In the latter case, enterprises apply the elements and practices of Large Solution SAFe and create a Solution Train to help coordinate the contributions of ARTs and Suppliers to build and deliver some of the world’s largest systems. Each area of responsibility is described below, followed by additional guidance for ensuring that the Product Management function delivers maximum value to customers and the enterprise. Exploring Markets and Users Continuous Exploration promotes innovation and aligns with what should be built. Design Thinking continually explores customer and market needs, defining a Vision and Roadmap. Engage in networking opportunities and join Agile communities to learn from the experiences and insights of other Product Owners and Agile professionals.

The mutually supportive capabilities of the APD competency create opportunities for sustained market and service leadership. Figure 1. Three Dimensions of APD Know the stakeholders – Product design and implementation must also reflect the needs of non-customer stakeholders. Business Owners, Lean Portfolio Management, Product Management, System Architects, and fellow POs, for example, rely on the cadence and quality of the team’s output. The PO identifies key stakeholders and balances their needs with those of the customer. Figure 9. Continuous Exploration, Continuous Integration, and Continuous Deployment are continuous, concurrent, and supported by DevOps capabilitiesDevOps and the Continuous Delivery Pipeline lay the foundation that enables releasing value, in whole or part, at any time to meet demand. Each of these areas of responsibility is described in the sections below. Connecting with the Customer Understanding the problem – The problem space is where designers explore the problem, including its complex nature, and get a clear definition of the problem, gaining insight into the requirements and benefits of a desirable solution. Books about the product ownership tend to focus on one aspect of the role, such as agile software development, and describe or recommend a specific approach. ARTs include the teams that define, build, and test features, as well as those that deploy, release, and operate the solution. Individual teams have a choice of Agile practices, based primarily on Scrum, XP, and Kanban. Each Agile team has 5 – 11 dedicated individual contributors, covering all the roles necessary to build a quality increment of value every iteration. Teams may be technology-focused—delivering software, hardware, and any combination—or business-focused. Each Agile team has two specialty roles, the Scrum Master and the Product Owner. And of course, Agile teams within the ART are themselves cross-functional, as shown in Figure 4. Figure 4. Agile teams are cross-functional

Identify market rhythms and events – Market rhythms are predictable, often seasonal, patterns in supply and demand that inform periodic release schedules. Market events, such as regulatory changes, patent expirations, and releases from competitors, occur more sporadically and require Product Management to plan for dynamic, out-of-cycle releases. Every Product Owner needs to consider where they lie on this spectrum from internal to external, from BA to Product ManagerAgile Teams – Agile Teams embrace the ‘Agile Manifesto’ and SAFe Core Values and Principles. They apply Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Kanban, and other Built-In Quality practices. The schedule is fixed – The train departs the station on a known, reliable schedule, as determined by the chosen Program Increment (PI) cadence. If a Feature misses a timed departure and does not get planned into the current PI, it can catch the next one. Ultimately, DevOps is a mindset, a culture, and a set of technical practices that provides solution elements to the customer without handoffs or too much external production and operations support. As illustrated in Figure 7, SAFe’s approach to DevOps is grounded in five concepts: Culture, Automation, Lean Flow, Measurement, and Recovery ( CALMR), briefly described below. Figure 7. SAFe’s CALMR approach to DevOps