The Release Train Engineer (RTE) plays a crucial role in preparing for the Program Increment (PI) Planning meeting. One of the key actions the RTE takes is to facilitate Product Management and other stakeholders in the prioritization of the Program Backlog1. This is essential to ensure that the most valuable and highest priority work items are clearly understood and ready to be addressed during the PI Planning.
The RTE helps ensure planning readiness in three primary areas:
* Strategic alignment and organizational readiness for planning, which includes the planning scope and context.
* Leadership and team preparedness for the event, ensuring that content is ready for discussion and planning.
* Logistics management for the event, which may involve facility arrangements or technology and tooling for remote events.
Furthermore, the RTE fosters a Continuous Exploration process that drives the synthesis of a Vision, a Roadmap, and Backlogs, and through Pre- and Post-PI Planning events2. By doing so, the RTE ensures that the Program Backlog is refined and prioritized, reflecting the most current understanding of the best way to deliver value through the upcoming PI. This preparation is critical for a successful PI Planning event, where teams will align on the Program Backlog to create their Iteration plans and objectives for the upcoming PI1.