First, some quick context—PI Planning (Program Increment Planning) brings everyone in the ART together to align on what needs to get done over the next increment. You have a lot to accomplish in just two days. You need a plan that’s clear, realistic, and flexible.

• Breadth planning means covering as much of the scope as possible at a high level. You’re mapping out the big rocks, the cross-team dependencies, and the overall goals.

• Depth planning means drilling down into specific work items—stories, risks, tasks—so you leave PI Planning knowing exactly who does what, when, and how.

Here’s the catch: go too broad, and you’re just hand-waving at the mountain of work. Go too deep, and you get stuck in analysis paralysis, never seeing the forest for the trees.

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Why Does This Balance Matter?

Let’s get practical. You need enough breadth so that:

• Teams see the whole field (not just their own patch of grass)

• Major dependencies, risks, and priorities surface early

• Leadership gets a view of progress and obstacles

But you also need depth so that:

• Teams can confidently commit to delivering value

• Uncertainties and blockers are flushed out

• There’s no “we’ll figure it out later” attitude

Finding that sweet spot is what separates an effective PI Planning session from a box-ticking exercise.

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How to Approach Breadth Planning in PI Planning

1. Start with the Big Picture

PI Planning isn’t the time for teams to disappear into their silos. Instead, kick off with the vision, strategic themes, and objectives. Give everyone the context they need.

Practical Steps:

• Review the product vision and PI objectives as a group

• Walk through key business drivers, priorities, and constraints

• Use the Program Backlog as your map

This sets up your Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training holders (typically RTEs, Product Managers, and Business Owners) to steer the session with clarity. Want more about this role? Check Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training.

2. Identify Value Streams and Major Features

Paint broad strokes: What are the major capabilities or features that must get delivered? Where are the big dependencies?

Breadth tips:

• Use feature-level planning to sketch out value delivery

• Surface cross-team dependencies early—don’t leave them lurking

• Map out capacity allocation for enablers versus new features

This is where having certified Product Owners and Product Managers helps. If you want to dive deeper into this dual role, look up SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) Certification.

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When and How to Drill into Depth

1. Break Down Features into Stories

Once the team has agreed on the big rocks, it’s time to dig deeper—but not everywhere, and not all at once.

Depth tips:

• Break only the top-priority features into stories and acceptance criteria during PI Planning

• Identify clear acceptance criteria and definition of done for these stories

• Be ruthless: only go deep where clarity is critical for early sprint execution

2. Map Dependencies and Risks

Don’t wait until work starts to realize something’s missing. Use depth to flush out risks, assumptions, and dependencies.

• Capture risks using a ROAM board (Resolved, Owned, Accepted, Mitigated)

• Use the dependency board to visualize and track blockers

Teams with a SAFe Scrum Master Certification excel at surfacing and managing these risks. Learn more at SAFe Scrum Master Certification.

3. Commit, Don’t Overcommit

This is where depth saves the day. Only commit to the work that teams understand and can deliver, based on the stories they’ve actually broken down.

• Use historical velocity and team capacity as your guide

• Don’t fill every gap—leave room for emergent work

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Striking the Right Balance: Breadth vs Depth in Action

The reality: You can’t and shouldn’t go deep on every feature during PI Planning. Here’s how top teams strike the right balance:

1. Time-Boxing is Non-Negotiable

Allocate clear time slots for breadth and depth. For example:

• Day 1 morning: Vision, features, value streams (breadth)

• Day 1 afternoon: Team breakouts to break down top-priority features (depth)

• Day 2: Re-align, address dependencies, finalize PI objectives

2. Focus Depth on Early Sprints

Don’t try to break down every feature for every sprint. Teams should plan in detail for the first one or two sprints and leave high-level plans for later ones.

• Plan the near-term work in detail

• Keep longer-term work as placeholders (with refinement happening just-in-time)

This approach is often reinforced in advanced coaching. If you’re serious about it, explore SAFe Advanced Scrum Master Certification Training.

3. Encourage Healthy Tension

Breadth and depth planning are naturally in tension. Use this friction to your advantage. If discussions are stuck in the weeds, pull back to breadth. If things feel vague, dig deeper. The Release Train Engineer is critical here—keeping everyone honest and on track. Get the skills at SAFe Release Train Engineer Certification Training.

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How to Guide Your Teams: Practical Examples

Scenario 1: Too Much Breadth, Not Enough Depth

Let’s say a team lists out a dozen features for the PI but only breaks down a couple into stories. When sprint one starts, no one’s really sure what to build. The result? Scramble, confusion, and scope changes.

How to fix:
Pause and go deeper on the highest priority features. Get teams to slice stories thin enough to fit in one sprint and add acceptance criteria. Surface blockers early.

Scenario 2: Too Much Depth, Not Enough Breadth

Now imagine teams get bogged down in splitting every feature into granular tasks, running out of time to consider dependencies or cross-team coordination. The big picture gets lost.

How to fix:
Facilitate a quick walk-through of all features first. Limit detail planning to the first two sprints. Use checklists to make sure each team covers both planning dimensions.

Scenario 3: The Goldilocks Approach

• Start broad, get everyone aligned

• Dive deep where it matters (early sprints, high-priority features)

• Use facilitation techniques—dot voting, timeboxing, ROAM boards—to keep energy focused

• Circle back to breadth regularly, checking alignment

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Tools and Techniques That Actually Work

• Program Boards: Visualize features, dependencies, and timelines. Don’t try to track everything in your head.

• ROAM Boards: Actively manage risks, so nothing slips through.

• Backlog Refinement Sessions: Schedule follow-up sessions post-PI Planning for deeper dives where needed.

• Iteration Goals: Anchor every team with sprint-level goals, so nobody’s “just building stories.”

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Keep the Flow Going

PI Planning isn’t a once-and-done event. It’s the launchpad. You’ll keep balancing breadth and depth as you go—refining backlogs, handling surprises, and learning as a team. The key is never letting one override the other.

Want to keep building on these skills? There’s plenty to learn from Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training and SAFe Scrum Master Certification. For deeper dives into program execution, check SAFe Release Train Engineer Certification Training.

To put it simply: use breadth planning to get everyone on the same page. Use depth planning to make sure the work can actually be delivered. Great teams move smoothly between the two—and that’s what makes PI Planning work.

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If you’re running, facilitating, or participating in PI Planning, keep these principles in mind. Breadth gives you the map. Depth makes the journey possible. Get this right, and your teams won’t just plan—they’ll deliver.

 

Also read - How Planning Interval Supports Continuous Improvement

Also see - How To Balance Pre PI Planning Without Over Preparing