Use SAFe Lean Portfolio

Management to Adopt
Composable Thinking
Lorri Callahan

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How do
we extend
the benefits
of fusion
teams to the
portfolio level?

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Address • Accountability
these
challenges • Alignment
when scaling
your agile • Investment
operating
• Governance
model.
• Coordination

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 Adopt the lean-
agile principles
used in LPM to
bring resolution to
these challenges.

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Some Prerequisites to Consider…

Objectives and Value Product

Key Results Streams Management

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You will need to
tailor your
approach to fit
your organization’s
unique needs.

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Where Do
We Start?

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3 Steps for Starting SAFe Lean Portfolio
Management

1. Define LPM 2. Establish a 3. Set Up Regular

Function Portfolio Kanban LPM Events

Source: Gartner

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Step 1. Define the LPM Function

APMO = Agile Program Management Office

LACE = Lean Agile Center of Excellence
RTE = Release Train Engineer
SM = Scrum Master
CoP = Community of Practice

Source: Scaled Agile

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Assemble a Cross-Functional Mix of Expertise

Enterprise Executives Agile PMO (APMO)

Lean Center of
Business Owners
Excellence (LACE)

Enterprise Architects Relevant Communities

of Practice

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Step 2. Establish a Portfolio Kanban

Visualization of the entire

portfolio of work

Management of the flow of epics

What Does from ideation to completion
Kanban Offer?
Alignment to the
organization’s objectives

Measurement to track the

value to be delivered

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Kanban Connects Work From the Team Level…

Team A1 Team A2 Team A3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team
Team B1 Team B2 Team B3
Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team C1 Team C2 Team C3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Source: Gartner

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Kanban Connects Work From the Team Level
to the Program Level…

Program
Program A Program B Program C
Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team A1 Team A2 Team A3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team
Team B1 Team B2 Team B3
Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team C1 Team C2 Team C3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Source: Gartner

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Kanban Connects Work From the Team Level
to the Program Level to the Portfolio Level

Portfolio
Portfolio
Kanban

Program
Program A Program B Program C
Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team A1 Team A2 Team A3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team
Team B1 Team B2 Team B3
Kanban Kanban Kanban

Team C1 Team C2 Team C3

Kanban Kanban Kanban

Source: Gartner

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Create a Portfolio Kanban

Apply work-in-progress limits and explicit pull

policies to better manage the flow of work.
Source: Scaled Agile

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Create a Portfolio Kanban

Apply work-in-progress limits and explicit pull

policies to better manage the flow of work.
Source: Scaled Agile

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 Step 3.
Set Up
Regular
LPM Events

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Drive governance at the portfolio level by…

• Monitoring incremental delivery of value

• Using rapid feedback loops
• Creating transparency and flow
• Balancing distributed decision-making
• Embracing change as refinement

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Recommendations

Assess the status of your organization relative to the three key

prerequisites to ensure success.
Establish the LPM function with a cross-section of expertise from across
the organization.
Map your current portfolio work items into the portfolio Kanban and set
WIP limits to maintain the flow of value.
Set up monthly portfolio syncs and quarterly strategic portfolio reviews.
Add semiannual participatory budgeting based upon organizational readiness.

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Recommended Gartner Research

3 Steps for Starting SAFe Lean Portfolio Management

Lorri Callahan and Robert Handler (G00732644)
Break Through the Barriers to Scaling Agile and
Product-Centric Delivery
Bill Swanton and Mike West (G00726032)
Boost Enterprise Agile Adoption Using the From/To/Because Model
Lorri Callahan (G00735400)
PMO Evolution for Digital Primer for 2021
Lars Mieritz, Daniel Stang and Robert Handler (G00736842)
10 Essential Practices for Success in Implementing the Scaled
Agile Framework (SAFe)
Mike West (G00739151)
For information, please contact your Gartner representative.
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