During PI Planning, who is responsible for leading the discussion about dependencies and risks?

During PI Planning, the Release Train Engineer (RTE) plays a crucial role in facilitating the event and ensuring that the team remains focused on objectives. One of the key responsibilities of the RTE is to lead discussions about dependencies and risks among the various teams involved in the PI. This is essential because addressing dependencies helps in coordinating efforts and aligning the teams towards a common goal, while managing risks ensures that potential issues are identified and mitigated early on in the planning process.

The RTE's expertise in managing the Agile Release Train (ART) dynamics enables them to draw out important conversations among teams, helping to clarify how their work interrelates and what external factors could impact their success. This collaborative approach fosters transparency and encourages proactive problem-solving, which is vital for the smooth execution of the PI.

While other roles, such as the Product Owner, are indeed involved in the planning discussions, their focus is typically more on prioritizing and defining the work to be done rather than on facilitating the broader discussion of dependencies and risks across all teams. Therefore, the RTE's leadership in these discussions is integral to the overall effectiveness of PI Planning.