In the first step of SAFe's CDP, what activity do POs and PMs engage in?

In the first step of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline (CDP) within the SAFe framework, Product Owners (POs) and Product Managers (PMs) engage in hypothesizing what would create value for customers. This activity is crucial as it sets the foundation for understanding customer needs, preferences, and pain points, which in turn drives the development of features that align with those needs. By formulating hypotheses about value creation, POs and PMs can identify opportunities for innovation and improvement, ensuring that the products developed will resonate with the target audience.

This initial step is vital because it encourages a mindset of curiosity and exploration, allowing teams to innovate based on insights rather than assumptions. These hypotheses can later be tested through user feedback and validation, leading to data-driven decisions that enhance the overall development process.

The other activities listed, such as reviewing past customer feedback, establishing team priorities, and creating a backlog of features, are indeed important components of the overall product development cycle. However, they typically follow the initial hypothesis formation stage, as understanding and hypothesizing about customer value precedes the actions that build on that understanding.