental teams and share some advice they would give to their younger, pre-Agile selves.

Tactical Tuesday: The Case for a Co-trainer Aug 29, 2023

It’s no secret that the SAFe implementation roadmap encourages a variety of training throughout the journey, but have you ever considered bringing along a co-trainer? Sarah Blaesing is here today to make a case for why a co-trainer just makes sense.

Building the LACE You Need Aug 23, 2023

What does high performance military training have to do with Lean portfolio management? Find out in today’s episode when Adam sits down again with Eduardo Alvim, senior trainer/consultant and SPCT. The two catch up since their last meeting and discuss portfolios, some trends they’re seeing, and how value, especially when it comes to things like PI planning, is more than just making money.

Tactical Tuesday: Participatory Budgeting Quick Tips Aug 22, 2023

How do you get numerous stakeholders with different priorities and limited budgets to agree what to fund and how? Hint: the answer involves everyone in one room and some Monopoly money. In today’s episode, Vanessa Martens, Agile coach and SPCT candidate with Cprime, shares her experience and key observations leading a participatory budgeting event with an insurance company in Africa.

Deutsche Telekom Customer Story Aug 16, 2023

In this episode, Adam hands the reins over to Alexis Williams and Christian Kelly of Atlassian to lead a discussion with Florian Lukitsch from Deutsche Telekom. The company is five years into its Agile transformation and, according to Florian, the transformation never truly ends — there will always be opportunities to adapt. The trio also discusses the importance of communication, experimentation, and OKRs, and how looking at an Agile transformation as a culture change instead of simply a project will benefit everyone in the long run.

Tactical Tuesday : The Magic Glue in an Agile Transformation Aug 15, 2023

What can simultaneously hold an organization back and move it forward in an Agile transformation? And what do dark jeans have to do with it? In this episode, Vanessa Martens, Agile coach and SPCT candidate with Cprime shares her experience and advice around helping an organization shift from a control-based environment to a collaborative one.

Tactical Tuesday: What Makes a Great Coach? Aug 08, 2023

In today’s episode, SPCT Niko Kaintantzis shares three key elements to becoming a great coach. He also talks about what coaches need to stay productive, make a difference, remove obstacles, and explore their passion.

Transform Your Organization with an ART Aug 02, 2023

Having the right people in the room at the right time to have the right conversations can make all the difference. In today’s episode, Adam talks with Glenn Smith, SPCT and transformation consultant, about his experience running a successful enterprise transformation. Glenn shares lessons learned, recounts some big wins, and reveals his top three tips for someone looking to start their own successful, large-scale transformation.

Tactical Tuesday: The Essence of Great Coaching Aug 01, 2023

Can you be a good coach even if you aren’t familiar with the subject? Actually, yes. In this episode, SPCT Niko Kaintantzis shares four key elements to becoming a great coach. And he explains how to react when the person you’re coaching has no idea what you’re talking about.

Tactical Tuesday: Iteration Goals, PI Objectives Jul 25, 2023

What exactly are PI objectives and iteration goals for? Communication from teams to the business about what the teams will do in a PI? Not entirely. In this episode, SPCT Saahil Panikar explains how the answer to the value of PI objectives and iteration goals lies in multiple elements—a feedback loop with two parts, speaking the same language, and the what, the who, and the why.

Being Creative and Focusing on the End User, with Phil Reynolds Jul 19, 2023

At one point Phil Reynolds was the most published children's music songwriter in North America. Now he's CEO and co-founder of DevStride, an enterprise-level Agile planning tool that helps teams coordinate across complex work streams. Think the two careers are unrelated? Think again. In this episode, Phil shares how being creative and focusing on the end user (or listener) is key to collaborating, solving problems, enabling service delivery, and meeting your goals.

Tactical Tuesday: Coaching Up to Management Jul 18, 2023

Today’s episode is for all the managers out there feeling like they’re no longer necessary after an Agile transformation. In fact, according to enterprise coach and SPCT candidate, Mikael Broomé, managers are absolutely critical for success. Listen as he shares some tips on what you can do as a manager to support your team during their Agile journey.

Tactical Tuesday: What Type of Manager Are You? Jul 11, 2023

If you’re a manager wondering where you fit on a newly Agile team, today’s episode is for you. Enterprise coach and SPCT candidate, Mikael Broomé, offers some simple tips: start by asking yourself what you're most passionate about in your role, and from there, make sure you understand what the new system looks like, observe your team as often as you can, and keep collecting feedback. Tune in to learn more!

Enterprise Portfolio Management with Saahil Panikar Jul 05, 2023

“In a really large organization, there is still a certain level of complexity that we don't appreciate when we look at a single SAFe portfolio and put in a Lean portfolio structure.” When it comes to key elements of enterprise portfolio management, words matter. In today’s episode, Adam and SPCT Saahil Panikar discuss the difference between value stream identification and value stream mapping, strategy and execution versus intent and contribution, and what different organizations consider a portfolio and its associated roles. Saahil shares a specific experience with an LPM engagement at a large organization, as well as his top three quick tips for successful portfolio management.

Tactical Tuesday: Hofstadter's Law Jul 04, 2023

Perhaps you’ve heard of Hofstadter’s Law: “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.” In today’s episode, SPCT, Gez Smith, offers some tips on how to make peace with the law by adjusting expectations during PI planning, adding your IP iteration to your ART planning board, and implementing a “not going to happen column.”

Tactical Tuesday: Improve Outcomes with HR Jun 27, 2023

Have you ever felt a lack of support from HR during an Agile transformation? You’re not alone. On today’s episode, SPCT and SAFe® Fellow, Michael Stump, argues that HR can actually be a big accelerator for business agility, and offers tips on how to make that happen by asking for support, sharing knowledge, and collaborating on experiments.

Customer Obsession at Atlassian with Natalia Baryshnikova Jun 21, 2023

“As a product manager, I know that product is never the end goal, right? The end goal is value to the customer. And that comes again with a huge people problem or an opportunity, to put it differently. How do I make my people customer-obsessed?” In today’s episode of the SAFe Business Agility Podcast, Adam talks to Natalia Baryshnikova, head of product at Atlassian, about customer obsession, starting with the relevance of an intern’s perspective. The two also discuss topics including parallels between art and digital transformation, the importance of value stream management, and highlights from the Atlassian product roadmap. Natalia also shares her recommendation for listeners around the million-dollar question.

Tactical Tuesday: LACE Tips Jun 13, 2023

In today’s episode, SPCT and SAFe® Fellow, Charlene Cuenca, has some tips about building a well-balanced, cross-functional Lean-Agile center of excellence (LACE). And she explains why you should consider inviting the COO and HR to be a part of your guiding coalition.

Evolving Value Streams into Profit Streams with Luke Hohmann Jun 07, 2023

How do you evolve a value stream into a profit stream? That’s exactly what Adam discusses in today’s episode with Luke Hohmann, CEO of Applied Frameworks, who recently wrote a book on the topic. The two explore the concept of flow-based economics, the importance of pricing and licensing software, understanding the value of a product, and measuring and validating metrics for better business outcomes. Plus, you’ll hear some funny and humbling personal stories involving a dishwasher, an RV, and agile basics.

SPCT Program Roundtable: From Nominations to Immersion Week and Beyond May 24, 2023

On today's episode, we're offering a behind-the-scenes look at the SPCT program. Adam sits down with three professionals who recently completed SPCT Immersion Week to discuss the entire journey -- from nomination, to interviews, traveling to Boulder, and beyond. Learn what it takes to earn that coveted invitation and how to take new skills and relationships with you back home. Finally, hear firsthand why SPCT candidates say the hard work is worth it.

SAFe 6.0 Roundtable with the Framework Team May 10, 2023

On today’s episode, Adam sits down (face-to-face!) with three Scaled Agile framework team members—Rebecca Davis, Andrew Sales, and Dean Leffingwell—to discuss all things SAFe 6.0 and what excites them most about this release (hint: it might have something to do with flow). They acknowledge that change is hard and it’s easy to want to resist. But they take a deeper look at what really goes into Framework changes and assure us that the tweaks and changes are more than just shower thoughts—even if they maybe start out that way.

Exploring All Things Flow with Yuval Yeret Apr 26, 2023

Today’s episode about flow with Adam and SPCT and SAFe® Fellow Yuval Yeret covers a lot of ground. The two discuss why now is the time to introduce flow properties and accelerating flow at multiple organizational levels before launching Agile Release Trains. How flow metrics don’t just benefit organizations at an advanced level of Agile maturity. Why it’s critical to connect people who have an intimate understanding of operational work with the development value stream. And why Agile is carrying some baggage that’s not useful.

Talking DevOps with Robert Wen Apr 12, 2023

DevOps may have started out as a foreign concept a decade ago, but today, it’s front and center in many organizations’ product strategies. In today’s episode, Adam interviews Robert Wen about his new book, SAFe for DevOps Practitioners. They discuss the three key themes of the book—one of which might be the most valuable skill to learn for the next evolution of the digital age—as well as topics including the recent release of SAFe® 6.0, where Robert got his inspiration for the book, and the holy grail of hardware-software integration.

DEEP DIVE: SAFe® 6.0 with Eric Willeke Mar 22, 2023

How about a stroll down memory lane? On today’s episode, Eric Willeke, SAFe® Fellow and co-founder of Elevate.to joins Adam to discuss the evolution of SAFe over the years, what excites them the most about the newest revisions, and talk about how, at least for Eric, everything comes back to flow. Plus, hear why the skills that make for the best Scrum Master often aren’t found on a resume—and why that’s important.

DEEP DIVE: Architecture in SAFe® with Steve Adolph Mar 07, 2023

Senior Consultant at Cprime and newly minted SPCT Steve Adolph sits down with Adam to discuss one of his passions: the role of the architect and architecture in SAFe. Hear about why Steve says the purpose of architecture in an organization is to enable business agility, full stop. The two also discuss why good leadership involves courage, humility, and letting go of the fear of failure.

DEEP DIVE: Adam and Eduardo Alvim Feb 22, 2023

Have you heard the news? 2023 is the year of the product manager. Well, it is according to Eduardo Alvim, senior trainer/consultant and SPCT. In this episode, he and Adam dive into why product management will be front and center this year—and what that means. They also discuss the five types of product managers and the importance of storytelling in product management.

Tactical Tuesday: Design Thinking Feb 21, 2023

Is design thinking just a buzzword? In today's episode, Adam explains what design thinking is and how you can start using it right now to make your job a little easier.

Q&A Friday: TOGAF and SAFe® Roles Feb 17, 2023

Today's question is about The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF). While SAFe acknowledges TOGAF, how do the different roles in that framework map to SAFe roles? Adam discusses what roles related to TOGAF are and aren't in SAFe, and why.

Tactical Tuesday: Nonfunctional Requirements (NFRs) Feb 14, 2023

You're probably familiar with the term NFRs but do you know how they can impact your backlog, and your life? In today's episode, Adam explains what NFRs are and suggests some ways you can use them to your advantage.

Q & A Friday: SPC! Now what? Feb 10, 2023

Today's topic tackles a common question: I'm a certified SPC. What training should I take next to advance my career? In addition to the easy answer, "it depends," Adam offers tactical advice and suggestions on ways to answer that question yourself.

Leadership Behaviors with Carl Starendal Feb 08, 2023

You may know SPCT and SAFe® Fellow Carl Starendal for his work around the RTE role, but did you know he has a Norwegian Grammy Award? And that a lot of what he learned about project management and group dynamics happened on a tour bus? In this episode, Carl and Adam discuss parallels between SAFe and the music business, leadership behaviors, and how to modify cultural patterns.

Tactical Tuesday: Team Topologies Feb 07, 2023

Deciding how to build teams is complicated, especially when reporting structures and workplace politics are involved. In today's episode, learn about a more productive approach designed to help you organize teams effectively around delivering value in your organization.

Q & A Friday: Portfolio Vision Feb 03, 2023

What's the difference between the portfolio vision and the portfolio canvas? One is the why and one is the how. Find out which one is which in today's episode.

From Artist to Agile Coach: Tom Boswell Feb 01, 2023

We’re living in a digital age where pretty much everyone is a technologist in some way. In fact, Tom Boswell never thought he’d find himself working in tech while he was studying art at university. In this episode, Adam sits down with Tom to talk about his journey from artist to Agile coach, lessons he’s learned along the way, and advice he has for those just getting started with SAFe. Hear why they both agree that SAFe skills are for everyone and that starting with “why?” is integral for success.

Tactical Tuesday: Empathy Mapping Feb 01, 2023

A key way to understand what your customers really want is to get unbiased answers to your questions, which is sometimes easier said than done. In this episode, Adam shares an important tool to help you get that information so you can make smart, customer-centric decisions.

The Secrets of Good Product Management with the Co-Founders of Speedland Jan 18, 2023

Good product design is all about problem-solving. No one knows that better than Dave Dombrow and Kevin Fallon, former executives at Nike, Puma, and Under Armour and co-founders of Speedland. In this episode, Adam talks with Dave and Kevin about how to get closer to your customer, fail fast and innovate, and build the right thing at the right time for the right reasons. Hear why innovation is more than just tweaking existing products, and learn how to sort through feedback to find the best path forward.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe Summit: Centering customers and streamlining digital transformations at Lufthansa Dec 21, 2022

In today’s episode, two SPCs at Lufthansa Group, Toby Knopp and Alex Radzio, describe a SAFe adoption that centered the customer and helped the airline quickly respond to travel headaches. Hear how partnering with other SAFe enterprises can streamline digital transformations and reduce your time to market. And, learn what it takes to become a mature group that other organizations look up to.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe Summit: Trends in Enterprise Agility, Part 2 Dec 09, 2022

An expert crew from Scaled Agile, Atlassian, and Accenture gathered at the 2022 SAFe Summit to discuss brand new SAFe guidance and the evolution of enterprise agility. Deema Dajani (SAFe Fellow & Product Manager at Scaled Agile, Inc.), Tracey Nott-Seward (Managing Director - Global Talent & Organization/Human Potential at Accenture), and John May (Principal Solutions Architect at Atlassian) joined host Alexis Williams (Global Head of Strategic Alliances at Atlassian) for a conversation that covered multiple industry hot topics, including: The latest SAFe® guidance on flow accelerators, Lean Portfolio Management, value streams, new releases, and more 2023 trends (and beyond) driving agile transformations Common misconceptions about enterprise agility Best practices and real-world strategies for engaging executives in the agility journey Hear first-hand accounts from Tracey, Deema, and John on how to embrace agility and overcome common obstacles during the transformation process.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe Summit: Trends in Enterprise Agility, Part 1 Dec 07, 2022

An expert crew from Scaled Agile, Atlassian, and Accenture gathered at the 2022 SAFe Summit to discuss brand new SAFe guidance and the evolution of enterprise agility. Deema Dajani (SAFe Fellow & Product Manager at Scaled Agile, Inc.), Tracey Nott-Seward (Managing Director - Global Talent & Organization/Human Potential at Accenture), and John May (Principal Solutions Architect at Atlassian) joined host Alexis Williams (Global Head of Strategic Alliances at Atlassian) for a conversation that covered multiple industry hot topics, including: The latest SAFe® guidance on flow accelerators, Lean Portfolio Management, value streams, new releases, and more 2023 trends (and beyond) driving agile transformations Common misconceptions about enterprise agility Best practices and real-world strategies for engaging executives in the agility journey Hear first-hand accounts from Tracey, Deema, and John on how to embrace agility and overcome common obstacles during the transformation process.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe Summit: Ask Me Anything with Cheryl Crupi and Rebecca Davis Dec 07, 2022

In today’s episode, SAFe® Fellows and close friends Rebecca Davis and Cheryl Crupi answer the most pressing questions that people have about SAFe—and that they have for each other. Learn how they inspire teams to be candid and make quicker decisions, why they don’t recommend doing SAFe halfway, and how to find meaning and happiness in the midst of struggle.

Tactical Tuesday: Be a customer of your competition Dec 06, 2022

Today's tip is all about how to be better in your role as a PM, and it involves becoming a customer yourself. Do it, and you might be surprised at what you learn about your competitors and your own product.

Q&A Friday: MVP Dec 02, 2022

Today's topic comes from a listener seeking to solve an internal debate about the definition of an MVP in SAFe. Tune in to hear helpful examples, in context, that answer this common question.

Tactical Tuesday: Spend time with your customers Nov 29, 2022

If you're a PM or a PO, do you know how your customers are using your product? What do and don't they love about it? If you don't know, there's an easy way to find out. Learn more in today's episode.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe® Summit: The demand for digital healthcare at CVS Health Nov 23, 2022

Welcome to this special edition of the SAFe Business Agility podcast featuring in-person conversations captured at the 2022 SAFe Summit. In today’s episode, we’re discussing the demand for digital healthcare with two experts at CVS Health: Zach Wanerus, Director of Scaled Agile Execution, and Matt Bergenholtz, Solution Train Engineer. Find out how leaders can stay connected to teams through big transformations, and learn why empathy is the hidden key to success.

Tactical Tip Tuesday: Work better with CALMR Nov 22, 2022

DevOps isn’t just for IT. Whether you write marketing communications or develop courseware, DevOps can help you improve quality and deliver value to your customers, technology or otherwise. In this episode, Adam explains how to apply DevOps in multiple contexts using the CALMR acronym.

Tactical Tuesday: Defining your first ART Nov 15, 2022

Launching your first ART is simultaneously stressful and exciting. Spoiler alert: There's no perfect answer to deciding which ART to launch first and how. Sometimes, it revolves around what's good enough to get started. In this episode, Adam shares his advice.

Q&A Friday: Who owns the risk? Nov 11, 2022

When it comes to program risks, a lot of questions come up. Who's responsible? Who owns them? Who owns their resolution? One thing is for sure: the teams shouldn't own the risks. Adam explains in today's episode.

Tactical Tuesday: WSJF Nov 08, 2022

While prioritizing the program backlog is a productive exercise, it often triggers hard conversations and trade-offs. And it's an exercise that can seem counterintuitive to how people have worked before. In today's episode, Adam shares three tips to make WSJF easier.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe® Summit: SAFe at Chevron Nov 08, 2022

Welcome to this special edition of the SAFe Business Agility podcast featuring in-person conversations captured at the 2022 SAFe Summit. In today’s episode, Josh Burdick, a Certified Agile Coach and Project Manager at Chevron, explains how a century-old company shifted its culture to embrace an Agile mindset, make faster decisions, and respond to new markets. Plus, Josh and our host, Tim Shisler, discuss the flexibility and adaptability of SAFe, and Josh shares his number-one tip for new trainers. We hope you enjoy the show!

Q & A Friday: Who is responsible for engineering practices? Nov 04, 2022

Who should introduce Agile engineering practices to Scrum and Kanban teams? Senior developers? Scrum Masters? Find out as Adam gives us the short and long(ish) answer to the question.

Tactical Tuesday: Find the Path with Mindset, Values, and Principles Nov 01, 2022

Change is hard no matter what, but it doesn't have to be painful. In this episode, Adam explains why the guidance in the Framework isn't rigid, and how you can incorporate that guidance as it applies to your context and environment.

Conversations from the 2022 SAFe Summit: Mik Kersten and Dean Leffingwell take a deep dive into FLOW. Oct 25, 2022

Welcome to this special edition of the SAFe Business Agility podcast featuring in-person conversations captured at the 2022 SAFe Summit. In today’s episode, find out how what started out as a personal mission turned into a business friendship and a hot topic. Listen as Dean Leffingwell, co-founder and chief methodologist at Scaled Agile, and Mik Kersten, CTO of Planview and author of Project to Product, take a deep-dive into Flow. We hope you enjoy the show!

SAFe at AT&T Apr 12, 2022

“Many people in organizations think they are just too complex to have that business agility. However, as a company, AT&T proved that we could pivot and establish new ways of working to meet an urgent need.” What started with a small Agile group in 2012 has evolved into a growing effort to scale Agile across AT&T—a large enterprise with 200,000+ employees. In this episode, Mary Ellen Ferrara, who leads the AT&T Business Lean-Agile Center of Excellence, and Chandra Srivastava, an Agile coach in the AT&T Enterprise Agile Center of Excellence, share their SAFe journey at the company.

Practice Makes Permanent Mar 29, 2022

The best way to improve your skills is through practice. But practicing the wrong way can lead to bad habits. In this episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, SPCT Dwayne Stroman discusses the concept of “practice makes permanent” and how it helps drive a successful SAFe implementation.

Don't Forget the Architect Mar 15, 2022

Technical expert, cat-herder, change leader, entrepreneur. Lots of terms have been used to describe an architect. But a marine pilot? In today’s episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, senior consultant at cPrime and SPCT candidate Steve Adolph joins us to talk about that metaphor, plus the importance of the architect role, and why it doesn’t get enough visibility.

Team Formation and Self-Selection Feb 28, 2022

In between running the Value Stream and ART Identification Workshop and actually launching an ART lies an informal process to determine what people should be involved where. And when that informal process is rushed, it can lead to less than optimal outcomes. At least that’s what SPCT Marshall Guillory experienced as he worked with organizations at that point in their SAFe journey. In today’s episode, Marshall joins us to discuss the importance of team formation and self-selection.

Removing Friction from Agile Transformation Feb 15, 2022

Sometimes an Agile transformation is a lot harder than it needs to be. It can happen when an organization is launching an ART, or it can happen during something as simple as helping an individual team improve its demos. So how do you spot that friction and remove it from your transformation? In this episode, Eric Willeke, SAFe Fellow and founder of Elevate, joins us to discuss how tactics and different investments make it easier to do the work of successful change

Continuous Learning Culture Feb 01, 2022

A continuous learning culture can positively impact an organization’s performance, innovation, competency, and competitive advantage. But what exactly is it and how do you create one in your organization? In this episode, Jeff Shupack, SAFe Fellow and SPCT at Product and Team, joins us to define continuous learning culture, explain why it’s important, and describe what it looks like in the real world.

What I Learned About Leaders Jan 18, 2022

Lean-Agile practices thrive in a trust-based environment. And leaders play a huge role in creating that environment for everyone in the organization. But leadership skills and behaviors aren’t necessarily intuitive for all leaders. And leaders often don’t get the help they need to learn how to evolve and grow in their role. In this episode, Dr. Steve Mayner, SAFe Fellow and principal consultant at Scaled Agile shares insights he’s observed about leaders (and himself) while developing his Leading in the Digital Age development series.

Becoming a Great SAFe Instructor Dec 21, 2021

Learning doesn’t just start in the classroom. It continues as learners take the knowledge they’ve gained and apply it to their role. So, how can instructors and trainers create a more powerful learning experience and give learners the support they need to grow? In this episode, we turn to our Scaled Agile colleagues, Tamara Nation, director of product management, and Bill Sizemore, SAFe content advisor for advice, tips, and stories from the field about how to become a great SAFe instructor.

The Value of Emotional Intelligence Dec 06, 2021

When people think of intelligence, most associate it with IQ. But emotional intelligence is actually a better indication of how a person will succeed in their career. In this episode, Jennifer Fawcett, SAFe Fellow and semi-retired Agile coach, consultant, and speaker, joins us to discuss emotional intelligence, how it can help individuals and organizations succeed, and the role it plays in SAFe.

Value Stream Management in SAFe®, Part Two Nov 23, 2021

Defining and effectively managing value streams can translate to satisfied customers and competitive advantage. But what is value stream management and how does it relate to SAFe? In this episode, Richard Knaster, SAFe Fellow and vice president and chief scientist at Digital AI, and Marc Rix continue their conversation about why value stream management is important, and how it can help organizations succeed in the digital age.

Value Stream Management in SAFe® Nov 09, 2021

Defining and effectively managing value streams can translate to satisfied customers and competitive advantage. But what is value stream management and how does it relate to SAFe? In this episode, Richard Knaster, SAFe Fellow and vice president and chief scientist at Digital AI, and Marc Rix, SAFe Fellow and principal consultant at Scaled Agile explain what value stream management is, why it’s important, and how it can help organizations succeed in the digital age.

Three OKRs to Measure Transformation Success Oct 26, 2021

Objectives and key results (OKRs) are essential in guiding an organization in its Lean-Agile transformation. But what exactly are OKRs and how and why should leaders use them? In this episode, Vikas Kapila, SPCT at Enterprise Agility Consulting, shares three business agility transformation OKRs that leaders can use to accelerate adoption and outcomes.

Navigate the Future with a Business Agility Value Stream Oct 12, 2021

Three technology trends—artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and cloud—are converging to provide new ways of understanding, managing, and transforming products and services. What does that mean for enterprises now and in the future? In this episode, Dean Leffingwell, Scaled Agile co-founder and SAFe chief methodologist shares highlights from his 2021 Global SAFe Summit talk. He discusses the concept of the business agility value stream in applying SAFe to accelerate time-to-market and effectively compete in the second digital age.

Getting LPM to Stick in Your Organization Sep 28, 2021

Implementing Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) is a complex journey—one that an organization might not get a second chance to roll out. In this episode, Phil Gardiner, SAFe practice leader, executive consultant, and SPCT with Applied Frameworks, joins us to discuss how organizations can successfully launch and evolve their LPM implementation.

Business Architecture and Value Stream Mapping Sep 14, 2021

Organizational politics. Skeptical leaders. Differing perspectives and assumptions on how the organization actually delivers value. There are lots of potential hurdles to clear when an organization embarks on a Lean-Agile journey. In this episode, Adam Mattis, SPCT at Scaled Agile, joins us to discuss how business architecture affects value stream mapping.

Measuring What Matters for Business Agility Aug 31, 2021

In direct response to customer feedback, the Framework team recently released a significant update to its guidance on SAFe® Metrics. In this episode, Andrew Sales, member of the Framework team and SAFe Fellow, joins us to explain what’s changed, why these changes are important, and where enterprises can find key resources to help them apply the new guidance.

Lean Portfolio Management in the Wild: Practical Applications Aug 17, 2021

Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) is gaining momentum among enterprises seeking to connect strategy and execution with the teams that are doing the work. In this episode, SPCT Deema Dajani speaks with us about LPM and how to implement it.

Stories from the Field: Revisiting Your Value Streams Aug 03, 2021

“We reorganized our company from three distinct business units to a functionally aligned organization, where everyone is responsible for delivering value to the customer.” In this episode, we talk to Janice Murray and Adrienne Dieball at ACT.org about revisiting the organization’s value streams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs). Find out the aha moment that helped them move toward organizing around value, the benefits of integrating business teams onto ARTs, lessons learned, and next steps.

Panel Discussion: Connecting Operational and Development Value Streams Jul 20, 2021

When enterprises extend SAFe into the business, complexities can arise as people within organizational value streams interact with those in development value streams. In this episode, members of our panel share their insights and stories from the field about the role of the operational and development value streams in an enterprise’s journey toward business agility.

Practical Tips for the New RTE Jul 06, 2021

Release Train Engineers (RTEs) play an important role in aligning the organization. In this episode, we talk to Kimberly Lejonö and Carl Starendal, both former RTEs and experienced Agile coaches, who share their tips for RTEs just getting started in their role. And we’ll dive into some questions we hear from RTEs in the field around inspiring change across teams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs), and managing the flow of value.

Purposeful Portfolios Jun 22, 2021

What happens when the strategy set by an organization’s leaders is disconnected from the work that’s actually happening on the Agile Release Train? In this episode, SAFe® Fellow and SPCT Eric Willeke joins us to discuss how to get leadership to focus on strategic direction, and how to make sure people on the trains know the why (not just the what) behind the work.

Purposeful Portfolios Jun 22, 2021

What happens when the strategy set by an organization’s leaders is disconnected from the work that’s actually happening on the Agile Release Train? In this episode, SAFe® Fellow and SPCT Eric Willeke joins us to discuss how to get leadership to focus on strategic direction, and how to make sure people on the trains know the why (not just the what) behind the work.

Scrum Master Tips and Tricks, Part Two Jun 08, 2021

In part two of our scrum master tips and tricks series, Madi Fisher and Sam Ervin are back with even more advice. In this episode, we talk about managing timeboxes, why communication and trust within teams are so important, and how to be an awesome scrum master.

Scrum Master Tips and Tricks, Part Two Jun 08, 2021

In part two of our scrum master tips and tricks series, Madi Fisher and Sam Ervin are back with even more advice. In this episode, we talk about managing timeboxes, why communication and trust within teams are so important, and how to be an awesome scrum master.

Scrum Master Tips and Tricks, Part One May 25, 2021

While lots of people are still working remotely, some are returning to company offices, creating hybrid team environments. What does this new normal mean for collaboration within Agile teams? We turned to two of our scrum masters, Madi Fisher and Sam Ervin, to find out.

SAFe for Hardware May 11, 2021

Many organizations that develop and deliver software have been practicing Agile for a decade, if not longer. That hasn’t typically been the case for organizations developing hardware, until now. In this episode, Harry Koehnemann, Principal Contributor at Scaled Agile, joins us to discuss why organizations developing hardware are under pressure to deliver faster. And what guidance SAFe® 5 has to help them address these challenges.

Strategy and Execution: Business Owners are the Key Apr 27, 2021

It’s hard to practice SAFe effectively and achieve business agility if your key stakeholders aren’t fully engaged at the right levels. In this episode, Charlene Cuenca, principal consultant and SPCT at Icon Agility, joins us to discuss why business owners are critical to successfully connect strategy to execution—and deliver better business outcomes.

Strategy and Execution: Business Owners are the Key Apr 27, 2021

It’s hard to practice SAFe effectively and achieve business agility if your key stakeholders aren’t fully engaged at the right levels. In this episode, Charlene Cuenca, principal consultant and SPCT at Icon Agility, joins us to discuss why business owners are critical to successfully connect strategy to execution—and deliver better business outcomes.

Operational and Development Value Streams Apr 13, 2021

Organizations practicing SAFe create value streams to accelerate time to value. But what’s the difference between an operational and a development value stream? How do they coexist to optimize flow? And how are value streams critical to achieving business agility? In this episode, Ian Spence, SAFe Fellow and Chief Scientist at Ivar Jacobson International, answers these questions, and much more.

Value Remeasured Mar 30, 2021

Without internal alignment on a clear definition of value, how can an organization quickly respond to changing customer demands? In this episode, Shawn Lowe, business agility advisor at Accenture│SolutionsIQ, joins us to discuss how to bring clarity to what value is, as well as its effect on customer satisfaction and achieving business agility.

What's New in SAFe 5? Mar 16, 2021

Earlier this year, we introduced new updates to SAFe® 5, including the new 5.1 Big Picture, several new articles, improvements to existing articles, and more. Andrew Sales, member of the Framework team and SAFe Fellow joins us to share details about the evolution of SAFe and explain why we’ve taken a slightly different approach with this release.

Leading with Intention Mar 02, 2021

Leaders cultivate success by exemplifying behaviors that align with their organization’s values, and by integrating these values into their decision-making processes. In this episode, Audrey Boydston, SPCT and Scaled Agile senior consultant, joins us to talk about leading with intention, and why core values are so important personally and professionally.

Leading with Intention Mar 02, 2021

Leaders cultivate success by exemplifying behaviors that align with their organization’s values, and by integrating these values into their decision-making processes. In this episode, Audrey Boydston, SPCT and Scaled Agile senior consultant, joins us to talk about leading with intention, and why core values are so important personally and professionally.

Improving Agility at American Express Feb 16, 2021

Many large finance and technology companies are vying for market share in a very competitive space. In this 50th episode of the SAFe Business Agility Podcast, we talk with Oden Hughes from American Express. She joins us to discuss what the company is doing to improve its business and technical agility and provide the best customer experience.

Agile HR Feb 03, 2021

While Agile practices often translate well in development and marketing organizations, it’s more challenging to apply them in other areas of the business. In this episode, Gez Smith discusses key topics around Agile HR, including where it makes the most sense and some implementation tips.

Customer Centricity, Silo Busting, and Organizational Agility Jan 19, 2021

Organizations worldwide are shifting their focus toward customer centricity for lots of reasons, including to build loyalty and drive revenue. But an amazing customer experience isn’t just about customers. In this episode, Tiffani Bova shares her advice about why organizations need to start by creating a great employee experience.

A Conversation with Dean Leffingwell and Geoffrey Moore Jan 05, 2021

In 1995, author and advisor Geoffrey Moore released Inside the Tornado, the second book in his popular three-part marketing series that offers strategies to get products into the mainstream market. Twenty-five years later, is the guidance in the book still relevant? In this episode, Dean Leffingwell takes over the mic to find out from the author himself—and to ask some other burning questions.

The RTE Role Dec 15, 2020

While the title release train engineer, or RTE, is specific to SAFe®, the role exists under different names, such as Agile delivery lead, and is critical to managing the flow of value in an organization. In this episode, SAFe Fellow Carl Starendal joins us to define exactly what problem the RTE solves, explore patterns and anti-patterns, and discuss the future of the role.

Agile Marketing Panel, Part Two Dec 01, 2020

From their origins in software development, Agile practices are expanding to business teams, including marketing. But making that happen requires a different mindset and tactics. In this second of two episodes, host Tim Shisler speaks with three Agile marketing experts to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Agile transformations in technology and in marketing.

Agile Marketing Panel, Part One Nov 19, 2020

From their origins in software development, Agile practices are expanding to business teams, including marketing. But making that happen requires a different mindset and tactics. In this first of two episodes, host Tim Shisler speaks with three Agile marketing experts to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Agile transformations in technology and in marketing.

The SAFe® Coach Nov 03, 2020

There are lots of key roles associated with SAFe—Business Owners, Product Managers, Release Train Engineers, Scrum Masters. But probably the most ubiquitous is the SAFe coach, a role that’s elemental throughout all of SAFe’s core competencies. But it’s also a role that doesn’t have its own guidance article on the SAFe website. In this episode, SAFe Fellow Jennifer Fawcett joins us as we dive into all the different aspects of the SAFe coach and how they facilitate change.

Stories from the Field: Patterns in PI Planning Oct 20, 2020

In this ongoing series, our customers and partners share their stories from the field about working with SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode features Vikas Kapila, SPCT at Enterprise Agility Consulting, who talks to us about the various patterns he’s seen in PI Planning and the impact they’ve had on organizations’ outcomes.

Stories from the Field: ART Tips & Tricks Oct 06, 2020

In this ongoing series, our customers and partners share their stories from the field about working with SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode features SAFe® Fellow Em Campbell-Pretty with Pretty Agile (a Scaled Agile partner) sharing her practical insights, advice, and personal stories about launching and operating effective Agile Release Trains, or ARTs.

Stories from the Field: ART Tips & Tricks Oct 06, 2020

In this ongoing series, our customers and partners share their stories from the field about working with SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode features SAFe® Fellow Em Campbell-Pretty with Pretty Agile (a Scaled Agile partner) sharing her practical insights, advice, and personal stories about launching and operating effective Agile Release Trains, or ARTs.

2020 Global SAFe® Summit Sep 22, 2020

A majority of the events many of us are used to attending in person are now virtual, including our upcoming 2020 Global SAFe Summit in October. In this episode, we talk to the event’s program chair, Deema Dajani, to find out what’s in store for attendees and how we’re bringing the Summit to life in a virtual setting.

Stories from the Field: Remote I&A at Travelport Sep 08, 2020

In this series, we talk to customers about their field experiences with remote SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode with Hilla Knapke, director, enterprise transformation office, and Charles Fleet, VP of transformation from Travelport dives into conducting a fully remote and distributed Inspect & Adapt workshop.

Stories from the Field: Coaching in Government Aug 25, 2020

In this ongoing series, our customers and partners share their stories from the field about working with SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode features Phil Gardiner, enterprise Agile coach at SAIC (a Scaled Agile partner), who talks to us about his coaching experiences in the public sector.

Stories from the Field: Remote Experiences in Government Aug 11, 2020

In this ongoing series, customers and partners share their stories from the field about working with SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode features Mark Byers and Dan Montgomery from Octo Consulting—a Scaled Agile partner—who share their experiences working with federal government agencies and contractors in a fully virtual environment.

Stories from the Field: Remote ART Launches at Accenture Jul 28, 2020

In this series, we talk to customers about their field experiences with remote SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode with Scott Frost, SAFe Fellow, SPCT, and senior business agility transformation coach from Accenture, dives into a fully remote, distributed ART launch.

Stories from the Field: Remote PI Planning at CVS Health Jul 14, 2020

In this series, we talk to customers about their field experiences with remote SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode with Rebecca Davis, SPC5 and SAFe enterprise digital coach at CVS Health, dives into fully remote, distributed PI Planning.

The Tipping Point at Travelport Jun 30, 2020

Listen to a candid conversation about what prompted Travelport to adopt SAFe®. Hint: it partially started with a grassroots movement. Hilla Knapke, director, enterprise transformation office, and Charles Fleet, VP of transformation share their stories, observations, and perspectives.

Stories from the Field: Remote PI Planning at Travelport Jun 16, 2020

In this new series, we talk to customers about their field experiences with remote SAFe ceremonies and implementations. This episode with Hilla Knapke, director, enterprise transformation office, and Charles Fleet, VP of transformation from Travelport dives into fully remote, distributed PI Planning.

DEEP DIVE: Measuring Business Agility Jun 02, 2020

In this episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, Melissa Reeve, SPC, and Inbar Oren, SAFe® Fellow and principal contributor to the Scaled Agile Framework®, take a deep dive into how organizations can measure their progress toward business agility.

Enterprise Strategy Formulation and Lean Portfolio Management May 19, 2020

Learn more about enterprise strategy formulation as it relates to lean portfolio management and SAFe 5.0, as well as how organizational agility gives companies flexibility to respond to unexpected global events like the coronavirus.

Team Topology May 05, 2020

In this deep-dive episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, Melissa Reeve, SPC and Dean Leffingwell, Chief Methodologist for the Scaled Agile Framework, explore the correlation between the structure of business and technology teams in delivering value faster to improve business outcomes.

The Evolving Role of the PMO in the Enterprise Apr 21, 2020

On today's show, listeners will learn how the PMO is evolving in the face of business agility, hear about Dean Leffingwell’s new white paper on Enterprise Strategy, and learn how to create feedback loops between strategy and execution when implementing SAFe.

Adopting Participatory Budgeting in SAFe Apr 07, 2020

Learn about the benefits of using participatory budgeting in the public sector, and tips for adopting participatory budgeting in an organization.

DEEP DIVE: Running Remote PIs, ARTs and Teams Mar 24, 2020

In this deep-dive episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, Melissa Reeve, SPC and Inbar Oren, SAFe® Fellow and principal contributor to the Scaled Agile Framework®, explore what it takes to run dispersed and remote PIs, ARTs, and teams.

Customer Centricity in SAFe Mar 12, 2020

Learn how customer centricity ties to organizational agility how organizations are applying the mindset to their organizations, and how to find the customer in Large Solution environments.

DEEP DIVE: Journey to Organizational Agility Feb 25, 2020

In this Deep Dive episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, Melissa Reeve, SPC and Joe Vallone, SPCT and SAFe Fellow, explore the purpose of Organizational Agility, what it is made of, and how to get it.

DEEP DIVE: Journey to Design Thinking Feb 11, 2020

In this Deep Dive episode of the SAFe Business Agility podcast, Melissa Reeve, SPC and Joe Vallone, SPCT and SAFe Fellow, explore design thinking, its nuances and how organizations can take the journey from a traditional product development approach to an approach driven by Customer Centricity and Design Thinking.

Suppliers in SAFe, integrating Suppliers into a SAFe environment, Supplier Dependencies Jan 28, 2020

Learn how suppliers in a SAFe environment differ from Suppliers in a traditional environment, how to integrate a large number of suppliers into a SAFe transformation, what to do about supplier dependencies over which you have no control and more.

BONUS: Global Summit - Dean Leffingwell and Melissa Reeve discuss the release of SAFe 5.0 Jan 14, 2020

Dean Leffingwell highlights changes to the Big Picture on 5.0, including design thinking, continuous learning culture and organizational agility.

Learn how Airbus used SAFe to improve its operations, how value streams behave in a large solution environment how to conduct I & A for large solution trains and more. Dec 18, 2019

Learn how Airbus used SAFe to improve its operations, how value streams behave in a large solution environment how to conduct I & A for large solution trains and more.

(Bonus): Global Summit 2019: Part 6 - Joe Vallone and Scott Frost talk Portfolio Engineering Dec 03, 2019

Learn the meaning behind why there is no Portfolio Engineer role in Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) and how LPM is facilitated.

(Bonus): Global Summit 2019: Part 5 - Joe Vallone with Malte Kumlehn - SAP Nov 19, 2019

Learn how to integrate SAFe into a large ERP system to achieve business agility and the value of automation in these implementations

(Bonus): Global Summit 2019: Part 4- Melissa Reeve and Dwayne Stroman discuss SAFe + Marketing Nov 14, 2019

Learn the why and the how of applying the principles of SAFe to a marketing organization. Melissa Reeve, SPC and Dwayne Stroman, SPCT discuss the role modifications and correlations needed as well as success and anti-patterns of SAFe + Marketing.

(Bonus) Global Summit 2019: Part 3 – Joe Vallone and Don Reinertson discuss the financial impact of WSJF Nov 14, 2019

Join Joe Vallone, SAFe Fellow and SPCT, and Don Reinertsen, author of Principles of Product Development Flow, as they discuss how to apply WSJF in a SAFe context using dollars, not just Fibonacci numbers, and how to involve finance in WSJF conversations.

Continuous Learning, Design Thinking and Customer Centricity Nov 06, 2019

Learn how continuous learning helps leaders lead the change, how one organization embraced a culture of continuous learning, how design thinking drives innovation and suggestions for becoming more empathetic with the customer.

(Bonus) Global Summit 2019: Part 2 – Joe Vallone and Brian Tucker on People Patterns Oct 31, 2019

A conversation between SAFe Fellow, Joe Vallone and newly minted SAFe Fellow, Brian Tucker, talking about patterns they see forming within the people, around teams, program layer, even up at portfolio, and how these patterns are the building blocks, the fundamentals of how everything gets put together.

(Bonus) Global Summit 2019: Part 1 – Interview with Keynote Speaker Jade Simmons Oct 30, 2019

From our 2019 Global Summit, we get up close and personal with our motivational keynote speaker, Jade Simmons, who moved our audience while teaching them how to “Move like a Maverick.”

Unlocking data's value, quantifying the impact of choices in SAFe, WSJF and Monte Carlo simulations Oct 22, 2019

Learn how assuming variability and preserving options helps unlock the value of data, how to quantify the impact of choices in SAFe. We’ll also answer questions around how deep to go with WSJF and using Monte Carlo simulations to predict epic completion rates.

Everything architecture! The evolution of Architecture & SAFe + Architect enablers Oct 08, 2019

Learn how Enterprise Architecture is evolving, how one company’s success patterns integrating Architecture when implementing SAFe and how to allocate capacity for Architecture enablers.

Intel & business agility using data, Value Stream Optimization with DevOps, DevOps and SAFe questions. Sep 24, 2019

Learn how Intel is achieving business agility by streamlining data, as well as implementing Agile and DevOps. Hear how optimizing value streams helped an organization and answer questions about incorporating DevOps into a SAFe transformation.

DoD uses AI for background checks, government agencies using SAFe, and remote problem solving workshops Sep 10, 2019

Learn how the Department of Defense is using artificial intelligence and SAFe to reduce queue lengths for background checks, and how a government agency transformed itself from a lagging to a leading organization. We’ll also be addressing how to run remote problem solving workshops, along with how to measure the impact of an Agile Release Train on the organization.

Manager responsibilities in SAFe, best practices for leadership engagement, PI System Demos and more Aug 27, 2019

Learn the six responsibilities of managers in an agile organization, success patterns for rolling out a SAFe transformation. We’ll also be addressing the difference between System Demo and PI system demo, along with how to estimate Epics and Features.

Management review, accelerating release cadence, Solution Roadmaps and more Aug 13, 2019

Learn how a media provider in the Nordics is using SAFe to keep up with market changes, how one organization moved from an annual planning based cadence to a more Agile planning cadence. We’ll also be addressing the role of the management review meeting and how to avoid antipatterns when developing PI and Solution Roadmaps.

Lean-Agile UX, Role of the PO, PM, servant leadership and more! Jul 31, 2019

Listeners will learn the benefits of adopting Lean-Agile UX into SAFe and how to balance the roles of the PO, PM and Business Owners. We’ll also be addressing how servant leadership differs from traditional leadership and common antipatterns when writing PI Objectives

Lean Portfolio Management and SAFe, Lean-Agile budgeting and more Jul 16, 2019

Learn how SAFe is enabling smart devices to get smarter and examples on how SAFe is being used to enable Lean Portfolio Management. You will also learn about the role of systems architects in SAFe and about lean-agile budgeting.

2019 European SAFe Summit Recap, Part 2 - Welcome to the Age of Software! Jul 02, 2019

Hear about Dean Leffingwell's keynote presentation at the 2019 European SAFe Summit - Digital Disruption is Dead: Welcome to the Age of Software!

2019 European SAFe Summit Recap - Companies changing the world, one PI at a time Jun 18, 2019

Hear SAFe Creator and Chief Methodologist opine on the customer stories he heard at the 2019 European SAFe Summit.

SAFe and Architecture, Value Streams, WSJF and more Jun 04, 2019

Learn how SAFe embraces architectural roles, the struggles around identifying value streams and the meaning behind WSJF. You will also learn the minimum an organization can implement and still call it SAFe.

Agility and Corporate Culture, Value of Predictability and more May 06, 2019

Learn how to weave agility throughout your corporate culture, why predictability is even more important than increased production and answer listener questions around DevOps and assigning business value.

Leadership Buy in, Normalized Story Points and more May 06, 2019

Learn how the US Department of Defense is using SAFe to build out a cyber-factory to defend against cyber-attacks. Understand the difference between leadership buy-in and engagement, why engagement is so much more powerful and how to get it. Hear answers to commonly asked questions around remote PI planning and normalized story points.

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