Agile Teams vs Agile Release Trains vs Solution Trains

Summary

In this video, Ahmed, a Scaled Agile Coach, explains the differences between Agile Teams, Agile Release Trains (ARTs), and Solution Trains. Agile Teams are small, cross-functional groups working toward a common goal, using frameworks like Scrum. ARTs are collections of multiple Agile Teams, working together to achieve broader objectives within an 8-12 week Program Increment (PI). Solution Trains, which consist of multiple ARTs, focus on delivering large-scale solutions and require coordination across several teams. The video also covers roles, methodologies, and events associated with each level, providing a clear overview of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe).

Takeaways

• 😀 Agile teams consist of 5 to 11 cross-functional members working towards a common goal, typically using Scrum with 2-week iterations.
• 😀 An Agile Release Train (ART) is a collection of 5 to 12 Agile teams, usually comprising 50 to 125 people, working towards a common goal over an 8-12 week Program Increment (PI).
• 😀 A Solution Train is a group of Agile Release Trains (ARTs) working together to deliver a larger solution, typically involving 175+ individuals.
• 😀 In an Agile team, the Scrum Master facilitates the team's processes, while the Product Owner defines what needs to be delivered, prioritizing work items.
• 😀 In an ART, the Release Train Engineer (RTE) acts as the chief Scrum Master, coordinating the delivery across multiple teams, with a Product Manager defining the overall vision.
• 😀 The Solution Train Engineer (STE) manages the coordination of multiple ARTs, ensuring alignment and delivery of the solution across teams.
• 😀 While Agile teams use Scrum or Kanban to focus on delivering value in small iterations, ARTs and Solution Trains follow the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) for broader, synchronized delivery.
• 😀 Requirements at the Agile team level are typically user stories and enabler stories, while ARTs and Solution Trains focus on larger items like Program Epics, Features, and Capabilities.
• 😀 Key events in an Agile team include iteration planning, daily stand-ups, backlog refinement, iteration demo, and retrospectives.
• 😀 In ARTs, key events include PI planning, Scrum of Scrums, system demos, and Inspect and Adapt sessions, with teams synchronizing to deliver over a larger scale.

Q & A

What is an agile team, and how is it structured?

An agile team is a cross-functional group of 5-11 individuals working together to achieve a common goal. It is typically structured with roles such as a Scrum Master who facilitates and removes impediments, a Product Owner who sets the vision and priorities, and team members who collaborate to deliver the work.

How does an Agile Release Train (ART) differ from an agile team?

An ART is a collection of 5-12 agile teams, totaling between 50-125 individuals. It operates at the program level and coordinates multiple teams to achieve broader objectives. While an agile team focuses on small, manageable tasks, an ART coordinates across multiple teams to deliver larger, program-level initiatives.

What is the primary purpose of a solution train?

A solution train is a group of Agile Release Trains (ARTs) working together to deliver a larger, integrated solution. It coordinates across ARTs to ensure alignment and effective delivery, supporting complex, cross-ART initiatives.

What is the typical iteration length for an agile team, and how does it compare to ARTs and solution trains?

The typical iteration length for an agile team is two weeks. For ARTs and solution trains, the program increment (PI) or cadence is between 8-12 weeks. This allows for a consistent planning and execution cycle across multiple teams and levels.

What are the main roles involved in an Agile Release Train?

Key roles in an ART include the Release Train Engineer (RTE), who acts as a chief Scrum Master, the Product Manager who sets the vision for the ART, the System Architect who provides technical strategy, and the Business Owners who ensure value delivery and ROI.

How do requirements at the team level differ from those at the ART and solution train levels?

At the team level, requirements are often user stories, enabler stories, and tasks. For ARTs, program epics span longer than one program increment and need to be broken down into features. At the solution train level, capabilities are used to bind together features from different ARTs to create a unified solution.

What types of events are held at each level of agile structure?

At the team level, events include iteration planning, daily stand-ups, backlog refinement, iteration demos, and retrospectives. For ARTs, events include PI planning, Scrum of Scrums, system demos, and inspect and adapt sessions. Solution trains have pre-PI planning, post-PI planning, solution demos, solution train syncs, architect syncs, and inspect and adapt events.

What is the role of a Product Manager in an Agile Release Train compared to an agile team?

In an agile team, the Product Owner defines the vision and priorities at the team level. In an ART, the Product Manager takes on this role at a larger scale, setting the vision and roadmap for the entire ART and guiding its strategic direction.

How is innovation and planning incorporated into the ART and solution train levels?

Innovation and planning are incorporated through dedicated time during a PI increment, typically in the last iteration. This period is used for preparing for the next PI planning event, conducting learning and innovation activities, and running events like inspect and adapt. The same approach is applied at the solution train level, aligning with the ARTs' schedule.

Why might an organization choose to use Kanban in addition to Scrum at the team level?

An organization might choose Kanban for environments with high unpredictability, such as support teams, where it is difficult to plan tasks for a fixed period. Kanban allows for a just-in-time approach that focuses on flow and efficiency, responding to tasks as they come in.