Key Events That Power Coordination Across Multiple ARTs

Blog Author

Siddharth

Published

19 Jun, 2025

key-events-that-power-coordination-across-multiple-arts

Coordinating across multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs) is the heartbeat of large-scale Agile delivery. When organizations move beyond a single ART, alignment and synchronization become crucial. The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) provides a powerful set of events that ensure ARTs work together to deliver complex, integrated solutions. Let’s break down these events, their purpose, and how they drive real business outcomes.

Why Coordination Matters Across Multiple ARTs

When several ARTs work on the same solution, misalignment can cause delays, duplicated work, and unmet customer needs. Large Solution SAFe tackles this by introducing specific events and roles. These key events ensure transparency, shared understanding, and timely decision-making, reducing risks that can derail major initiatives.

The Core Events That Make Coordination Work

Let’s walk through the essential events that create alignment across multiple ARTs.

1. Pre-PI Planning

Pre-PI Planning happens before the main PI Planning event. Here, Solution Train stakeholders—including Solution Train Engineers (STEs), Product Management, and Release Train Engineers (RTEs)—come together to align on objectives, priorities, and dependencies.

Purpose:

Set solution-level context for all participating ARTs.
Identify and address cross-ART dependencies before detailed PI Planning.
Establish shared vision and roadmap for the upcoming Program Increment.

Who Attends: Solution Management, STE, Product Managers, RTEs, System Architects, Business Owners.

Benefits:
This event creates a foundation for integrated planning. When you bring leaders and influencers from each ART into one room, potential blockers and risks are visible early.

Want to dig deeper? The official Scaled Agile Framework site outlines how Pre-PI Planning sets the tone for successful coordination.

2. PI Planning at the Solution Level

PI Planning is the engine that powers ART collaboration. During this two-day event, multiple ARTs plan together, identify dependencies, and commit to shared objectives.

How It Works:

Teams from each ART attend joint breakout sessions.
Dependencies between teams and ARTs are mapped and resolved in real-time.
Solution Train-level objectives and milestones are clarified.

Key Outputs:

Clear, prioritized backlog for each ART.
Transparent view of inter-ART dependencies.
Solution-level PI objectives that drive alignment.

Why It Works:
This synchronized planning creates a shared sense of direction. Instead of silos, you get a network of teams moving in lockstep. If you want to lead this kind of alignment, the Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training can be a game-changer.

3. Scrum of Scrums (SoS)

The Scrum of Scrums is a weekly, solution-level sync meeting. RTEs, STEs, Product Owners, and key stakeholders discuss progress, dependencies, and obstacles that cross ART boundaries.

Agenda Includes:

Reviewing committed objectives and current progress.
Surfacing and unblocking cross-ART impediments.
Adjusting plans based on new insights or risks.

Impact:
SoS breaks through the “fog of delivery” by giving ARTs a venue to raise issues and escalate blockers quickly. This event is especially valuable for Product Owners and Product Managers who want to keep delivery on track. If you're aspiring to this role, the SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) Certification covers how to operate at this level.

4. Solution Demo

The Solution Demo brings together outputs from all ARTs, integrating work into a full system demonstration. This event allows stakeholders to inspect, adapt, and course-correct based on working solutions, not just reports.

Benefits:

Offers direct feedback from business owners and customers.
Validates solution integrity before release.
Identifies integration issues early, reducing costly rework.

Who Should Attend:
Product Managers, Business Owners, Architects, and representatives from every ART. This is also a learning opportunity for Scrum Masters who want to understand how their teams fit into the larger picture. If you're a Scrum Master or want to advance, the SAFe Scrum Master Certification digs into the importance of system demos.

5. Inspect and Adapt (I&A)

The Inspect and Adapt event is a structured retrospective at the end of each PI. ARTs and Solution Train participants review outcomes, problem-solve, and define action items to improve delivery next time.

I&A Steps:

PI System Demo: Integrated demonstration of the full solution.
Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement: Teams look at actual results—did they meet PI objectives?
Root Cause Analysis: Teams use problem-solving techniques like the 5 Whys to dig into issues.
Action Planning: Concrete steps to address bottlenecks and improve for the next PI.

Why It’s Powerful:
This event ensures teams don’t just repeat the same mistakes. They learn, adapt, and deliver better with every PI. Solution Train Engineers (STEs) are often key facilitators here. Want to level up? Consider the SAFe Release Train Engineer Certification Training for hands-on knowledge about leading these events.

Additional Coordination Touchpoints

While the above events are core, successful ART coordination often involves additional touchpoints:

Architect Syncs: System Architects and Solution Architects meet to ensure technical alignment.
Product Manager Syncs: Align business priorities and backlog across ARTs.
Dependency Mapping Workshops: Regular sessions to visualize and resolve dependencies.

Each of these touchpoints builds a robust communication network, so nothing falls through the cracks.

How These Events Drive Business Results

These events aren’t “meetings for the sake of meetings.” They create structure and predictability while keeping teams flexible enough to pivot. This level of coordination:

Shortens feedback cycles.
Minimizes duplicated effort.
Surfaces blockers early.
Keeps everyone working toward the same business goals.

The impact can be seen in faster time-to-market, better-quality products, and happier customers. According to research on large-scale Agile, organizations that invest in these coordination events outperform their peers on key delivery metrics.

What Makes Coordination Work in Practice?

To make the most of these events:

Keep the Focus on Value: Every event should drive toward real outcomes, not process for its own sake.
Emphasize Transparency: Open communication keeps everyone aligned.
Prioritize Action: Each event should end with clear next steps and owners.

Continuous improvement is at the heart of all coordination events. Teams that reflect, adjust, and refine their approach with every PI become more resilient and effective.

Roles That Bring Events to Life

The effectiveness of these events depends on strong leadership and facilitation. Key roles include:

Solution Train Engineer (STE): Orchestrates solution-level events and removes roadblocks.
Release Train Engineers (RTEs): Synchronize ARTs and manage dependencies.
Product Managers and Owners: Prioritize work and clarify requirements.
Scrum Masters: Support teams and drive continuous improvement. For advanced skills, the SAFe Advanced Scrum Master Certification Training is highly recommended.

When these roles collaborate effectively, ARTs move together as a single, well-aligned engine.

Bringing It All Together

Coordinating across multiple ARTs is never about luck. It’s about discipline, structure, and a cadence of key events that keep teams aligned and focused. When done right, these events create clarity, uncover hidden risks, and turn large-scale delivery into a competitive advantage.

If you want to dive deeper or prepare for roles that lead these coordination events, explore certification paths like Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training and SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) Certification.

Related Reading:
Learn more about Solution Train Coordination and Effective ART Synchronization.

Also read - Why Coordination Beats Specs in Agile Solution Delivery

Also see - Using Solution Demos to Align Teams and Reduce Risk