Hello {ParticipantName}, Welcome to your {AssessmentName} assessment! Please take a few minutes to complete the following questions and provide textual feedback on your duties and responsibilities in your current role.
Facilitation
Facilitation at Scale
Effectively facilitating at scale to align the audience to organizational goals and outcomes, creating engagement, and empowering teams.
Crawl (1-2): I am beginning to learn facilitation techniques and could improve in common facilitation areas such as exceeding time boxes, meeting stated outcomes, keeping discussions on track, etc.
Walk (3-5): I use basic facilitation techniques, generally keeping meetings on track and often assigning action items to team members.
Run (6-8): I identify and utilize facilitation techniques that promote safety and openness, effectively keeping meetings on track while allowing every voice to be heard, and ensuring the outcomes are in place with effective plans and solutions owned by team members.
Fly (9-10): I effectively facilitate all meetings and interactions at scale, coach others to develop facilitation skills, partner with SMs to co-facilitate across trains, and empower team members to self-organize and collectively reach meeting outcomes.
Crawl: 1-2 | Walk: 3-5 | Run: 6-8 | Fly: 9-10
Impediment Management
Tracking and ensuring impediments are identified immediately. Ensuring there are processes in the organization for full transparency and efficient resolution of impediments.
Crawl (1-2): I track impediments that are identified and escalated by others.
Walk (3-5): I track impediments and help resolve or escalate when necessary.
Run (6-8): I proactively seek out impediments and help resolve or escalate when necessary. I collaborate with Scrum Masters to identify impediments that span across teams.
Fly (9-10): I help teams and Scrum Masters proactively seek out impediments and resolve these in a timely manner. I teach teams to escalate only those impediments that are outside of their direct control and develop sustainable systems in which impediments are identified and resolved.
Communication & Collaboration
Effectively communicating and collaborating with teams, leaders, stakeholders, and others is key to efficient and value-oriented Release Trains.
Crawl (1-2): I demonstrate some effective communication within the train and have room for growth in communication skills that will lead to balanced outcomes.
Walk (3-5): I encourage effective communication between teams and across trains and use basic negotiation skills to find balanced outcomes that respect both sides.
Run (6-8): I focus on creating a culture of shared accountability between teams on the train and collaboration with teams on other trains, implementing Scrum of Scrums and Cross-Train communication channels. I use skills such as active listening to help find a mutually acceptable way forward.
Fly (9-10): I promote shared values such as openness, trust, and curiosity to help improve communication and collaboration between teams and across trains. I understand the different negotiation styles and effectively find a mutually acceptable way forward.
Working with Third Parties
Communicating and collaborating effectively with 3rd party vendors.
Crawl (1-2): I establish norms with 3rd party vendors about communication and cadence.
Walk (3-5): I establish a relationship with 3rd party vendors in which there is regular communication and collaboration with clear expectations and feedback.
Run (6-8): I foster a trusting relationship with 3rd party vendors in which there is active communication and accountability for delivering to expectations.
Fly (9-10): I work in partnership with 3rd party vendors in an environment of mutual trust, accountability, and teamwork.
Add any additional thoughts about "Facilitation - Facilitation"
Value Delivery
Enabling Innovation
Providing an environment where innovation is part of the ART's established processes and is the catalyst for new ideas, experimentation, and learning.
Crawl (1-2): I suggest teams innovate during the IP Iteration, but only if they have time. Failures are viewed as time wasted.
Walk (3-5): I support teams in their innovation efforts and view failures as opportunities to learn.
Run (6-8): I actively advocate innovation and empower teams to grow in their innovation and experimentation skills. I represent the importance of IP iterations to leadership and help showcase the results of learning.
Fly (9-10): I evangelize the power of innovation and implement sustainable systems that help build an environment of continuous innovation (discovery teams, 5-day sprints, dual track agile, etc.).
Planning at Scale
Collaborating with ART team members, Delivery Team members, stakeholders, Business Owners, etc., in order to prepare the necessary backlogs, planning aides, and other inputs to deliver the highest value outcomes for the business.
Crawl (1-2): I facilitate the PI Planning event, but inputs for the PI are often lacking and teams often do not feel properly prepared to create a solid plan.
Walk (3-5): I work with the ART and stakeholders to ensure backlogs are prepared and teams have the tools they need to complete planning.
Run (6-8): I work with the ART and stakeholders to ensure backlogs are refined, based on conversations around value delivered and effort involved in the delivery. I encourage healthy conversations around value trade-offs and track Feature success criteria (e.g., measurable outcomes).
Fly (9-10): I guide teams in developing a PI plan that reflects both strategic (Delivery Stream) and tactical (ART) considerations. I utilize Epic and Feature success criteria (e.g., measurable outcomes and business impacts) to ensure optimal value delivery and create sustainable mechanisms to evaluate plans and outcomes as feedback for future planning.
Value Metrics
Ensuring measures are in place that will allow the organization to prioritize work taking business value into account and to measure program predictability based on business value delivered compared to the business value estimated.
Crawl (1-2): I am beginning to understand the concept of using Business Value in prioritizing items in the backlog.
Walk (3-5): I use Business Value in WSJF prioritization of backlog as well as for the Program Predictability Metric for the ART.
Run (6-8): I put processes in place to improve the delivery of Business Value to customers and to improve the Program Predictability Metric.
Fly (9-10): I work with the team to provide Business Value to customers on-demand with an ARTs Program Predictability Metric regularly falling in the 80-100% range.
Customer Satisfaction
Having the ability to gather feedback from stakeholders and customers and being responsive to their needs.
Crawl (1-2): I sometimes solicit feedback from stakeholders at System Demos.
Walk (3-5): I gather regular feedback from stakeholders and take action to incorporate that feedback.
Run (6-8): I help facilitate regular stakeholder satisfaction surveys to foster continuous improvement.
Fly (9-10): I use a constant feedback loop with stakeholders and metrics are in place to show improvements.
Add any additional thoughts about "Value Delivery - Value Delivery"
Leadership Agility
Lean & Systems Thinking
Applying Lean Management and Systems Thinking to help optimize the organization's culture and workflow for sustainable delivery of value.
Crawl (1-2): I have a basic understanding of Lean principles and practices such as reducing waste (MUDA) or limiting WIP.
Walk (3-5): I am starting to identify waste at the team and train level, using intuition or conventional wisdom to impact value flow.
Run (6-8): I use Lean techniques like value stream mapping to identify sources of waste at the train level, utilize metrics to limit WIP and maximize value flow, and proactively make decisions using connections between teams within the train across a Delivery Stream and can articulate how the components of the train interact as a system.
Fly (9-10): I have a Lean focus encompassing the seven flavors of waste (MUDA) and the theory of constraints to effectively optimize value flow. I drive autonomy by communicating intent and decentralizing decision-making across the train and fully recognizing the train as a system, optimizing the whole.
Coaching
Sharing experience and knowledge in an open and collaborative way to promote learning and autonomy, and increase mastery among staff and leaders.
Crawl (1-2): I do minimal coaching and jump in to solve problems rather than coaching others to solve them.
Walk (3-5): I notice some opportunities to coach others, helping the teams in the ART make better decisions and solve problems together, effectively using listening and silence to create space for people to think and to encourage ideas to come forth rather than filling the space with a solution or another question.
Run (6-8): I grasp a wider range of coaching opportunities and understand whom and how to coach and am becoming more proficient at coaching skills such as asking powerful questions, re-framing, mirroring, etc.
Fly (9-10): I embed coaching skills in everyday interactions with the ART, helping the ART core team and the larger organization understand which interactions within the ART are helpful and which are not, effectively use coaching skills, such as bottom-lining, humble inquiry, championing, taking charge, active listening, asking why, etc. I coach Scrum Masters in their development as leaders.
Relentless Improvement:
Relentless improvement is implemented through a constant sense of urgency, a problem-solving culture, improvements driven by data, creating time and space for innovation, and a cadence for inspecting and adapting ways of working.
Crawl: (1-2) I occasionally conduct retrospectives, usually only when major issues occur or escalations take place. I often prevent and/or hide failure. I sometimes use feedback as a tool to continually improve self and ART.
Walk: (3-5) I conduct PI Retrospectives and find opportunities to learn from failures. I participate in the RTE CoP, network with peers, and am more aware of how to use feedback loops to improve self and ART.
Run: (6-8) I conduct “bubble up” Retrospectives throughout the PI as well as Inspect & Adapt sessions. I regard failure as learning opportunities, actively contribute to the RTE CoP, and proactively seek feedback, using it to create experiments to help improve self and ART.
Fly: (9-10) I use cadenced and ad-hoc retrospectives and inspect & adapt sessions to identify opportunities to drive training, learning, and improvement. I create systems by which train-wide improvement programs are tracked, measured, and adapted. I am recognized as a thought leader in the RTE community and actively mentor peers. I proactively seek feedback and give feedback to others to help them in their continuous improvement journey.
Results Driven Leadership
Leading through removing obstacles, coaching, and gently nudging rather than commanding and controlling.
Crawl (1-2): I believe that results can only be achieved by having tight control of the plan and micro-management. Focus is on milestones, deliverables, and “hitting the date.” I make decisions without involving the teams and tell others what they need to do and how to do it.
Walk (3-5): I allow teams to create, own and adjust their delivery plans. I focus on creating an environment for teams to be successful by removing obstacles and impediments. I ask for input from teams before making process changes. I tell others what to do but allow them to choose how to do it.
Run (6-8): I ensure that desired outcomes are constantly communicated to the teams to enable them to successfully deliver and provide people with clear directions and intent to allow them to decide how they will accomplish the work. I focus on removing obstacles and gently nudging to help encourage correct practices and/or behavior.
Fly (9-10): I understand that plans are a guide and need to adapt in response to inevitable changes. I rely on decentralized decision-making and trust that people closest to the work will make good decisions based on the information available. I foster a collaborative, self-organized environment where teams understand what to deliver and “why”, so they can take ownership and accountability. I act as a servant leader and promote servant leadership behavior throughout the ART.
Add any additional thoughts about "Leadership Agility - Leadership Agility"
Leading Execution
Coordination at Scale
Managing program activities across many teams, ensuring dependencies and risks are identified and mitigated, and impediments are resolved in a timely manner. Fostering a culture of trust, collaboration, communication, transparency, and good decision-making.
Crawl (1-2): I track dependencies and risks that are identified by others.
Walk (3-5): I proactively seek out dependencies and risks to be managed and help resolve or escalate impediments when necessary.
Run (6-8): I collaborate with others to share risk mitigation practices and lessons learned and proactively seek out impediments to help resolve or escalate them as necessary. I collaborate with Scrum Masters and others to identify and resolve cross-team impediments.
Fly (9-10): I develop sustainable systems in which dependencies, risks, and impediments are identified and managed. I help teams proactively seek out impediments and resolve these in a timely manner and guide them to escalate only those impediments that are outside of my direct control.
PI Execution
Managing coordination and collaboration throughout the PI, ensuring value is added after every iteration. Ensuring stakeholder feedback is being gathered and appropriate measures are in place for full transparency.
Crawl (1-2): I facilitate the SAFe ceremonies but could improve in keeping them effective and efficient.
Walk (3-5): I act upon feedback gathered throughout the PI in order to help the ART continue to improve.
Run (6-8): I effectively collaborate with teams, stakeholders, and leaders and put processes in place to promote continuous improvement of PI Execution.
Fly (9-10): I have enabled teams to provide full transparency into the work they are doing for the PI, maintain a constant feedback loop with stakeholders and utilize the data to enhance PI execution, continuously improve PI processes and achieve optimal value delivery.
Data-Driven Decisions
Guiding the train to optimization through continuous improvement using data to inform discussions.
Crawl (1-2): I respond to stakeholder requests for ART performance reporting and only communicate progress at internal status meetings.
Walk (3-5): I utilize reporting and metrics to facilitate conversations about progress and plan in typical status reporting formats.
Run (6-8): I use reporting to facilitate learning through metrics such as throughput & cycle time and help facilitate regular stakeholder satisfaction surveys to foster continuous improvement.
Fly (9-10): I mentor all members of the ART to use reporting and information radiators to drive transparency and gain strategic alignment and use product roadmaps to facilitate stakeholder interactions and expectations.
Ensuring Quality
Developing a workflow that sustains delivery of high-quality products increases throughput, reduces re-work, and increases customer satisfaction.
Crawl (1-2): I collect quality metrics at the team level and quality is accepted as given.
Walk (3-5): I track minimal quality metrics across the ART and report on trends and patterns.
Run (6-8): I am an advocate for quality and facilitate trade-off discussions within the ART on managing technical debt and facilitating an understanding of root causes for defect trends and themes.
Fly (9-10): I coach ART and stakeholders to collaboratively develop systems where quality is built into all aspects of product development and delivery (Methods like TDD, BDD, test automation, pairing, etc...).
Add any additional thoughts about "Leading Execution - Leading Execution"
Relationship Management
Credibility:
Credibility is gaining the trust of others by reliably delivering on commitments and practicing honesty, integrity, and transparency with every communication.
Crawl: (1-2) I facilitate meetings and follow the SAFe practices, but don't actively find the time to build relationships with the people on the team.
Walk: (3-5) I build relationships with others and am approachable by most people on the ART.
Run: (6-8) I foster trust and have a reputation for building strong relationships with everyone regardless of their title or role.
Fly: (9-10) I strive to be a trusted leader, delivering above and beyond on commitments and providing honest communication and mentorship to others. I establish trusted relationships with teams, leaders, and stakeholders and am an advocate for their concerns and needs.
Cross-Organizational:
Promoting cross-organizational communication and collaboration comes through actively providing opportunities for cross-team discussions and engagement.
Crawl (1-2): I utilize the Big Room Planning (BRP) event for cross-organization communication.
Walk (3-5): I regularly facilitate ceremonies where cross-organizational communication can occur.
Run (6-8): I foster cross-organizational communication by encouraging engagement across organizational boundaries.
Fly (9-10): I implement consistent and frequent patterns of communication to engage cross-organizational teams, stakeholders, and leaders. I find and encourage others to find innovative approaches to foster strong cross-organizational communication and collaboration.
Conflict Management
Using a collaborative approach to conflict management, helps those in conflict discover a win-win solution.
Crawl (1-2): I look to avoid conflict as much as possible.
Walk (3-5): I find ways to resolve conflict constructively when it happens.
Run (6-8): I embrace conflict as a strategy to manage change constructively and inspire positivity and innovation.
Fly (9-10): I recognize conflict as a signal that something new is trying to happen. I have meaningful and honest dialog, provide and accept productive feedback and trust the positive intentions of others to help resolve conflict in a way that promotes learning and healing.
Stakeholder Relationships:
Identifying, engaging, and communicating with stakeholders involves them in planning and execution to increase alignment toward value delivered.
Crawl: (1-2) I sometimes consider stakeholders in planning or during execution and only have a basic understanding of the stakeholder landscape. Stakeholders often go directly to delivery team members for work requests.
Walk: (3-5) I identify and include stakeholders in planning and some activities and help foster a visible stakeholder map for the ART.
Run: (6-8) I encourage regular stakeholder participation in activities when appropriate, ensure stakeholders have a clear path for engaging with the core team with ideas and work requests, and often inform and update stakeholders on progress and execution of the PI.
Fly: (9-10) I establish consistent patterns of interacting with stakeholders for all appropriate activities, ensuring the core team and stakeholders are regularly aligned on changing business needs, opportunities and desired outcomes. I regularly review the landscape for changes and encourage appropriate involvement.
Add any additional thoughts about "Relationship Management - Relationship Management"
