The Inspect and Adapt (I&A) workshop is where a SAFe organization pauses, takes an honest look at results, and figures out what’s working and what’s not. If you want real improvement, I&A is non-negotiable. But the truth is, running these sessions well is easier said than done. Teams struggle with the format, candor, outcomes, and even motivation. So, let’s break down the common challenges and how you can actually get past them.

---

1. Superficial Problem Identification

Here’s what happens: people gather, surface a few safe issues, write them on stickies, and call it a day. The real blockers—the ones slowing down delivery or causing friction—never make it to the board.

Why does this happen?
Blame it on psychological safety, power dynamics, or just the habit of sticking to what feels comfortable. Sometimes, folks are just tired. Other times, there’s a sense of, “what’s the point, nothing will change.”

How to fix it:

• Build psychological safety. This doesn’t mean holding hands and singing songs. It means leaders must show that real talk is valued and there’s no punishment for honesty. Want a playbook? Look at Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety.

• Mix up facilitation styles. Try anonymous input or silent brainstorming before opening up.

• Challenge the group: “What’s one problem we’re not talking about but should?”

You can go deeper into these practices with a Leading SAFe certification, where the art of constructive retrospectives is a key theme.

---

2. Blame Games and Finger-Pointing

When retros drift into “whose fault was it?” mode, progress stops. The focus moves from the system to individuals, and teams clam up.

Why does this happen?
It’s easy to look for culprits, especially when deadlines slip or defects pile up. Leaders sometimes (unintentionally) stoke this by demanding “accountability” rather than understanding.

How to fix it:

• Frame every problem as a system issue. Use language like “What in the process let this happen?” rather than “Who did this?”

• Rotate facilitators. An outside Scrum Master or Release Train Engineer can help keep things neutral.

• Reference the classic “Five Whys” technique, but always dig for process root causes, not people.

A SAFe Scrum Master certification will give you practical facilitation tools to handle these situations.

---

3. Lack of Real Follow-Through

Many teams leave the I&A workshop with a laundry list of “action items” that quietly die in the next sprint.

Why does this happen?
No ownership, too many actions, or nobody checks progress. Teams get busy, and improvement work falls off the radar.

How to fix it:

• Limit actions to 1-2 high-impact improvements. Less is more.

• Assign clear owners and review progress at every iteration.

• Make improvement work visible—track it like any other backlog item.

In a SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) certification, you’ll see how to weave improvement work into your regular planning and keep it from getting lost.

---

4. Poor Data or Metrics

If you’re running I&A workshops using opinions instead of data, you’re flying blind. Teams end up arguing about anecdotes instead of identifying what’s objectively holding them back.

Why does this happen?
Sometimes, data isn’t available. Other times, nobody trusts it. Or maybe metrics are chosen because they’re easy to track, not because they’re meaningful.

How to fix it:

• Invest time in defining and capturing meaningful metrics: lead time, throughput, escaped defects, customer feedback, etc.

• Make sure everyone understands what the numbers actually mean. Don’t just report on metrics—interpret them as a group.

• Use visuals. Cumulative flow diagrams, control charts, and trend lines are far better than walls of text.

If you want to get hands-on with system-level metrics, look into the SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification for deeper dives on lean flow and measurement.

---

5. Meeting Fatigue and Low Engagement

Some I&A sessions drag on, feel repetitive, and leave people wishing they could get back to “real work.”

Why does this happen?
Sessions are too long, too unfocused, or poorly facilitated. People tune out if the session feels like a box-ticking exercise.

How to fix it:

• Timebox ruthlessly. Two to three hours, max, for the retrospective part. Stay focused.

• Keep the session interactive—don’t let one or two voices dominate.

• Switch up the format: try breakout rooms, open space, or even remote whiteboards.

• Celebrate small wins. Not every improvement needs to be a blockbuster.

A well-run SAFe Release Train Engineer (RTE) certification covers facilitation tricks for keeping big rooms of people engaged and outcomes-focused.

---

6. Not Addressing Cross-Team or Systemic Issues

I&A can easily devolve into team-level gripes, missing bigger, organization-wide problems.

Why does this happen?
Teams tend to focus on what’s in their control. Without the right participants, systemic problems don’t get raised—or solved.

How to fix it:

• Ensure leaders and key stakeholders join the session.

• Dedicate time specifically for cross-team or ART-level impediments.

• Use facilitation techniques like “What’s one thing that, if fixed, would help everyone?”

If you want a reference, check out Scaled Agile’s official I&A guidance for a structure on identifying systemic bottlenecks.

---

7. Failure to Celebrate Progress

Teams sometimes skip over wins because they’re focused on what’s broken. Over time, this kills morale.

Why does this happen?
It feels more productive to fix things than to stop and celebrate. Or, teams feel pressured by leadership to always improve.

How to fix it:

• Start each I&A with quick “bright spots”—what’s gone well, what should we do more of?

• Make this part of the agenda, not an afterthought.

• Recognize individuals and teams publicly for meaningful improvements.

---

Wrapping It Up

Running a great SAFe Inspect and Adapt session is more art than science. It’s about honest reflection, a bias for action, and building habits where improvement work is as important as feature work. If you tackle the challenges above head-on, your I&A workshops will actually drive change, not just tick a box.

If you want to get better at facilitation, problem solving, and scaling improvement across teams, consider certifications like Leading SAFe, SAFe POPM, SAFe Scrum Master, Advanced Scrum Master, and Release Train Engineer.

Want to go deeper into effective retrospectives? Check out this practical guide on agile retrospectives by Atlassian—it’s loaded with actionable formats.

Final thought:
I&A is where real change happens. Treat it as the heartbeat of improvement, and your SAFe implementation will keep evolving, not stagnating.

 

Also read - How to Run an Effective Inspect and Adapt Workshop in SAFe

 Also see - Key Metrics to Track During Inspect and Adapt Sessions