Coordinating Large Solution Delivery Competency
Business Problem
We struggle to manage large-scale development efforts that involve multiple teams, Agile Release Trains (ARTs), and suppliers, leading to delays and quality issues.
Business Outcomes
- Reduce bottlenecks and dependencies through effective coordination activities.
- Deliver frequent, integrated Solution Demos and cross-ART planning events.
- Integrate Suppliers and develop long-term partnerships.
- Decrease resolution time for delivery impediments and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Why is the Coordinating Large Solution Delivery Competency important?
Coordinating the delivery of large solutions is essential in today's world, where complex products and systems require the skills of many Agile Teams, ARTs, and Suppliers. These large solutions often involve hundreds or even thousands of engineers, and they must often meet strict regulatory and compliance requirements.
The inherent complexity not only encompasses technical challenges but also involves crafting user journeys that span multiple products and business lines. In the case of cyber-physical systems, a diverse range of engineering disciplines is necessary, along with the integration of hardware and long lead-time components. This is why a structured approach becomes crucial for managing these complex initiatives. When this coordination is done well, organizations create significant value for their customers. But without it, it becomes really difficult to ensure smooth and reliable delivery.
This becomes especially important for large solutions that involve "nested value streams", where multiple components need to be integrated into a single cohesive solution, and for "networked value streams", where multiple development efforts must be kept in sync to deliver related solutions. Effective coordination in these scenarios is key to achieving successful results, and the Coordinating Large Solution Delivery competency provides crucial insights for companies dealing with these "systems-of-systems."
Solution Trains, whether we're building new ones from scratch or combining existing ARTs, are one commonly used approach to coordinating at this scale and aligning multiple ARTs and suppliers effectively.
Which roles would benefit from mastering this competency?
Content authority roles, most often realized by Product and Solution Management, technical authority roles, most often realized by System and Solution Architect, and value delivery roles, most commonly Release Train Engineers (RTEs) and Solution Train Engineers (STEs). Additionally, Business Owners, members of the Value Management Office (VMO), and individuals coaching across large solutions.