Launching your first Agile Release Train (ART) is a major milestone for any organization moving toward business agility. Success with ART depends on how well you prepare your Agile teams, your leadership, and the broader organization. Let’s break down the steps, from setting up training to rolling out your first PI (Program Increment), so you can create real, lasting change.

1. Build the Right Foundation

Assess Organizational Readiness

Before diving into team training or scheduling your first ART launch, check your organization's readiness for a scaled Agile transformation. Leaders need to clarify the vision, goals, and value streams that the ART will support. Identify value streams, engage stakeholders, and make sure leadership understands their role.

• Tip: SAFe’s guidance on Value Streams is a great resource for this stage.

Secure Leadership Commitment

Change works only when leaders are involved. Ensure that leaders, including potential Release Train Engineers (RTEs), Product Owners, and Scrum Masters, understand the “why” and “how” of Agile transformation. Their buy-in will be critical at every step.

2. Train Leaders and Key Roles

Invest in Scaled Agile Training

Start by equipping your leaders and ART key roles with the right knowledge. Enroll them in Leading SAFe Agilist Certification training, which explains Lean-Agile principles, SAFe roles, and ART mechanics. This training empowers leaders to guide teams through change, manage resistance, and set up the ART for ongoing value delivery.

Prepare Scrum Masters and Product Owners

Scrum Masters and Product Owners play central roles in ART success. Provide focused training, such as the SAFe Scrum Master certification and SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) certification. These courses cover essential facilitation, backlog management, and cross-team coordination skills.

Deepen Expertise with Advanced Training

For experienced Scrum Masters, consider SAFe Advanced Scrum Master certification. This program focuses on advanced facilitation, coaching, and collaboration across teams. As your ART grows, having advanced Scrum Masters makes a measurable difference in team performance.

Appoint and Train the Release Train Engineer (RTE)

The RTE is the chief facilitator of the ART. Invest in SAFe Release Train Engineer certification to develop strong servant-leaders who can handle program-level risks, dependencies, and PI Planning logistics.

3. Prepare Your Agile Teams

Identify Teams and Clarify Roles

An ART is made up of several Agile teams, each with defined roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, and cross-functional team members. Form teams around value streams, not silos, to maximize business value. Use the team self-selection approach for better ownership.

Conduct Agile Fundamentals Training

Deliver Agile fundamentals training to every team member. Cover Scrum, Kanban, and XP basics so that all teams share a common vocabulary and mindset. Don’t skip the basics—even experienced team members benefit from a shared understanding.

Establish Team Agreements

Help each team create their own working agreements, definitions of “ready” and “done,” and clear ways of working. Team agreements foster alignment, accountability, and psychological safety.

4. Build the ART Backlog

Define the ART Vision and Roadmap

Work with business owners and product management to define a clear ART vision and roadmap. This high-level direction guides teams when prioritizing and delivering features.

Create a Well-Structured ART Backlog

Break down the vision into Epics, Features, and User Stories. Assign Product Owners and Product Managers to lead backlog refinement sessions. Include enablers and technical debt items to ensure sustainable development.

• Tip: For more on structuring the ART backlog, see Scaled Agile’s ART Backlog guidelines.

5. Conduct Readiness Workshops

Train Teams Together

Before your first PI Planning, conduct a SAFe Quickstart or “Big Room Training.” Bring all ART teams, leaders, and stakeholders together for a hands-on introduction to SAFe, team roles, and ART processes. This aligns everyone, builds relationships, and sets expectations for the launch.

Test Tools and Logistics

Set up Agile project management tools (like Jira, Rally, or Azure DevOps) and make sure everyone has access. Run dry runs of PI Planning, including remote or hybrid simulations if necessary.

6. Execute the First PI Planning Event

Run a Real PI Planning

PI Planning is the cornerstone event for launching the ART. Schedule two full days for in-depth planning. Ensure you have clear business context, ART vision, prioritized backlogs, and logistics ready.

• Teams plan their iterations, identify dependencies, and raise risks.

• The Release Train Engineer (RTE) facilitates the agenda, timeboxes, and outcomes.

• Management reviews draft plans, addresses impediments, and confirms commitment at the end.

• Tip: Learn more about effective PI Planning facilitation from the SAFe Framework.

Create Program Boards

Visualize dependencies, milestones, and delivery plans on a Program Board. This board will become the central artifact for tracking ART progress throughout the PI.

7. Launch the ART and Inspect/Adapt

Start Iteration Execution

Once planning is complete, teams start their first iteration, delivering value in small increments. RTEs and Scrum Masters lead daily standups, scrum-of-scrums, and ART syncs to maintain alignment and momentum.

Hold Regular System Demos

At the end of each iteration, showcase integrated, working solutions. Stakeholders review progress, give feedback, and help teams pivot as needed.

Conduct Inspect & Adapt (I&A) Workshops

At the end of the first PI, gather all ART participants for an Inspect & Adapt workshop. Analyze results, identify systemic issues, and build improvement plans for the next PI. This step hardwires continuous improvement into the ART’s DNA.

8. Scale Learning and Sustain Momentum

Coach and Support Teams

Ongoing coaching is key for lasting success. Lean on your trained Scrum Masters, RTEs, and Agile coaches to guide teams, remove blockers, and drive improvement.

Measure, Celebrate, and Improve

Track progress using Lean-Agile metrics—predictability, lead time, and flow efficiency. Celebrate early wins, recognize team contributions, and adjust your approach based on data and feedback.

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Summary

Step	Key Actions
Assess Readiness	Clarify value streams, secure leadership buy-in, review SAFe resources
Train Leaders & Roles	Certify with Leading SAFe Agilist Certification, train Scrum Masters & POPMs
Form Agile Teams	Set up cross-functional teams, clarify roles, train on Agile basics
Build ART Backlog	Define vision, prioritize features, prepare backlogs
Conduct Readiness Workshop	Big Room training, tools dry run, role alignment
Run PI Planning	Facilitate planning, create program board, confirm commitments
Launch & Execute	Start iterations, hold system demos, regular ART syncs
Inspect & Adapt	Run I&A workshop, collect feedback, build improvement plans

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Final Thoughts

Training your Agile teams and launching your first ART is about commitment, clarity, and relentless focus on value. By investing in proper training—for leaders, Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and RTEs—you lay a foundation that keeps your transformation on track.

Remember, learning is continuous. Rely on frameworks like SAFe for guidance, but always adapt them to your context. When you focus on practical steps and people, your ART will deliver not just working solutions, but true business value.

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 Also read - Uncover the skills that make Agile teams truly adaptable and technically strong

Also see - How to effectively manage ART and Solution Train Backlogs in SAFe