Portfolio Release Planning

Purpose: To collaboratively define the scope of the upcoming release, align the team and stakeholders on what will be delivered by the fixed deadline, identify key dependencies and risks, and create a high-level plan for achieving the release goals.

Who Attends:

• Product Owner (PO): Owns the product vision, prioritizes features, and makes scope decisions.

• Development Team: Provides technical feasibility, estimates effort, and identifies technical dependencies and risks.

• Scrum Master (SM) / Agile Facilitator: Facilitates the meeting, ensures the process is followed, and manages time.

• Key Stakeholders: Representatives from business, marketing, sales, support, etc., who have a vested interest in the release content and timeline.

When: Typically held a few weeks before the start of development for the upcoming release cycle.

Duration: Can vary depending on the size and complexity of the release, but aim for 2-4 hours. Break down into multiple sessions if necessary.

Preparation (Before the Meeting):

• Product Owner:

  • Bring a prioritized Product Backlog, clearly outlining features and user stories with their business value.

  • Have a clear understanding of the fixed release date and any mandatory inclusions.

  • Prepare initial thoughts on potential scope trade-offs based on team capacity.

  • Gather any relevant market research, user feedback, or strategic priorities.

• Development Team:

  • Review the prioritized backlog and initial estimates (if already available).

  • Identify potential technical risks and dependencies.

  • Consider team capacity and availability for the upcoming release cycle.

• Scrum Master / Agile Facilitator:

  • Prepare the meeting agenda and any necessary materials (e.g., whiteboards, sticky notes, online collaboration tools).

  • Communicate the meeting purpose and expected outcomes to participants.

• Key Stakeholders:

  • Review the prioritized backlog and be prepared to provide input on business priorities and dependencies.

Meeting Agenda:

1. Welcome and Objectives (10-15 minutes):

   • Facilitator welcomes everyone and reiterates the purpose of the meeting: to plan the scope of the upcoming release with a fixed deadline.

   • Product Owner restates the release vision, goals, and the fixed release date.

   • Outline the expected outcomes of the meeting: a defined release scope, identified key risks and dependencies, and a high-level plan.

2. Review Prioritized Backlog (30-45 minutes):

   • Product Owner walks through the top portion of the prioritized Product Backlog.

   • Briefly explain the business value and user impact of each feature/epic.

   • Answer any clarifying questions from the team and stakeholders.

3. Capacity Planning (20-30 minutes):

   • Development Team discusses their estimated capacity for the upcoming release cycle (e.g., based on past velocity, team availability, potential time off).

   • Facilitator helps the team articulate their realistic bandwidth.

4. Scope Definition and Negotiation (60-90 minutes):

   • Initial Pass: The team and PO collaboratively review the prioritized backlog and, based on the estimated capacity, tentatively select the features/stories that could potentially be included in the release.

   • Risk and Dependency Identification: For the selected items, the Development Team identifies technical risks and dependencies. Stakeholders highlight any business or external dependencies. These are visually captured on the board.

   • Trade-off Discussions: Given the fixed schedule, the PO leads discussions on scope trade-offs if the initial selection exceeds capacity or introduces unacceptable risks. Stakeholders provide input based on business priorities.

   • Decision Making: The PO makes final decisions on which features/stories will be included in the release scope, ensuring alignment with the fixed deadline and considering risks and dependencies. Clearly mark the "in-scope" items.

5. High-Level Plan and Sequencing (30-45 minutes):

   • The team collaboratively outlines a high-level plan for how the in-scope work will be approached across the release cycle (potentially broken down by sprints if using Scrum).

   • Identify key milestones and potential sequencing of work based on dependencies.

   • This is not a detailed sprint plan but a roadmap for the entire release.

6. Identify and Discuss Release-Level Risks and Assumptions (20-30 minutes):

   • The team and stakeholders collectively identify and discuss high-level risks that could impact the entire release (e.g., key technology changes, external vendor dependencies, critical team member availability).

   • For each identified risk, brainstorm potential mitigation strategies and assign owners for monitoring.

   • Document key assumptions underlying the release plan.

7. Communication and Next Steps (10-15 minutes):

   • Summarize the agreed-upon release scope, key risks, dependencies, and the high-level plan.

   • Define how the release plan will be communicated to the wider organization.

   • Outline the next steps (e.g., detailed sprint planning, further risk analysis).

   • Confirm any follow-up actions and owners.

Key Considerations for Fixed Schedule, Managed Scope Releases:

• Ruthless Prioritization: The PO must be decisive in prioritizing based on value and alignment with the fixed deadline.

• Transparent Trade-offs: Clearly communicate the rationale behind scope decisions and the implications of what is included and excluded.

• Early Risk Identification: Proactively identify and address risks that could jeopardize the fixed schedule.

• Dependency Management: Meticulously identify and plan for dependencies to avoid delays.

• Continuous Communication: Maintain open communication throughout the release cycle regarding progress, risks, and potential scope adjustments (if absolutely necessary and agreed upon).

• Focus on Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Consider identifying a core set of features that represent the minimum viable product to meet the release goals if scope becomes a significant concern.

Expected Outcomes:

• A clearly defined and agreed-upon scope for the upcoming release.

• A high-level plan outlining how the release will be delivered within the fixed schedule.

• Identified key risks and dependencies with initial mitigation strategies.

• Shared understanding and alignment among the team and stakeholders regarding the release goals and constraints.

• A clear communication plan for the release.

By following this guide, you can facilitate effective release planning meetings for fixed schedule, managed scope releases, enabling your team to deliver valuable software predictably within the given constraints. Remember that flexibility and open communication are still crucial, even with a fixed deadline, as new information emerges during the release cycle.