LACE (CCSQ Lean Agile Center of Excellence)

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We expect the Product Manager to use strategic vision to guide prioritization, planning, and delivery:

  1. The vision for all features has been presented to the team 
  2. The Product Manager will be fully available to the feature owner
  3. Work defined at the Feature level will be prioritized


We expect all team members to understand the value and context of all work being included in each iteration:

  1. The Feature Owner understands the vision and the expected outcomes of the feature
  2. The Feature Owner is prepared to clarify the requirements in refinement and/or planning​
  3. The work defined contains a value statement (who, what, why) (benefit hypothesis or use story statement)​
  4. The work defined contains clear acceptance criteria that can be verified as pass/fail (success or acceptance criteria)
  5. The work defined will fit into the appropriate timebox


We will only make commitments for work that meets our standards of Ready

For each work item, before commitment:

  1. The work is prioritized
  2. The correct issue type is used
  3. If necessary or beneficial to cross-functionality, Mob/Pair team members are identified
  4. Peer review rigor and significant time commitments for peer review are defined and noted in the work item**
  5. All team members delivering have been added to a role
  6. There is an estimate
  7. Labels are accurate
  8. Links are accurate (clones, features, dependencies, etc)


We refuse to allow low quality requirements to impact our reliability.

  1. The value is clear and understood (Why?)
  2. The desired outcome is clear (What?)
  3. The user/persona/beneficiary is defined and is the recipient of the value delivered (Who?)
  4. Binary acceptance criteria are present
  5. Relevant guidance, information, and documentation links are included
  6. Potential risks, blockers, unknowns, and dependencies​ are noted 
  7. Defect issues contain enough information to investigate



Reference for Feature

The Feature can be clearly described.The feature is well enough understood that its extent and purpose can be clearly explained by the Product Management / Product Ownership Team
Small enough to fit within a PIThe estimates for the Feature indicate that it is small enough to be easily completed within a standard Program Increment (PI).
The Feature is testableThe need for any unusual or novel testing is clear and factored into the estimates
The Feature is feasibleFor Business Features the architectural and technical risks are under control and it is expected that the Feature can be implemented without any significant technical issues. For experimental enablers and spikes the constraints are understood and the financial exposure is in-line with the probability of success.
The potential benefits are understoodThe Feature has a well understood, measurable benefits hypothesis.
The Feature has a clear ownerIt is clear who the team pulling the Feature should converse, and negotiate with, over the scope and extent of the Feature, and who will accept the Feature as done.
The level of key stakeholder involvement is understood.The details of any important external Stakeholders are known and the mechanisms to involve them in a timely way have been put in place.
The cost of delay is clearThe relative business / user value, time criticality, risk reduction and opportunity enablement are well enough understood that the Features cost of delay is clear. See the SAFe approach to Weighted Shortest Job First for more details.
Any ‘fixed’ requirements are knownAny specific, fixed, non-negotiable aspects of the Feature are known and their details are available. For example the specific actuarial calculations to be used in an insurance system.









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