The Agile Release Train Launch Challenge

Launching a single Agile team can be hard work, but launching an effective Agile Release Train consisting of multiple teams simultaneously can be just downright daunting.

This is because when we are launching an Agile Release Train, this typically consists of between 5-12 teams and upto 125 people. Co-ordinating so many people with differing views, backgrounds, skill sets and competing interests is not a trivial task and will require some real effort, preparation, and foresight. 

In addition, getting the PI Planning Event itself right is essential. It is typically the most visible event with Senior Executives and therefore, can frequently become an indicator of how well the overall program is run.

So a lot is at stake, not just in terms of reputation, but also in terms of cost.  Below is a graph showing the typical resourcing cost of an average Program Increment of 10 weeks depending upon size.  

💰 Mistakes @ Scale Get Amplified

As though the cost of the Program Increment wasn’t enough motivation to get things right, understanding the cost of mistakes at scale is even more important.
This is because mistakes at scale get amplified. Whilst losing a single 2 week iteration to a mistake for a small team may cost around $40,000, losing a single iteration for an Agile Release Train of just 50 people can cost in excess of $400,000! (see below): 


Loss of a week for a small Agile Team:
·         $400 per day per resource * 5 working days * 5 team members = $10,000.
 
Loss of a week for a small Agile Release Train:
· $400 per day per resource * 5 working days * 100 ART members = $200,000.

The ART Launch Plus service is designed to help you avoid obstacles and silly mistakes which can run into 100,000s or even millions very easily. In this way  the service actually pays for itself many times over and is far more economical and quicker than the trial and error method of doing it yourself. 

📈 My ART Launch Journey

Hi, I’m Ahmed Syed, a Scaled Agile Trainer and Coach based in the UK. My journey started back in 2013, when I launched my first Agile Release Train. 


 I had no idea what I was doing. I had gone to a standard certified training course which had no specific guidance on how to actually launch an Agile Release Train and just a few hours of planning training. 
 
Now, I was expected to launch and plan for an Agile Release Train consisting of five teams and in total around 80 people. It was a scary and daunting experience.
 
That was nine years ago, and a lot has changed. Since then, I have personally launched, transformed, trained 11 Agile Release Trains across Europe for multiple industries. I've also been lucky enough to lead the transformation for some of the largest Solution Trains in Europe with budgets in excess of €400 Million, 30+ vendors and over 1100 applications! 
 
In addition to launching Agile Release Trains, I’ve personally facilitated over 30 PI Planning Events, and also support the community via my YouTube channel - SAFe in the Real-World teaching people the real-world issues of implementing Scaled Agile. This gives me the incredible opportunity to work with and talk to some of the top Agile minds and share my learnings around the world. 
 
Over all these years, I’ve learned through painful and costly trial and error what works and what doesn’t. Now for the first time ever, I have launched a one-of-a-kind Agile Release Train Launch system which is taking the best theory from Scaled Agile and adding years of practice, tips and guidance with real-world examples and a supportive community to create a powerful system for delivery success.

This is exactly the kind of service and support, I wish was available when I started, helping me to avoid mistakes and setbacks that cost lots of time, money, and embarrassment. 😔 


🆘 Launching an amazing Agile Release Train

In order to launch an amazing Agile Release Train ...

o You'll need to build the right psychology and mindset to ensure that you and all individuals have the right attitude, motivation and beliefs regarding Agile and work in general to ensure that you are able to launch an effective Agile Release Train.

o You'll have to learn to assess your unique state of readiness so you are clear on where you need to focus to ensure that the right person gets the right support at the right time so that you’re not constantly worrying that you're leaving something out.
 
o  You'll need to co-ordinate multiple individuals, groups and potentially upto 12 teams simultaneously so that they all work together in a co-ordinated fashion.

o You'll need to ensure that you are able to form the right Agile Release Train structure, with the right people in the right roles.

o You'll need to ensure that you are able to have an Agile Architectural Runway so that you strike the right balance between intentional architecture and emergent design.

o You'll need to ensure that you have goal and vision clarity, great tracebility and the correct priority so that the right person is working on the right thing at the right time across your entire Agile Release Train.

o    You’ll also need to engage with participants to ensure that you have key stakeholders engaged, involved, and excited about the challenge ahead and clear on their responsibilities.

And you'll have to do all this (and a lot more) in addition to executing on your current responsibilities whilst ensuring that your launch is a success. 
 
This is hard. It takes a lot of work. But it is also incredibly fun and once you get the system down, you have an opportunity to literally amplify the results of 100s of people on the Agile Release Train, and also your career trajectory🚀.

🤫 The Secret to launching amazing Agile Release Trains

Over these past 8 years, I've learned a lot about what it takes to create an amazing launch experience for everyone. And you know what? There's no secret. It's mostly just a matter of having:
  1. Extreme Clarity
  2. Meticulous preparation
  3. Powerful Collaboration and inclusion
  4. Fastidious Plan Execution
That’s all it takes. I can guarantee that if you follow this simple, 4-stage formula, you will be able to bring everyone onboard, create plans that revolutionise your Agile Program, amplify your delivery success and maybe even transform your organisation⚡️.

⚙️The ART Launch Plus System

ART Launch Plus is an 8 week, live, online and interactive launch system where we provide you with everything you need to launch a powerful Agile Release Train quickly and efficiently.

I teach you everything I know about launching ARTs, coach and guide all individuals on the ART on their roles and what’s expected, monitor your launch progress weekly and provide advice, if falling behind.

I will also help you to design awesome planning events, create amazing plans, and ultimately how to execute these plans to create a highly successful Agile Release Train.
 
The ART Launch Plus System is based upon the approach I've developed over 8 years to deliver outstanding results and accelerate the launch time and learning curve for everyone on the Agile Release Train.
 
An essential and extremely valuable part of the training is the community that attendees will join to support them throughout the process, this is what makes the process so valuable.
 
In this way, ART Launch Plus helps you to deal with the biggest symptom of failed Agile implementations, cost over-runs and slippage in a simple, easy and fun way


🥳By the end of the 8-week launch process ...

You will have launched an Agile Release Train that delivers predictibly (subject to hard work)...

  • Launch Trains

    You'll be able to hit the ground running and launch trains correctly due to our emphasis on real world implementation.

  • Launch Progress

    Your launch progress will be independently monitored and you will receive unbiased guidance for success.

  • Accelerated Pace

    You will be part of a launch sequence with an accelerated pace, providing you with every opportunity to launch in 8 weeks.

  • Avoid Mistakes

    You'll avoid costly mistakes which typically plague new Agile Release Trains launches and can run into 100,000s or even millions.

  • SAFe Compatible

    Launch protocol, training, coaching and guidance fully compatible with Agile Principles and SAFe v5.1 Framework.

  • Develop Capability

    You (and/or your staff) will have built a strong understanding and foundation, reducing dependency on expensive external consultants.

  • Launch Library

    Access to best practice ART Launch templates, examples, guidance and training in our online portal with access for 1 year

  • PI Planning Support

    You'll be fully capable of preparing and running a PI Planning Event with confidence to industry-leading standards.

  • Lean Lessons

    Just enough of the right lessons at the right time for the right role so they can perform optimally saving time and effort.

  • Role Orientation

    Specific coaching for key roles is provided to ensure they have adequate skills to perform their role.

  • Recordings

    You will have 1-year access to the ART Launch portal with recordings of your sessions so that you can return to these again and again.

  • Support

    Our weekly coaching calls will provide youwith the support you need and answer any questions you may have.

📚 What's in the ART Launch Plus System

ART Launch Plus is a powerful combination of 1-1 Live ART Launch and role based coaching, a launch portal and community platform providing lessons from the launch and transformation of 11 ARTs delivered in a scalable format.  There are six stages that are taught over a 8 week period. During each stage you will:

1. Benefit from live training that takes place each week. 
2. Obtain an assessment of your progress during weekly live coaching sessions and monitoring sessions.  
3. Be given exercises,  powerful templates, real world examples and live coaching to accelerate your journey.  
4. Community + Support + Accountability to amplify your learning and support you on your journey. 
5. Role based training to ensure that all roles have the capability to fulfill their responsibilities. 

Further details below. 

A Scalable System for launching Agile Release Trains

ART Launch Plus is a powerful combination of 1-1 Live ART Launch and role based coaching, a launch portal and community platform providing lessons from the launch and transformation of 11 ARTs delivered in a scalable format.

ART Launch Assignments

The ART Launch Assignments form an extremely important part of the launch protocol. 
 
As you progress through each of the six stages you will be challenged to apply what you’ve learned to progress your launch. Your assignments will be supported with coaching sessions and your launch progress will be monitored weekly (for Enterprise Packages) to support you if you fall behind. 

This hands-on experience will be critical to launching your ART on time within the eight-week period. 
 
If you don't do these it would be like signing up for a gym class, showing up to watch the tutorial, and not doing any exercise. It might be interesting, but it wouldn't get you any results and you will not launch on time. 
 
Each week you'll get an assignment that will help you to progress your launch effectively and to really understand why and how to perform the relevant task well. 

When you're done, you'll provide your assignment to us and be able to receive feedback on your specific assignments.

Role Based Support

ART Launch plus focusses on each individual and ensures that each individual is support to fulfil their role efficiently and effectively, resulting in a successful Agile Release Train launch whilst ensuring that you build a gradual and consistent in house Agile capability over time.

  • Weekly Live Role Based Coaching

  • Role Based Video Training

  • Role Oriented Guidance

Community + Support + Accountability

Remember how I said that launching an Agile Release Train well and getting all the elements right is hard work? 


Well, this becomes much easier when you've got help. In addition to support from myself and my team, you'll also be part of a community of friends, colleagues and supporters all doing the same thing and cheering each other on.

This community provides you with an amazing opportunity to learn and obtain insights and ideas from across industry, insights that may not be available to you in any other way. 

✍️ 1. Assignment Feedback 
 You'll post your assignment to me and my team, and obtain feedback from me or my team and guidance where improvement is needed. You may also post this to the community support portal and obtain wider feedback.

  🙋‍♂️ 2. Live Q&A 
Each week there are regular Q&A sessions where there'll be ample opportunity to ask me any and all questions you need to.

👨‍👨‍👦‍👦 3. Community Support
 On top of that, you’ll have lifetime access to our Support Community where you can ask and answer questions with me, my team and individuals from other Agile Release Trains to help you and give you encouragement to continue the journey.  

👨🏽‍💻 Who is this course for ?

🙋 🙋‍♂️Individuals

 🏛 Organisations
You are in a key position driving the launch of an Agile Release Train or you recognise the importance of understanding how to launch an Agile Release Train correctly. You see this as an essential skill to develop, not just for career development but also to maximise your impact across your or your customers organisation.

You are likely to be a Delivery, Project or Programme Manager, Release Train Engineer, Product Manager, Product Owner, Scrum Master, Team Leader or someone interested in progressing your career so you can effectively launch large-scale Agile programs efficiently and effectively.

You may or may not have any Scaled Agile qualifications or experience but wish to understand this essential element of Agile Program success and are willing to commit the extra time and effort to training and competence development.
 
In 8 weeks - You'll have walked through our step-by-step system, understood how to launch an amazing Agile Release Train and be ready to guide and support your programme for success.
 
You'll have a clear roadmap for how to launch an Agile Release Train, you'll be much more comfortable clarifying your vision and features, structuring your Agile Release Train and getting ready for speaking and facilitating PI Planning and putting yourself out there, and most importantly you'll hit the ground running with effective systems that mean you'll never wonder what to do next. 
You are an organisation with big ambitions, and you would like to develop the capability to deliver critical Agile programs (50+ people) on time and to budget using best practices.

Your teams may have received some certified or other Agile training, but you've quickly recognised that this training doesn't give the hands-on knowledge needed to succeed with your critical programs.

You would like to avoid costly mistakes and over-runs by launching an Agile Release Train that is built upon solid foundations and is a capable and powerful delivery engine.

You would also like to develop a strong ART Launch capability with all the resources needed to support this capability such as handbooks, videos, step-step guides, templates, a training forum and community your employees can return to again and again.

In 8 weeks - As long as you've kept up with the assignments you  will have trained up the key individuals within your Agile Release Train who will know exactly what to do and will be supported as they launch their Agile Release Train. Their preparation will be marked and critiqued by myself and my team.

You will then have a well-formed Agile Release Train that has been launched quickly and effectively without the waste that is typical within standard launches and the heavy consultancy/coaching fees associated with such launches. 

Plans & Options

There are two plans available for Individuals or organisations wishing to launch an Agile Release Train.

Individual

Agile Release Train
For a single professional who wants to support the launch of a powerful Agile Release Train:

📚 Launch Education- 8 weeks of live training and coaching + Live Q&As Ahmed and Team.
 
📹 Detailed feedback from the team on all assignments provided and guidance.  

🎬 1 year access to all the session recordings

⭕️ Lifetime access to our private online discussion forum + community. 

 🚀 Our BETA Launch is scheduled for April 2022. 

This is a one off opportunity where a select few seats are available that receive a MASSIVE 50% off discount. 

More importantly, you will get unparalleled access to Ahmed, behind the scenes views and an once-in-a-life opportunity to shape the launch sequences. 

This price is limited and only available on a first come first serve basis.

Enter Coupon Code : BETALAUNCH50
For an organisation, division of function wishing to launch an Agile Release Train of up to 50 people:

🚀 Launch Protocol - 8 weeks of live training and ART coaching + Launch Assessments + Live Q&As by Ahmed and Team.
 
📹Launch Monitoring - Independent measuring and monitoring of ART launch together with guidance and assistance.

🎬 1 year access to all the session recordings by all individuals on the Agile Release Train. 

⭕️ Lifetime access to our private online discussion forum + community.
 
🚀Our BETA Launch is scheduled for April 2022. 

This is a truly, one off opportunity where we will be providing 3 Agile Release Trains (maximum) a MASSIVE 50% off BETA discount. 

More importantly, you will get unparalleled access to Ahmed, behind the scenes views and an once-in-a-life opportunity to shape the launch sequences. 


 

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Questions? Get in Touch

Email us at [email protected] if you've got any questions. We'd love to help you out. Alternatively, you're welcome to use the live-chat on this page 😀