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Function

Role

Responsibilities

Ceremonies to Attend

Organization

Business Owners

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/business-owners/" target="_blank">Business Owners</a> <span class="sup">12</span> are a small group of stakeholders who have the primary business and technical responsibility for governance, compliance, and return on investment (ROI) for a Solution developed by an Agile Release Train (ART). They are key stakeholders on the ART who must evaluate fitness for use and actively participate in certain ART events.

Stakeholder

Stakeholders provide the business problem to be solved and the value desired. They are the customer, or represent the customer,.

Articulate Vision
Understand government mandates and their effect on the system

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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Solution Management Team

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/business-owners/" target="_blank">Solution Management</a> <span class="sup">1</span> has content authority for the Solution Backlog. They work with customers to understand their needs, prioritize Epics & Capabilities, create the Solution Vision and Roadmap, define requirements, and guide work through the Solution Kanban.

Solution Management Team Member

The SMT Member plays a similar role to the Product Manager, but at the large solution level and has content authority over Epics & Capabilities, instead of Features. Responsibilities include working with portfolio stakeholders, customers, ARTs and Solution Trains to understand needs and build and prioritize the solution backlog. They coordinate and align with each other to create and maintain the vision, roadmap, solution Kanban, and solution demo activities. They set the priority order of epics and features to align with goals of CCSQ.

Because the SMT is made up of several members, it is important that all team members are available for critical meetings and working sessions. SMT usually consists of the ISG Program Manager, Business Owners from other Groups (i.e. SOG, QSOG, iQIIG, QMVIG, etc.), and a Systems Lead/Systems Architect (ISG). It is also common for the SMT to include a Security Officer (SO) or some other Security Lead Role. Both the Systems Lead/Systems Architect and Security Officer members can inform the SMT on non-functional requirements that help determine priorities and scope.

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<img class="learning" alt="Solution Management Training" title="Solution Management Training" onclick="showTrainingPopup('smt-training');"/>

Understand & articulate customer/policy needs
Understand government mandates and their effect on the system
Develop Solution Roadmap
Develop and communicate Solution Vision
Develop & accept Epics/Capabilities
Assist with Feature Development Elaboration
- Help Product Managers develop features
Track Epics & Capabilities through Solution Kanban
Work with solution Architect to ensure proper system design

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

Program Kanban Refinement

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System Architect

The System Architect/Engineering role defines a shared technical and architectural vision for the Solution/Product under development. That includes analyzing technical trade-offs, determining the primary components and subsystems, identifying the interfaces and collaborations between them, defining higher-level functional Nonfunctional Requirements (NFRs), and guiding Enablers through the Solution/Program/Product Kanban.

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<img class="learning" alt="System Architect Training" title="System Architect Training" onclick="showTrainingPopup('systems-architect-training');"/>

Identify

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/enablers/" target="_blank">Enablers</a> <span class="sup">2</span>

Participate in Continuous Exploration
Establish critical NFRs at the solution level
Take a "Systems View" of Architecture

Develop

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/architectural-runway/" target="_blank">Architectural Runway</a> <span class="sup">6</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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Product Management

Product Management has content authority for the Program or Product Backlog. They are responsible for identifying Customer needs, developing & prioritizing Features, guiding the work through the Program Kanban and developing the program Vision and Roadmap for their product.

Product Manager

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<a href="https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=140617740" target="_blank"> <img class="persona in-development" alt="Product Manager Persona" title="Product Manager Persona"/></a>

Product Managers provide product expertise needed to make strategic product decisions. They analyze user needs and lay out a product vision based on customer demands.

They have content authority for defining and prioritizing product features, which are the why, when, and what of the product that the engineering team builds.

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<img class="learning" alt="Product Manager Training" title="Product Manager Training" onclick="showTrainingPopup('product-manager-training');"/>

Product Roadmap development
Develop & Accept Features
Prioritizing Product Work
Removing roadblocks
Release Planning & Coordination
Product Metrics
Tracks Product Kanban
Help Product Owners develop user stories

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="sup">7</span>

Program Kanban Refinement

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">8</span>

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	Pdm Support Responsibilities
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	PdM Support Ceremonies
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	PdM Support Organization
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Agile Release Train

The Agile Release Train (ART) is a long-lived team of Agile teams, which along with other stakeholders, incrementally develops, delivers, and where applicable, operates one or more solutions in a value stream.

Release Train Engineer (RTE)

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<a href="https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=140617570" target="_blank"> <img class="persona in-development" alt="RTE Persona" title="RTE Persona"/></a>

The Release Train Engineer (RTE) is a servant leader and coach for the Agile Release Train (ART). The RTE's major responsibilities are to facilitate the ART events and processes and assist the teams in delivering value. RTEs communicate with program stakeholders, escalate impediments, help manage risk, provide program metrics, and drive relentless improvement.

Although ARTs are composed of self-organizing and self-managing teams, trains don't drive or steer themselves on autopilot. That responsibility falls to the RTEs, who operate most effectively as servant leaders. They have a solid grasp of how to scale Lean and Agile practices and understand the unique opportunities and challenges associated with facilitating and continuously aligning a large development program.

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<a href="https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/display/LACE/Agile+Facilitation+and+Coaching+Learning+Path" target="_blank"><img  class="learning" alt="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path" title="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path"/></a>

Manage and optimize the flow of value through the ART and Solution Train
Establish and communicate PI cadence, ceremonies
Facilitate PI Planning readiness by fostering the continuous exploration process
Facilitate the PI Planning event
Assist tracking the execution of features
Facilitate periodic synchronization meetings, including the Scrum of Scrums, or ART sync, at the Program level
Help manage risks, dependencies, and remove impediments
Work with Product and Solution Management, Product Owners, and other stakeholders to help ensure strategy and execution alignment

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaldagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="sup">7</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">8</span>

Program Kanban Refinement

Non-ADO Support Contractors

Centers of Excellence/Coaching Support

At the program level, there may be members of various Centers of Excellence embedded with the ART.

These members are experts in various disciplines. They bring knowledge, experience, and an outsider's view to help the ART execute and deliver value.

These members will coach on various topics, provide formal and informal training, and help analyze ART performance and value outcomes.

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To request support for a coach, contact the <a id="myCustomTrigger" class="clickable-link">Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE)<img src="https://qnetconfluence.cms.gov/download/thumbnails/175899156/open_link_icon.png?version=1&modificationDate=1628184307093&api=v2" class="new-tab-image link"/></a>

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Agile Coach

Agile Coaches bring a unique expertise and experience to assist in the transformation and execution of a large program. In SAFe, these are SAFe Program Consultants.

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Certified <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-program-consultant/" target="_blank">SAFe Program Consultants</a> <span class="sup">13</span> are change agents who combine their technical knowledge of SAFe with an intrinsic motivation to improve the company’s software and systems development processes. They play a critical role in successfully implementing SAFe. SPCs come from numerous internal or external roles, including business and technology leaders, portfolio/program/project managers, process leads, architects, analysts, and consultants.
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<img  class="learning" alt="Coaching Corner" title="Coaching Corner" onclick="showTrainingPopup('coaching-corner-training');"/>

Coach leadership
Coach RTEs
Coach teams
Provide formal SAFe training
Provide formal Agile training
Facilitate Communities of Practice

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">7</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="supfont-style:italic;">8</span>

Program Kanban Refinement

Non-ADO Support Contractors

Teams

Agile Teams are cross-functional groups of 5 to 11 people who have the responsibility to define, build, test, and where applicable deploy some element of Solution value - all in a short iteration timebox. In a SAFe context, agile teams also include some specialized teams such as Systems Teams for DevOps & Integration, as well as HCD teams and Shared Services teams to support specific overarching functions or skill sets needed for program success. These teams are aligned within the ART to support the delivery of solution value.

Product Owner

The Product Owner (PO) is a member of the Agile Team responsible for defining Stories and prioritizing the Team Backlog to streamline the execution of program priorities. The PO has a significant role in quality control and is the only team member empowered to accept stories as done. The PO has ownership over their team's backlog.

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<img class="learning" alt="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path" title="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path" onclick="showTrainingPopup('product-owner-training');"/>

Develops User Stories & AC that implement established Features
Continuously refines the backlog and elaborates stories to support developer needs
Ordering the items in the Product Backlog to best achieve goals and missions
Ensuring that the Product Backlog is visible, transparent, and clear to all, and shows what the Scrum Team will work on next
Ensuring the Development Team understands items in the Product Backlog to the level needed

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="sup">7</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="sup">8</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/" target="_blank">Iteration Planning</a> <span class="sup">9</span>

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<a href="https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#daily-scrum" target="_blank">Daily Scrum</a> <span class="sup">10</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-retrospective/" target="_blank">Iteration Retrospetive</a> <span class="sup">11</span>

Backlog Refinement

Application
Development Organization (ADO)

Scrum Master

Scrum Masters are servant leaders and coaches for an Agile Team. They help educate the team on Agile practices, ensuring that the agreed Agile process is being followed. They also help remove impediments and foster an environment for high-performing team dynamics, continuous flow, and relentless improvement.

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<img class="learning" alt="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path" title="Agile Facilitation and Coaching Path" onclick="showTrainingPopup('scrum-master-training');"/>

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Ensuring that goals, scope, and product domain are understood by everyone on the Scrum Team as well as possible
Understanding product planning in an empirical environment
Ensuring the Product Owner knows how to arrange the Product Backlog to maximize value
Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed
Coaching the Development Team in self-organization and cross-functionality
Helping the Development Team to create high-value products
Removing impediments to the Development Team's progress
Facilitating Scrum events as requested or needed
Helping the team track metrics to foster continuous improvement
Coaching the Development Team in organizational environments in which Scrum is not yet fully adopted and understood
Planning Scrum implementations within the organization
Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact Scrum and empirical product development
Working with other Scrum Masters to increase the effectiveness of the application of Scrum in the organization

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="sup">7</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="sup">8</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/" target="_blank">Iteration Planning</a> <span class="sup">9</span>

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<a href="https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#daily-scrum" target="_blank">Daily Scrum</a> <span class="sup">10</span>

Backlog Refinement

Application
Development Organization (ADO)

Team Member (Developer, QA Tester, UX Researcher/Designer, DevOps Engineer, etc.)

Agile Teams are cross-functional groups of 5 to 11 people who have the responsibility to define, build, test, and deploy, some element of Solution value—all in a short Iteration timebox.

Some teams are skillset focused, such as DevOps and UX. These are also Agile Teams that have a Scrum Master, Product Owner, and backlog. They follow the Scrum and SAFe frameworks for ceremonies and artifacts.

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<img class="learning" alt="Team Member Training" title="Team Member Training" onclick="showTrainingPopup('team-member-training');"/>

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They are  <a href="https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/about-self-organizing-teams" target="_blank">self-organizing</a> <span class="sup">14</span>. No one (not even the Scrum Master) tells the Development Team how to turn Product Backlog items into Increments of potentially releasable functionality

Development Teams are cross functional, with all the skills as a team necessary to create a product Increment
Individual Development Team members may have specialized skills and areas of focus, but accountability belongs to the Development Team as a whole
They collaborate with the Product Owner to create and refine user stories and acceptance criteria
Conduct research, design, prototyping and other exploration activities where required

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">PI Planning</a> <span class="sup">3</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">System Demo</a> <span class="sup">4</span>

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<a href=" https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">Inspect & Adapt Workshop</a> <span class="sup">5</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">ART Sync</a> <span class="sup">7</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">Iteration Review</a> <span class="sup">8</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/" target="_blank">Iteration Planning</a> <span class="sup">9</span>

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<a href="https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#daily-scrum" target="_blank">Daily Scrum</a> <span class="sup">10</span>

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<a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-retrospective/" target="_blank">Iteration Retrospetive</a> <span class="sup">11</span>

Backlog Refinement

Application
Development Organization (ADO)

References

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1 - Scaled Agile Framework - Solution Management <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/solution-management/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/solution-management/</a>
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2 - Scaled Agile Framework - Enablers <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/enablers/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/enablers/</a>
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3 - Scaled Agile Framework - PI Planning <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/</a>
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4 - Scaled Agile Framework - System Demo <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/</a>
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5 - Scaled Agile Framework - Inspect and Adapt <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/inspect-and-adapt/</a>
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6 - Scaled Agile Framework - Architectural Runway <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/architectural-runway/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/architectural-runway/</a>
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7 - Scaled Agile Framework - Program Increment <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/</a>
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8 - Scaled Agile Framework - Iteration Review <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-review/</a>
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9 - Scaled Agile Framework - Iteration Planning <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/</a>
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10 - Scrum Guide - Daily Scrum <a href="https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#daily-scrum" target="_blank">https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html#daily-scrum</a>
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11 - Scaled Agile Framework - Iteration Retrospective <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-retrospective/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-retrospective/</a>
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12 - Scaled Agile Framework - Business Owners <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/business-owners/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/business-owners/</a>
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13 - Scaled Agile Framework - SAFe Program Consultant <a href="https://www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-program-consultant/" target="_blank">https://www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-program-consultant/</a>
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14 - Scrum Inc. - Self organizing teams <a href="https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/about-self-organizing-teams" target="_blank">https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/about-self-organizing-teams</a>

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Solution Management Team

Product Management

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Teams

References