PI Planning Template

About the PI Planning template

What is PI planning?

PI planning or “program increment planning” is a method for strategizing toward a shared vision among teams. In a PI planning event, teams, stakeholders, and project owners are assembled to review a program backlog and determine what direction the business will take next. Typically, organizations carry out PI planning every 8 to 12 weeks.

PI stands for “program increment” and it’s part of Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). It’s a process of breaking down features, identifying risks and dependencies, and deciding what stories to develop. 

Benefits of PI planning

PI planning can be useful in a number of ways, and teams in various different industries apply the PI methods to boost efficiency and productivity.

Establish face-to-face communication

One advantage of PI planning is that it forces all the various stakeholders and teams on a project to meet face-to-face and talk about the overall mission and goals. This is the crucial first step towards aligning all the different parties towards the same mission and goals. 

Boost productivity

PI planning fosters cross-team and cross-Agile Release Team (ART) collaboration and establishes a clear backlog and schedule for when tasks should be completed. With teams syncing and communicating in the right way and focused on their own goals, overall team productivity improves.

Align team goals

One of the main goals of the PI planning process is to set clear goals and ensure that all stakeholders and team members are working towards that goal. Making sure that everyone understands and shares the same goal is the foundation of a unified team effort.

When to use PI planning

PI planning is part of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), which is designed to help development teams overcome the challenge of coordinating among teams, processes, and programs. In the SAFe model, teams are assembled into Agile Release Trains (ARTs), each of which works on a specific part of a broader goal.

To engage in PI planning, the Agile Release trains are brought together every 8 to 12 weeks. A PI planning event is an opportunity to step back and ensure everyone is still working toward the same business goals and is satisfied with the overall vision. 

Create your own PI plan in 5 steps

Miro’s whiteboard tool is the perfect canvas to create and share your PI plan. Get started by selecting this PI Planning template.

Step 1: Bring everyone together

Make sure all stakeholders, teammates, and project owners are present for the first all-hands planning session. For remote PI planning, you might choose to use video conferencing tools, which are widely used now.

Step 2: Survey the business context

Next, an executive describes the context in which the business is operating, including the competitive landscape, customers, and potential customers. Check in with other team members to address any questions.

Step 3: Clarify team goals

Now, the team comes together to articulate the vision for the product or solution. How are you filling customer needs? How have market changes impacted your ability to do so?

Step 4: Allow time for team breakouts

Once everyone is aligned on the overall vision, agile teams should have the opportunity to get together in breakout sessions for focused discussions. Specifically, teams should make sure they are all working toward the company’s shared vision. Brainstorm what you can do better or differently.

Step 5: Draft a plan

Bring all these components together in a project management document for management and teams to review.