Agile at Scale

Desired Outcome of this eLearning:

· Gain sufficient knowledge of terminology related to Agile at Scale as it relates
to People, Work, Time, and Outcomes so that the student is able to understand
content in the Agile at Scale Technical Delivery Accreditation course.

· Understand Agile at Scale features as they relate to one another

in the context of People, Work, Time and Outcomes.

· Link to existing Atlassian partner and external resources for additional information.

· Provide information on obtaining further external certification.

· Pass a formal assessment of competency around the terminology knowledge

necessary to understand the content of the technical delivery course.

Audience: Candidates for the Agile at Scale Technical Delivery Accreditation.

Assumptions about the candidates taking this course:

· Candidate is seeking Agile at Scale Technical Delivery Accreditation.

· Candidate may not have external certification from an organization with

a framework that scales agile concepts for enterprise companies.

· Candidate has prior knowledge of basic concepts of Agile and Scrum

at the team level.

· Candidate has advanced level knowledge of Jira.

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Terminology:

People
In this course, people are the individuals involved in the process of delivering products
and services, including team members, stakeholders, and customers.

They are the key drivers of agile methodologies and are responsible for collaborating,
communicating, and adapting to change to ensure successful project delivery. As agile
scales, people organize into teams with roles to drive team success in delivery of
products and services.

These teams then organize into teams of teams, or programs, where they have
interdependencies, and need closer collaboration on larger bodies of work. These
teams within programs work together on a synchronized schedule to deliver changes
to products, services, and systems.

They share common goals and seek to achieve value driven outcomes with the lowest
cost and waste, while driving toward the highest quality and customer satisfaction.

Work
In this course, work is defined as the units of desired change to products, services, or
systems to be delivered to customers. In an agile environment, the most common work
“deliverable” by a team is called a user story, or story. These changes, or stories, can
be collected together when they are related to one another enough to deliver a larger
system change or a new function.

This collection of stories is usually referred to as a feature. In Jira, our work

management product for agile teams, these features or related stories are usually
collected as “Jira Epics”.

As organizations continue to scale, and teams of teams (programs) begin to collaborate

and form, they often organize work into portfolios, which align to enterprise strategies
and contain larger containers of related features called “Portfolio Epics” or “Epics”. Note
that an Epic within a portfolio is not the same as a “Jira Epic” in most cases, and in Jira
Align, a “Jira Epic” translates to a Feature.

02
Time
Time refers to the timeboxes or periods of time where work is planned, goals are set,
changes to products are delivered, and outcomes are measured in this course.

The fundamental timebox is referred to as the sprint, or iteration. In this context and
as organizations scale, planning and delivery are timeboxed in “increment planning”
- usually quarterly periods sometimes called quarterly or program increments or PIs.
The “increment” is the end result of products and changes planned, developed and
delivered in the quarterly period.

When teams organize into programs, the most effective practice is to plan together,
synchronize iterations or sprints and events, and release together. This allows for
greater collaboration and clearer communication, ease of measuring outcomes, and
simplification of process. Program increments are segmented into synchronized sprints
or team increment timeboxes. All teams within a program plan, and perform their
sprints together.

Outcome
Outcomes are value driven targets that can be achieved by people when work (output)
is focused on a strategic goal. An output is the end result of a planned unit of work -
what can be produced as the result of work over time.

A story, feature, portfolio epic, or even an initiative or project can produce an output -
such as a change to a system, a product or a service. The measurable effect of outputs
on value to end customers and to the goals of a business are key results. Key results
help people understand the impact of output on objectives, or goals.

These Objectives and Key Results or OKRs scale in agile organizations as the
people scale, and align to the broader objectives of the portfolio (the theme(s)) and
enterprise (the strategy). Teams set goals for each sprint, and also define OKRs for
each program increment. The program also sets OKRs for the team of teams, and
these align through the theme(s) of a portfolio. These themes collectively help drive
the strategy of the enterprise.

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People

Term: Team

Default JA Term: Team

Alternate Terms: Squad, Group, Scrum/Scrum Team

Defined: In an Agile at Scale environment, a team is composed of various members

with different roles, including the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development
Team. The primary objective of this cross-functional team is to deliver value to
the customer through iterative and incremental product increments. The team is
self-organizing and works collectively to ensure accountability for delivering the
product increment at the end of each sprint or program increment. Depending on the
complexity of the project or organization, teams may be structured differently. It’s
crucial to understand these characteristics of an Agile team to achieve successful
outcomes in an Agile at Scale environment.

Primary Work Focus: Stories, Tasks, Feature

Primary People Focus: Program Increment, Quarter, Quarterly Increment

Primary Outcome Focus: Team Goals, Team OKRs and objectives

Term: Team of Teams

Default JA Term: Team of Teams

Alternate Terms: Program, ART, Release Train, Scrum of Scrums, Tribes

Defined: A program or team of teams is a collection of agile teams working together

to deliver a larger product increment. It may be led by a Product Owner, Program
Manager, Release Train Engineer (RTE), Scrum of Scrums Master (SSM) and/or a
Program Architect, who are responsible for defining the program vision and roadmap,
prioritizing the program backlog, and ensuring that the program is delivering value to
the customer. The teams within the program or team of teams are cross-functional,
self-organizing, and responsible for planning and executing their own sprints while
coordinating with other teams to ensure the product increment is delivered on time

04
and with the desired level of quality. Coordination and collaboration between the
teams are facilitated by various Agile practices and ceremonies such as the Program
Increment Planning event, Scrum of Scrums meetings, and System Demos. Overall,
a program or team of teams in an Agile at Scale environment is a collaborative and
coordinated group of Agile teams working towards achieving a shared vision and set of
objectives to deliver a larger product increment.

Primary Work Focus: Features and Epics. Potentially Capabilities, Initiatives

Primary People Focus: Program Increment, Quarter, Quarterly Increment

Primary Outcome Focus: Program OKR and objectives

Term: Scaled Team of Teams

Default JA Term: Solution, Portfolio

Defined: A solution or portfolio refers to a compilation of products, services, or systems

that are planned and provided by a group of Agile teams. Usually, it consists of several
programs or teams-of-teams, each focusing on delivering a specific product or element
of the bigger solution.

Regarding personnel, a solution or portfolio is composed of individuals who work

collectively to create, develop, and deliver the products or components that make
up the larger solution. These individuals may include product managers, designers,
developers, testers, business analysts, and other stakeholders who have a part in the
delivery of the solution. In SAFe, people who deliver solutions or portfolios are often
organized in Agile Release Trains (ARTs) or Solution Trains. Scrum at Scale organizes in
levels of “scrum of scrums (SoS)” as SoS, SoSoS, and upward supported by Executive
Action Team (EAT).

To achieve success, effective collaboration and communication among the individuals

involved in the solution or portfolio are vital. This involves establishing a shared
vision and understanding of the objectives and goals of the solution or portfolio. It
also entails ensuring that each person comprehends their role and responsibilities
in the delivery process. Teams organized into programs and portfolios to enable this
collaboration.

To encourage cooperation and communication among those involved in the solution

or portfolio, Agile practices and ceremonies may be employed. For example, cross-

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functional workshops, system demos, and portfolio-level backlog refinement sessions
are some of the methods utilized. These ceremonies are usually synchronized across
teams as they scale.

Primary Work Focus: Solutions, Initiatives, Capabilities, Epics

Primary People Focus: 1-3 years, following a solution or actionable portfolio strategic plan

Primary Outcome Focus: Solution OKRs and objectives, Portfolio OKRs, Mission

Term: Enterprise

Default JA Term: Enterprise

Defined: An enterprise refers to the entire organization, including all its business units,
functions, and teams. An enterprise is composed of many people, including employees,
stakeholders, and customers.

In terms of people, an enterprise is made up of individuals who work together to

achieve the organization’s goals and objectives. These individuals may include
executives, managers, business leaders, product owners, Scrum Masters, Agile coaches,
developers, testers, and other stakeholders who play a role in the success of the
organization.

To facilitate collaboration and communication between the individuals within the

enterprise, Agile practices and ceremonies may be used, such as cross-functional
workshops, town halls, and retrospectives. Additionally, Agile frameworks like Scrum@
Scale and SAFe are specifically designed to help enterprises adopt Agile principles and
practices at scale.

Primary Work Focus: Epics, Initiatives, Strategic Themes

Primary People Focus: 3-5 years following a longer term vision

Primary Outcome Focus: Mission, Vision, Values

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Term: Value Stream

Default JA Term: Value Stream

Defined: In the process of delivering products or services, people play a crucial role
in every stage of the value stream. From defining and prioritizing the product backlog
to releasing and deploying completed work items, individuals work collaboratively
to ensure that all the needs and expectations of the customer are met efficiently
and effectively.

The objective of people involved in the flow of value is to identify and prioritize the
most valuable and high-priority work items, plan and execute the work, test and
validate the completed work items, and release and deploy them to the customer.
These people typically include the product owner, Agile teams, business stakeholders,
and IT operations.

The product owner’s responsibility is to define and prioritize the product backlog based
on the organization’s strategic goals and objectives. They work with stakeholders to
identify the most valuable and high-priority work items. Agile teams are responsible
for planning and executing the work items according to the product backlog
collaboratively. Business stakeholders provide feedback on the completed work
items and ensure that they meet the business requirements and objectives. Finally, IT
operations are responsible for deploying and releasing the completed work items to
the customer.

In summary, the collaboration between people at every stage of the value stream
is essential in ensuring that the work is delivered efficiently and effectively while
satisfying customer needs and expectations.

Primary Work Focus: Value Stream Management impacts people and teams by
fostering collaboration, empowering individuals, focusing on customer value,
promoting continuous learning, and enhancing overall efficiency and productivity. By
aligning teams around the value stream, VSM creates a conducive environment for
high-performing teams, job satisfaction, and continuous improvement.

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Work

Term: Story

Default JA Term: Story

Alternate Terms: Issue, User Story, Ticket

Defined: Agile at Scale involves the use of stories which are brief descriptions of product
that provide value to customers. These stories may form part of a bigger initiative that
entails multiple teams working hand in hand. A product owner who is responsible
for aligning work items with organizational goals manages and prioritizes stories in
a product backlog. The stories define the tasks to be accomplished within a sprint or
iteration, prioritize them based on customer value and may be linked to larger-scale
user stories known as epics to ensure they align with the organization’s strategy.

Primary People Focus: Team

Primary Time Focus: Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Sprint Goal

Term: Task

Defined: In project management, a task is a vital component that contributes to

achieving a larger objective or user story. It is a manageable unit of work that can
be completed by an individual or small team within a short time frame. User stories
or requirements serve as the basis for deriving tasks, and they come with clear
acceptance criteria.

Tasks play a crucial role in promoting collaboration, breaking down complex projects,
and ensuring transparency. By utilizing project management tools such as Jira, teams
can monitor progress, distribute responsibilities, identify dependencies, and deliver
value incrementally. This enables teams to embrace an iterative and incremental
approach, which leads to continuous improvement and successful project outcomes.
Therefore, tasks are essential components of project management that contribute
significantly to the success of a project.

Primary People Focus: Team

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Primary Time Focus: Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Sprint Goal

Term: Non Functional Requirement

Defined: In software engineering, Non-functional requirements (NFRs) play a crucial

role in determining the characteristics and attributes of software systems. When
it comes to agile development, NFRs encompass limitations and performance
expectations that go beyond just functional capabilities. To ensure that these
requirements are duly considered, teams work together to identify and prioritize
them as early as possible, outlining them in user stories and acceptance criteria.
Addressing NFRs iteratively across iterations is key, and effective communication and
collaboration among team members is essential for success. By incorporating NFRs
into the definition of done and continuous monitoring and evaluation, teams can
guarantee that the software system meets all desired non-functional criteria.

Primary People Focus: Team

Primary Time Focus: Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Sprint Goal

Term: Defect

Defined: Software defects are a common occurrence in the software development

process. These defects can cause issues that lead to software systems behaving
unexpectedly, which can negatively impact their functionality, reliability, or
performance. However, agile at scale enterprises have developed effective methods for
detecting and managing defects. Through early detection, rigorous testing practices,
defect tracking, collaboration, continuous improvement, and backlog management,
these organizations can effectively prioritize and address defects based on their
impact, severity and business value. By continuously monitoring for defects, high-
quality software products can be maintained proactively.

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Primary People Focus: Team

Primary Time Focus: Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Sprint Goal

Term: Feature

Defined: Agile methodology at scale is a customer-centric approach that aims

to provide value by creating and delivering features. These features are based on
customer needs, user stories, and feedback, ensuring that the developed product
satisfies their requirements. To prioritize and plan these features, agile teams use user
story mapping, which enables them to manage a backlog of essential features. The
process involves dividing features into epics and user stories, which are then iteratively
developed and tested for continuous feedback and improvement.

To ensure effective communication and alignment throughout the development

process, cross-functional collaboration is encouraged. By working closely together,
team members can share knowledge and expertise, identify potential issues, and
take corrective actions promptly. This approach focuses on delivering high-value
features that meet user expectations and maximize return on investment. As a result,
businesses can achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty while
remaining competitive in today’s dynamic market.

Primary People Focus: Team, Team of Teams

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration, Sometimes Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Program OKR

Term: Capability

Defined: Capabilities play a significant role in shaping the functionality and value
delivered in agile at scale. They represent higher-level abilities or functionalities that
the system should possess to meet customer needs and achieve business goals.
Capabilities are aligned with the organization’s strategic objectives and customer

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needs, prioritized based on their business value, and developed iteratively through
cross-functional collaboration. Agile at scale aims to deliver working software that
enables users to achieve their desired outcomes, allowing for continuous improvement
and refinement of capabilities.

Primary People Focus: Team of Teams, Solution

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration

Primary Outcome Focus: Program OKR, Solution OKR, Strategic Theme

Term: Epic

Defined: In the world of software development, epics are large bodies of work that aid
in managing large and complex initiatives. When it comes to agile at scale, epics serve
as containers for organizing and prioritizing related user stories, features, and tasks.
They represent significant bodies of work that cannot be easily accomplished within a
single iteration.

Epics play a vital role in strategic planning and product roadmap development. They
help break down large-scale initiatives into manageable units, thus making them
easier to handle. Managing and tracking epics is done using agile project management
techniques, which ensure that progress is tracked, status is updated, and any issues or
dependencies related to the epic are addressed in a timely manner.

With the help of Jira Align, this collaboration becomes even more comfortable as it
provides a centralized platform for tracking progress, updating status, and addressing
any issues or dependencies related to the epic. This way, one can ensure that
everything is going according to the plan and avoid any unnecessary delays.

Primary People Focus: Portfolio

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration, Planning Horizon

Primary Outcome Focus: Program OKR, Solution OKR, Strategic Theme

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Term: Enabler

Defined: Enablers refer to the supporting activities, technical work, and infrastructure
that are necessary to enable the successful delivery of features and capabilities.
They address non-functional aspects, technical debt, and cross-cutting concerns,
providing the necessary foundation for the development and delivery of high-quality
software systems. Enablers are planned, prioritized, and managed alongside features
and capabilities, ensuring continuous improvement, technical excellence, and
adherence to quality standards. Collaboration across different roles and disciplines
is key in addressing enablers, leveraging expertise to implement necessary technical
enhancements. By addressing enablers, agile at scale ensures a sustainable and
scalable development process, proactively managing technical debt, improving system
performance, and enhancing architectural robustness.

Primary People Focus: Team, Team of Teams

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration, Sometimes Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Program OKR

Term: WIP

Defined: In agile methodologies, WIP is a metric used to monitor and manage the
flow of work by teams or individuals. The term refers to the amount of unfinished work
that is actively being worked on. To enhance productivity and efficiency, agile at scale
emphasizes limiting WIP, which helps prevent multitasking and bottlenecks. Teams
use Kanban or task boards to visualize and manage WIP, ensuring a smooth flow of
work. Regularly reviewing and adjusting WIP helps maintain balance and allows teams
to focus on completing tasks and delivering value effectively. Proper management of
WIP is essential for maintaining productivity, reducing bottlenecks, and achieving a
sustainable development process in agile at scale.

Primary Focus: WIP and it’s management is applicable across all organizational, time
and outcome constructs

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Term: Technical Debt

Defined: Technical debt is a result of making suboptimal design and implementation

choices during software development. It occurs when developers take shortcuts,
compromise code quality or defer necessary refactoring in order to deliver quickly.
Technical debt accumulates over time and increases the effort required for future
development, maintenance, and enhancements. The management of technical debt
involves strategies such as scheduled refactoring, continuous improvement practices,
and allocating dedicated time and resources to reduce debt incrementally. In agile
at scale, addressing technical debt alongside new feature development is crucial for
maintaining a healthy and sustainable development process.

Primary People Focus: Team, Team of Teams

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration, Sometimes Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Program OKR

Term: Runway

Defined: Architectural runway in agile at scale is the foundation and technical

capabilities that support the development and evolution of a software system. It
involves making strategic architectural decisions, implementing core components, and
defining design principles. By investing in the architectural runway, teams can work
more efficiently, deliver new features faster, and reduce technical debt.

The architectural runway provides stability, scalability, and flexibility to the software
system. It allows teams to leverage existing architectural components, patterns, and
guidelines, enabling quicker development and adaptation to changing business needs.
It also helps mitigate future rework and technical challenges by addressing them
proactively.

Managing the architectural runway is an ongoing process that involves collaboration

between architects, product owners, and development teams. Regular evaluation and
adjustment ensure alignment with evolving project needs and emerging technologies.
By investing in the architectural runway, agile at scale enterprises can achieve long-
term benefits like increased development speed, improved scalability, and the ability to
deliver high-quality software products consistently.

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Primary People Focus: Team, Team of Teams

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment Iteration, Sometimes Sprint

Primary Outcome Focus: Team OKR, Program OKR

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Time

Term: Sprint

Default JA Term: Sprint

Alternate Terms: Timebox, Iteration

Defined: Sprints are fundamental to the Agile methodology, as they help teams work on
a set of user stories or product backlog items within a fixed period of time. The duration
of a sprint can range from 1 to 4 weeks, with the team striving to deliver a potentially
shippable product increment at the end of each sprint.

During a sprint, the team works collaboratively to accomplish the tasks at hand, which
includes designing, developing, testing, and integrating the backlog items. To stay on
track, the team may hold daily stand-up meetings to synchronize their work, identify
any obstacles, and plan their tasks for the day.

Upon completion of each sprint, the team conducts both a sprint review and sprint
retrospective meeting. During the sprint review, the team demonstrates the work
completed during the sprint and receives valuable feedback from stakeholders. The
sprint retrospective allows the team to reflect on their performance throughout the
sprint and make necessary improvements going forward.

Primary Work Focus: Stories, Tasks, Features

Primary People Focus: Team (Scrum, Kanban)

Primary Outcome Focus: Team Goals, Sprint Goals, Team OKRs

Term: Program Increment

Default JA Term: Increment

Alternate Terms: Quarterly Increment, Program Increment

Defined: A Program Increment (PI) is a designated period of time, usually lasting

between 8 and 12 weeks, in which Agile teams collaborate to deliver a set of features,
capabilities, and improvements that correspond with the strategic goals and objectives

15
of the organization. The PI is an essential element of scaled Agile frameworks like SAFe
(Scaled Agile Framework), which aim to facilitate coordination and alignment across
teams and value streams.

During a PI, Agile teams work together to deliver a program increment that includes
new functionality, capabilities, and improvements. They prioritize and plan their work
using a shared backlog and hold regular sync meetings to ensure that their efforts are
in line with the overall PI goals and objectives.

At the conclusion of each PI, the teams conduct a PI System Demo to showcase the
completed work and gather feedback from stakeholders. Additionally, they hold a
PI Retrospective to review their performance during the PI and identify areas for
improvement.

The PI provides a structured approach to coordinating and aligning the work of multiple
Agile teams within a value stream or program. This allows them to work towards a
common goal and ensures that their efforts are aligned with the overall strategic vision
of the organization.

Primary Work Focus: Features, Capabilities

Primary People Focus: Program

Primary Outcome Focus: Program Objectives, Increment OKRs

Term: Quarter

Alternate Terms: Fiscal Quarter

Defined: A quarter is a three-month period of time that is commonly used for planning
and reporting purposes. Many organizations use a quarter as a planning horizon to set
goals, allocate resources, and track progress.

A quarter is typically divided into one or more program increments depending on the
scale and complexity of the work being done. For example, a scaled Agile framework
such as SAFe may divide a quarter into two program increments, each of which lasts
for 8-12 weeks.

In Agile at Scale, a fiscal quarter can be used as a planning horizon for setting goals,
allocating resources, and tracking progress. The Agile teams can plan their work and

16
set objectives based on the fiscal quarter, and use Agile ceremonies and practices to
ensure that their work is aligned with the overall strategic vision of the organization.

During a quarter, the Agile teams work collaboratively to deliver value to the customer
through the completion of user stories or product backlog items. The teams may hold
regular planning sessions and Agile ceremonies to ensure that their work is aligned
with the overall strategic vision of the organization and that they are making progress
towards their goals.

At the end of each quarter, the teams may hold a retrospective meeting to review their
performance during the quarter and identify areas for improvement. The retrospective
can be used to identify what worked well, what didn’t work well, and what changes
should be made for the next quarter.

Primary Work Focus: Features, Capabilities

Primary People Focus: Program

Primary Outcome Focus: Program Objectives, Increment OKRs

Term: Planning Horizon

Defined: A planning horizon is the period of time into the future during which an
organization or team plans and allocates resources to achieve specific goals and
objectives. The length of a planning horizon can vary depending on the nature and
complexity of the work being done, and the goals and objectives being pursued.

In Agile at Scale, the planning horizon is typically a fixed period of time, such as a
quarter or program increment, during which the Agile teams plan and execute their
work. The planning horizon provides a framework for setting goals, allocating resources,
and tracking progress, and ensures that the work being done is aligned with the overall
strategic vision of the organization.

The planning horizon is an essential component of Agile at Scale because it enables

the Agile teams to work collaboratively towards a common goal and ensures that their
work is aligned with the overall strategic vision of the organization. It allows the teams
to plan their work, identify dependencies and risks, and adjust their plans as needed
based on feedback and changes in the environment.

Primary Work Focus: Capabilities, Epics, Initiatives

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Primary People Focus: Portfolio, Enterprise

Primary Outcome Focus: Goals, Strategic Themes, Vision, Mission

Term: Cadence

Defined: In Agile at Scale, cadence refers to the rhythm or frequency of events, activities,
and processes that the Agile teams follow. It is a regular, predictable pattern of work
that helps to ensure that the work being done is aligned with the overall strategic
vision of the organization.

Cadence is an important component of Agile at Scale because it helps to create a

predictable and consistent work environment that enables the Agile teams to work
collaboratively towards a common goal. The regularity and predictability of the cadence
allow the teams to plan their work, identify dependencies and risks, and adjust their
plans as needed based on feedback and changes in the environment.

Examples of cadence in Agile at Scale include regular sprint or iteration cycles, program
increment planning sessions, Scrum of Scrums meetings, and system demos. These
events, activities, and processes occur on a regular basis and are designed to create
a predictable and consistent work environment that enables the Agile teams to work
collaboratively and deliver value to the customer.

Primary Focus: The application of cadence is relevant across all dimensions of work,
people, and outcomes, and it is established in accordance with the working agreement.

Term: Synchronized Cadence

Defined: Synchronized cadence helps to ensure that the work being done across
different teams and value streams is aligned with the overall strategic vision of the
organization. It creates a consistent and predictable work environment that enables the
Agile teams to work collaboratively towards a common goal.

When multiple Agile teams are working on different components of the same product or
system, it is essential that they are synchronized in terms of their cadence. This ensures
that they are working towards the same goals and objectives, and that their work is
integrated and aligned with each other.

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Synchronizing cadence in Agile at Scale also helps to identify dependencies and risks
early in the process, allowing the teams to address them before they become major
obstacles. It enables the teams to plan their work more effectively, allocate resources
efficiently, and track progress towards their goals.

Furthermore, synchronized cadence can help to reduce overhead, streamline

communication, and promote collaboration between teams. It enables the teams
to work together more efficiently, reducing the likelihood of duplication of effort or
conflicting priorities.

Primary Focus: The application of a synchronized cadence is relevant across all

dimensions of work, people, and outcomes, and it is established in accordance with the
working agreement or adopted framework.

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Outcomes

Term: OKR

Default JA Term: OKR

Alternate Terms: OKR

Defined: OKRs drive value delivery and connect strategy to execution by aligning
goals at all levels of the organization, providing clarity and focus, measuring results,
embracing adaptability, fostering alignment of efforts, and promoting continuous
learning. Through cascading objectives, clear measurement of outcomes, and a shared
understanding of priorities, OKRs ensure that organizations stay on track towards their
strategic objectives, optimize resource allocation, and deliver meaningful value to
customers and stakeholders.

Jira Align supports organizations in implementing and managing OKRs effectively by

enabling alignment and cascading of objectives, promoting collaboration and visibility,
facilitating measurement and progress tracking, supporting agile execution and
adaptability, fostering collaboration across teams, and providing insights and analytics.
With Jira Align, organizations can streamline the OKR process, align work with strategic
objectives, track progress in real-time, foster collaboration, and make data-driven
decisions for successful value delivery.

Primary Work Focus: All

Primary Time Focus: Planning Increment and Strategy Horizon

Primary People Focus: All

Term: KPI

Default JA Term: KPI

Alternate Terms: KPI

Defined: KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are specific metrics used to measure
and evaluate performance in achieving predefined goals or objectives. They provide
quantifiable measurements and reflect the progress and effectiveness of specific

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processes, projects, or areas within an organization. KPIs are tailored to measure critical
success factors, are measurable and focused on specific aspects of performance, and
are directly linked to an organization’s strategic goals. They are monitored on a regular
basis to ensure timely feedback, facilitate data-driven decision-making, and drive
continuous improvement. By aligning KPIs with strategic objectives, organizations
can prioritize resources and efforts effectively, make informed decisions, and evaluate
performance relative to set expectations.

Term: Goal

Default JA Term: Goal

Alternate Terms: Goal, Strategic Theme, Theme, Objective, OKR

Defined: In Agile at Scale, goals are strategically aligned with the organization’s
objectives and prioritize value delivery. They are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable,
Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that guide and focus efforts. Goals are set
iteratively and time-boxed to adapt to changing priorities. They cascade throughout the
organization, ensuring alignment and shared accountability. Continuous improvement
is emphasized, with goals regularly reviewed to enhance performance. Overall, goals in
Agile at Scale provide clarity, value orientation, and a framework for achieving desired
outcomes.

Term: Sprint Goal

Default JA Term: Sprint Goal

Alternate Terms: Sprint Goal

Defined: Sprint goals are concise statements that define the objective or outcome that a
development team aims to achieve during a sprint in Agile software development. They
provide a unifying focus and direction for the team’s work, guiding their efforts towards a
common purpose. Sprint goals are typically set at the beginning of each sprint and serve
as a reference point throughout the sprint to help teams make decisions and prioritize
their work. They encourage collaboration, align the team’s efforts, and provide a clear
target for the sprint’s deliverables. Sprint goals foster transparency, enable effective

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communication, and promote a sense of accomplishment and progress as the team
works together towards achieving the defined objective within the sprint timeframe.

Sprint goals roll up to team OKRs by aligning the team’s work with the broader
objectives, breaking down objectives into manageable increments, serving as
guideposts for execution and progress tracking, providing feedback for improvement, and
contributing to the overall achievement of the team’s OKRs. The successful completion of
sprint goals builds momentum and progress towards the team’s desired outcomes.

Primary Work Focus: Story, feature

Primary Time Focus: Sprint, Iteration

Primary People Focus: Team

Term: Theme

Default JA Term: Theme, Strategic Theme

Alternate Terms: Theme, Strategic Theme

Defined: Themes represent overarching areas of focus and strategic priorities that
guide work within an organization or team. They have a broader scope, longer-term
relevance, and serve as a framework for organizing and aligning objectives and goals.
While OKRs and goals focus on specific objectives and measurable outcomes, themes
provide strategic context and guide the overall strategic direction of the organization.

Primary Work Focus: Portfolio Epic

Primary Time Focus: Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Value Stream, Portfolio, Enterprise

Term: Initiative

Default JA Term: Initiative

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Alternate Terms: Initiative, program, project

Defined: An initiative refers to a specific project or program of work with defined

objectives, deliverables, and timelines. Initiatives are action-oriented and focus on
achieving concrete outcomes within a narrower scope. They are time-bound efforts
that require dedicated resources and contribute to the achievement of broader
organizational goals.

Initiatives are focused projects or programs with specific goals and deliverables, while
themes represent broader areas of strategic focus. Initiatives are time-bound and
resource-intensive efforts that contribute to the achievement of strategic objectives
represented by themes.

Primary Work Focus: Capability, Portfolio Epic

Primary Time Focus: Quarterly Increment, Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Solution Train, Value Stream, Portfolio, Enterprise

Term: Strategy

Default JA Term: Strategy

Alternate Terms: Strategy

Defined: Strategy is a high-level plan or approach that outlines how an organization

intends to achieve its long-term vision and goals. It involves making choices about
where to compete and how to differentiate in order to create a sustainable competitive
advantage. Strategy provides a roadmap for allocating resources, setting priorities, and
making decisions to align organizational efforts towards desired outcomes.

Primary Work Focus: Portfolio Epic

Primary Time Focus: Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Value Stream, Portfolio, Enterprise

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Term: Mission

Default JA Term: Mission

Alternate Terms: Mission

Defined: A mission is a concise statement that defines the purpose, core values, and
primary focus of an organization. It encapsulates the reason for an organization’s
existence, its primary objectives, and the fundamental principles that guide its actions
and decisions. The mission statement communicates the organization’s overall goal or
intention, providing clarity and direction for its activities.

A mission statement captures the essence of an organization’s identity, purpose, and

core values. It serves as a guiding beacon, aligning actions and decisions with the
organization’s overarching mission and providing a sense of unity and direction for its
stakeholders.

Teams and Teams of Teams can also have a mission statement that further refines and
aligns to the overarching mission of the enterprise.

Primary Time Focus: Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Enterprise

Term: Vision

Default JA Term: Vision

Alternate Terms: Vision

Defined: A vision is a forward-looking statement that describes the desired future

state or ultimate goal that an organization aspires to achieve. It paints a compelling
picture of what the organization aims to become, the impact it seeks to make, and
the future it envisions for itself and its stakeholders. A vision statement captures the
organization’s long-term aspirations and provides inspiration and direction for its
strategic decisions and actions.

A vision statement represents the organization’s aspirations, goals, and desired future
state. It inspires, motivates, and guides the organization and its stakeholders towards
a common and compelling future.

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Teams and Teams of Teams can also have vision statements that further refine and
align to the overarching vision of the enterprise.

Primary Time Focus: Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Enterprise

Term: Values

Default JA Term: Values

Alternate Terms: Values

Defined: Values are the fundamental beliefs and principles that guide the behavior,
decisions, and actions of individuals and organizations. They serve as a moral compass,
shaping the culture, identity, and character of an organization. Values represent what
an organization or individual stands for and how they conduct themselves in their
interactions with others and in pursuit of their goals.

Teams and Teams of Teams can also have value statements that further refine and
align to the overarching values of the enterprise.

Primary Time Focus: Planning Horizon

Primary People Focus: Enterprise

Term: Predictability

Default JA Term: Predictability

Alternate Terms: Predictability

Defined: Predictability refers to the ability to consistently forecast and deliver work
within expected timeframes and with reliable outcomes. It is important because it
enables effective planning and decision-making, enhances customer satisfaction,
promotes flow and efficiency, facilitates alignment and coordination, fosters trust and

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accountability, and supports continuous improvement. Predictability allows teams to
meet commitments, manage expectations, optimize workflows, and build trust with
stakeholders. It provides a foundation for successful execution in Agile at Scale and
contributes to overall performance and success.

Understanding predictability involves analyzing metrics, reviewing historical

performance, using estimation techniques, conducting retrospectives, gathering
stakeholder feedback, and continuously monitoring and adapting practices. It is a
proactive and iterative process aimed at improving the accuracy and reliability of work
delivery, ultimately enhancing predictability for successful execution.

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