Aligning PI Objectives with SAFe Measure and Grow Outcomes

Blog Author

Siddharth

Published

21 Jul, 2025

Aligning PI Objectives with SAFe Measure and Grow Outcomes

Let’s start with the obvious. Program Increment (PI) Objectives in SAFe are there to help teams focus and deliver on what really drives business value. But without connecting these objectives to data-backed outcomes (Measure and Grow), teams are just guessing and hoping they hit the target.

So, what does “alignment” actually look like?
It means every objective you set isn’t just a nice-to-have, but something you can prove is moving the needle—because you’re measuring what matters.

The Basics: What Are PI Objectives and Measure and Grow?

PI Objectives

Clear, short-term goals for the Agile Release Train (ART), set during PI Planning.
They translate strategy into actionable, trackable targets.
They’re not just a list—each objective is supposed to deliver tangible value.

Measure and Grow

SAFe’s built-in improvement engine.
Uses a set of Agility Assessments to see how you’re doing at team, ART, and portfolio levels.
Provides data on what’s working, what’s lagging, and where the gaps are.

If you haven’t gone deep into how Measure and Grow works, it’s worth the read.

The Real Problem: Misalignment in Practice

Here’s the thing—lots of organizations set PI Objectives in isolation. Someone asks, “What do we want to achieve?” The team brainstorms, sticks up sticky notes, and walks away feeling good.
But then, the metrics from Measure and Grow don’t match up.
Maybe you’re improving lead time, but your objective is about releasing new features. Or you’re focused on code quality, but your outcome metrics are all about customer satisfaction.

Result: Progress feels slow. Improvement is fuzzy. Leadership isn’t convinced. Teams get frustrated.

What Alignment Looks Like (For Real)

Step 1: Start with the Business Outcomes

Forget the wish list. What actually moves the business forward?
Use the SAFe Lean Portfolio Management lens: value streams, customer impact, strategic themes.

Example: If customer lead time is a top business concern, that becomes a North Star.

Step 2: Use Measure and Grow to Surface Gaps

Run your agility assessments. See where your ARTs and teams are falling short.

Is it flow? Predictability? Quality?
Use that as raw material—not just for retrospectives, but as the backbone for PI Objective discussions.

Practical tip:
Bring the Measure and Grow radar chart into the PI planning room. Make it visible. Start the session with, “Here’s where we stand.”

Step 3: Set PI Objectives That Map to Measurable Outcomes

When teams set PI Objectives, make them evidence-based:

Tie each objective to a lagging or leading indicator from your Measure and Grow data.
Be explicit: “This objective is intended to move our flow time from 20 days to 15 days.”

Bonus: It forces you to define how you’ll know if you’re actually done.

Step 4: Track and Adjust During the PI

Don’t just set-and-forget.

Use ART syncs and System Demos to show progress—not just on features, but on Measure and Grow metrics.
If you’re off-track, adjust during the PI, not after.

Example: Let’s Get Concrete

Suppose your last agility assessment showed weak performance in “Predictable Delivery” and “Team Flow.”

Old way:
PI Objective: “Deliver Feature X, Y, Z.”

Aligned way:
PI Objective:

“Improve team predictability by increasing PI predictability measure from 65% to 85%.”
“Reduce average cycle time for key features from 10 days to 7 days.”

Suddenly, the business can see improvement. Teams have clarity. And Measure and Grow data tells you if you’re winning.

How to Actually Run This in Your Organization

1. Prep Before PI Planning

Pull the latest Measure and Grow results.
Meet with Product Owners and Scrum Masters ahead of time—review the findings and ask, “Which areas can we realistically move this PI?”
Discuss as a leadership team (Release Train Engineer, Product Management, Scrum Masters) where you want improvement.

2. Facilitate Real Conversations in PI Planning

Open PI Planning with a short, honest review of your Measure and Grow outcomes.
Challenge teams: “Which of our objectives directly help us move the needle on these outcomes?”
Use breakout sessions to define objectives that are both ambitious and anchored in data.

3. Bake It into ART Events

Use PI objectives as a lens in your ART Sync, Inspect and Adapt, and System Demo.
Celebrate the wins tied to improvement—not just delivery.
Bring data to the discussion: “Here’s what’s actually changing in our flow/predictability/quality metrics.”

4. Close the Loop

At the end of the PI, reflect: Did our objectives deliver the improvement we aimed for?
If not, why? Was it a measurement issue, a missed opportunity, or something structural?
Feed these lessons directly into the next PI Planning session.

Pitfalls to Avoid

Setting vague objectives: If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t count.
Ignoring the data: Teams sometimes cherry-pick objectives that “sound good.” Stick to what the data shows.
Treating Measure and Grow as a compliance exercise: It should fuel improvement, not just check a box.
Forgetting about value delivery: It’s not about hitting numbers for their own sake. The goal is real customer and business value.

How SAFe Roles Play In

Release Train Engineers make the connection between assessment data and improvement objectives real.
Check out RTE certification details here.
Product Owners and Product Managers are on the hook for value delivery. Tying their objectives to Measure and Grow data is part of the job.
SAFe POPM certification covers this in detail.
Scrum Masters keep the team honest on improvement and support conversations around metrics.
Relevant Scrum Master certifications here.
Advanced Scrum Master options are available too.
SAFe Agilists drive the big-picture connection between portfolio strategy and team objectives.
Here’s what Leading SAFe Agilist certification is about.

External Reads (That Don’t Suck)

Final Word

Aligning PI Objectives with Measure and Grow outcomes isn’t just process for the sake of process. It’s about turning data into action, and action into real, visible results. The teams that master this aren’t just Agile on paper—they’re delivering the goods and getting better, every PI.

If you’re looking to skill up in making these connections, dig deeper into the relevant SAFe certification programs from AgileSeekers and see how the pros do it.

Also read - Using Measure and Grow to Drive Team Engagement

Also see - How to Facilitate SAFe Measure and Grow Workshops