Big Room Planning (BRP)

Understanding Big Room Planning

In the Agile domain, Big Room Planning (BRP) is an integral event that takes place at the beginning of each Program Increment (PI). The PI is typically a timebox of 8 to 12 weeks, during which an Agile Release Train (ART) delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and systems.

Components of BRP

• Setting the context: This involves sharing the business context and vision, which guides the planning process.
• Team breakouts: Teams discuss, plan, and commit to what they can deliver in the upcoming PI.
• Draft plan review: Teams present their draft plans to stakeholders for feedback.
• Final plan review and commitment: Teams finalize their plans and make a commitment to deliver.
• Retrospective and confidence vote: Teams reflect on the planning process and vote on their confidence in the plan.

Benefits of BRP

BRP fosters open communication, transparency, and collaboration among teams and stakeholders. It allows for real-time decision-making, reduces waste by minimizing rework, and aligns everyone on the objectives and deliverables for the upcoming PI.

1. A software development company uses BRP to align its multiple teams on the development roadmap for their new product. 2. A digital marketing agency uses BRP to plan their marketing campaigns for the next quarter, ensuring all teams are on the same page. 3. A manufacturing company uses BRP to plan their production schedule, aligning all stakeholders on the objectives and deliverables.

BRP originated from the Lean and Agile methodologies, and it’s a key event in the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework). It has been adopted by organizations worldwide to align multiple teams on a shared vision and roadmap.

• BRP is not just a meeting, but a collaborative event that involves planning, discussion, and commitment.
• BRP is not only for large organizations, but can also be scaled down for smaller teams.

• Compared to traditional planning methods, BRP is more collaborative and transparent, fostering alignment and reducing waste.
• Compared to Scrum, BRP is a larger-scale event that involves multiple teams and stakeholders.

• Agile Release Train (ART)
• Program Increment (PI)
• SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework)
• Scrum
• Kanban