Release Planning & Scaling Agile Training Course

 Release Planning & Scaling Agile Training Course 

Introduction 

Effective release planning and scaling Agile practices are critical for organizations striving to deliver value faster, optimize resource allocation, and maintain alignment across multiple teams and portfolios. Release Planning & Scaling Agile Training Course provides participants with in-depth knowledge of Agile release planning frameworks, scaled Agile methodologies, and best practices for coordinating cross-team releases. Participants will explore planning techniques, risk management strategies, and tools that enable predictable delivery, continuous improvement, and alignment with business priorities. Emphasis is placed on practical applications, collaborative planning, and metrics-driven decision-making to ensure Agile transformations achieve measurable results. 

As organizations scale Agile across teams, programs, and portfolios, maintaining transparency, cadence, and value delivery becomes essential. This course equips participants to implement program increment planning, roadmap prioritization, dependency management, and release forecasting while addressing challenges such as resource constraints, technical debt, and organizational change. By integrating frameworks like SAFe, LeSS, and Spotify models, learners will acquire skills to orchestrate large-scale Agile delivery, enhance stakeholder collaboration, and accelerate value realization for their enterprises. 

Course Objectives 

1. Understand the fundamentals of Agile release planning and its strategic importance.
2. Apply principles of scaling Agile frameworks in multi-team environments.
3. Design program increment (PI) plans to align with business objectives.
4. Utilize Agile roadmaps to communicate release schedules and dependencies.
5. Identify and manage risks in cross-team releases and portfolio initiatives.
6. Implement capacity planning and resource allocation techniques.
7. Integrate feedback loops and metrics for continuous improvement.
8. Coordinate multi-team dependencies and manage release coordination challenges.
9. Leverage Agile tools for tracking progress, forecasts, and delivery performance.
10. Establish effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders.
11. Optimize release cadence and predictability using Agile metrics.
12. Apply Lean-Agile budgeting and prioritization for portfolio alignment.
13. Develop strategies for sustaining Agile practices during organizational scaling.

Organizational Benefits
 

• Improved predictability and transparency in release delivery
• Optimized resource allocation across teams and portfolios
• Enhanced cross-team collaboration and alignment with business goals
• Reduced risk and improved management of dependencies
• Accelerated value delivery and program increment outcomes
• Stronger stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
• Data-driven decision-making through Agile metrics and KPIs
• Increased operational efficiency and organizational agility
• Better adaptability to market and customer needs
• Sustained culture of continuous improvement and Lean-Agile practices

Target Audiences
 

• Agile coaches and Scrum Masters
• Release train engineers and program managers
• Product owners and product managers
• Portfolio managers and project managers
• Business analysts and solution architects
• Team leads and department heads
• Transformation and change management professionals
• Enterprise stakeholders involved in Agile adoption

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to Agile Release Planning
 

• Fundamentals of Agile and iterative delivery
• Role of release planning in Agile transformations
• Aligning releases with business objectives and value streams
• Key challenges and success factors in release planning
• Tools and techniques for effective planning
• Case Study: Successful Agile release planning in a mid-sized enterprise

Module 2: Program Increment (PI) Planning
 

• Principles of program increment planning
• Structuring PI objectives and milestones
• Coordination across multiple Agile teams
• Capacity and velocity considerations for PI planning
• Capturing risks and dependencies in PI planning
• Case Study: Implementing PI planning in a multi-team environment

Module 3: Scaling Agile Frameworks
 

• Overview of SAFe, LeSS, and Spotify models
• Comparing scaling frameworks for different organizational needs
• Integrating multiple frameworks for enterprise agility
• Scaling ceremonies, roles, and governance
• Challenges and solutions in scaling Agile
• Case Study: Scaling Agile across multiple departments successfully

Module 4: Roadmaps, Backlogs & Release Scheduling
 

• Creating and managing Agile roadmaps
• Prioritizing features and initiatives in backlogs
• Visualizing release schedules for stakeholders
• Balancing long-term vision with short-term delivery
• Managing changing priorities and backlog refinement
• Case Study: Building a roadmap to coordinate 3 release trains

Module 5: Dependency Management & Risk Mitigation
 

• Identifying cross-team and cross-project dependencies
• Techniques to mitigate release risks
• Managing technical debt and integration challenges
• Using dependency boards and visual management tools
• Proactive risk communication with stakeholders
• Case Study: Resolving release conflicts in a complex portfolio

Module 6: Metrics, Feedback & Continuous Improvement
 

• Key performance indicators for Agile release planning
• Collecting feedback from teams and stakeholders
• Using metrics to improve predictability and quality
• Establishing feedback loops at team and program levels
• Iterating planning based on data insights
• Case Study: Leveraging metrics to enhance release predictability

Module 7: Lean-Agile Budgeting & Prioritization
 

• Introduction to Lean-Agile budgeting concepts
• Aligning funding with business value
• Portfolio prioritization and trade-off decisions
• Using Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF) for prioritization
• Balancing capacity and budget constraints
• Case Study: Applying WSJF to prioritize high-value initiatives

Module 8: Sustaining Agile Practices During Scaling
 

• Strategies to maintain Agile momentum at scale
• Embedding a culture of collaboration and transparency
• Leadership and change management for Agile adoption
• Continuous coaching and capability building
• Monitoring adoption metrics and identifying improvement areas
• Case Study: Institutionalizing Agile practices across a global enterprise

Training Methodology
 

• Instructor-led presentations and Agile framework briefings
• Hands-on exercises for release planning and backlog management
• Group activities and multi-team PI planning simulations
• Case study discussions with real-world enterprise examples
• Practical tools and templates for scaling Agile initiatives
• Feedback sessions and collaborative action planning

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes                 

a. The participant must be conversant with English.
 
b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate
 
c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.
 
d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.
 
e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.
 f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.