What is the purpose of the PI Planning event in SAFe?

The purpose of the PI Planning event in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is to align all Agile teams within the program to the shared goals and priorities for the upcoming Program Increment (PI). During this event, teams collaborate to understand the program's vision, goals, and the features that will drive value. This alignment is critical as it ensures that every team understands how their work fits into the larger picture, fostering collaboration and communication across all teams involved in the program.

By bringing together all teams and stakeholders, PI Planning helps create a shared commitment to the objectives of the PI, allowing teams to plan their work in a way that directly supports the overarching goals of the organization. This results in a cohesive strategy where dependencies are identified, potential risks are addressed, and everyone has clarity on the deliverables for the upcoming increment.

While defining team roles and responsibilities, conducting retrospectives, and estimating upcoming features are relevant activities within Agile methodologies, they do not encapsulate the primary goal of the PI Planning event, which is fundamentally about aligning teams with program objectives.