The event that concludes the first day of the PI Planning Agenda is called the Management Review.
Contents
What is Management Review?
How is the Management Review Presented?
How to Prepare for the Management Review in 6 Steps
Kendis Tips for Presenting the Management Review
What is a Management Review?
The Management Review aims to provide a platform for team leads, managers, and stakeholders to openly discuss any questions, challenges, or concerns regarding the PI Planning. The common topics of this discussion include risks, internal or external dependencies, and any questions regarding the teams, product, or project.
Unlike the events conducted on the first day of the PI Planning Agenda, the Management Review is not time-boxed as it is dependent upon what needs to be discussed. It could be short, ending in several minutes while there are instances where it can last for more than an hour. It is held at the end of the first day of Planning with the typical participants of the management review including release managers, product managers, business owners, stakeholders, and specialists or managers from the development, testing, and design teams.
How is the Management Review Presented?
The Release Train Engineer (RTE) facilitates the management review. It is best practice to remind the participants of the Management Review to remain available until the end of the session, as everyone else on the Agile Release Train (ART) will disperse as the team sessions conclude.
The RTE ensures a free space is provided for safe questions and answers from all involved. A physical or a virtual board may be used to represent the topics of discussion. It is recommended to take notes of the observations.
How to Prepare for the Management Review in 6 Steps?
Below you will find Kendis’s list of recommended activities to help prepare for presenting the Management Review.
- Plan a location for the participants to communicate freely
- Gather a list of issues, impediments, or risks raised during the PI Planning session
- Remember to also gather positive observations
- Ensure all relevant participants will be available
- Ask other participants who they would also like to attend
- Have a plan to create and monitor Action Plans
Kendis Tips for Presenting the Management Review
Once you have prepared for the Management Review, you can ensure an effective presentation on the day itself by following these tips.
- Start by asking an open question. “How was it for you”?
- Obtain both positive and negative feedback
- Create a “Parking lot” to discuss in order
- Systematically go through the sequence of topics whether it’s by teams, systems, products, or programs
- Highlight if any Milestones are at risk
- Discuss Risks and Impediments raised during the Planning
- Cover concerns raised in “Parking lot”
- Create Action Plans to deal with any of the discussed topics
- Make a plan for any adjustments to the planning
- Ensure notes are taken on decisions and adjustments
The Management Review helps in highlighting and addressing potential blockages, risks, or impediments early in the process. This leads to facilitating the smooth continuation of PI Planning by proactively resolving any identified issues. It also provides an opportunity for addressing matters beyond the scope of individual teams, such as resource allocation and high-level scope planning.
Furthermore, it offers management an opportunity to prioritize the content of the PI Plan and develop action plans aligned with identified issues. By addressing these matters during PI Planning, blockages that might otherwise arise during execution can be identified early, allowing for adjustments without compromising the overall plan.
To learn more about Kendis, click here.
