In the realm of agile project management, PI planning plays a vital role in aligning teams, setting objectives, and ensuring a shared vision. A VR office is proving to be an advanced solution for remote, engaging, and creative, Agile sessions. Conducting agile meetings using Virtual Reality increases not only the scope beyond the in-person availability constraints but also promotes the overarching idea of Agility which is adapting to the changing times. With the advancements in technology, traditional face-to-face PI planning sessions are being transformed through the power of Virtual Reality. Arthur offers several Agile use cases, which differ based on the organizational level. Conduct cross-functional and cross-company events such as a PI Planning SAFe® or explore Agility on a team level within a Scrum Sprint, Co-Creation Workshops, and the Learning Lounge.
Moreover, conducting the PI Planning in VR resulted in a ROI of 596,52%. This calculation was done for a PI Planning event of 40 participants, assuming 60% need to travel. A conservative approach to cost was chosen.
In this blog post, we unpack the meeting type that requires one of the most planning in traditional settings starting with getting everyone from the company in the same room: Cross-Company PI Planning.
Setting the Stage: The Virtual PI Planning Environment
As the PI planning session begins, participants put on their VR headsets and find themselves immersed in a virtual workspace specially designed for agile collaboration. The virtual environment replicates the essence of a physical meeting room, complete with whiteboards, sticky notes, and interactive tools. This digital workspace fosters a sense of presence and facilitates seamless communication, enabling participants to engage and collaborate effectively as if they were physically present.
Seamless Collaboration and Remote Participation
One of the key advantages of PI planning in VR is the ability to facilitate seamless collaboration among geographically dispersed teams. Regardless of their physical location, team members can join the virtual environment, eliminating the limitations of travel and time zones. Through real-time interactions, participants can contribute their ideas, raise concerns, and actively participate in discussions, creating an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere that promotes effective decision-making and alignment.
Visualizing and Aligning Objectives
In the virtual PI planning environment, visualizing and aligning objectives becomes more intuitive and efficient. Teams can collectively view and interact with digital representations of their objectives, epics, and user stories, allowing for a better understanding of the big picture. Moreover, Arthur has a native Jira integration, which revolutionizes the way you can work with the most popular project management tool. With the ability to rearrange and prioritize items dynamically, participants can make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and ensure team alignment, enabling a cohesive and synchronized approach to achieve their goals.
Enhanced Engagement, Productivity, and Organizational Facilitation
PI planning in VR brings a heightened level of engagement and productivity to the session. The immersive virtual environment stimulates focus and concentration, reducing external distractions. Participants can interact with virtual tools and artifacts seamlessly, such as dragging and dropping sticky notes or drawing diagrams, enhancing their ability to contribute effectively. The dynamic nature of VR fosters creativity, encourages active participation, and promotes a sense of ownership among team members, leading to more efficient and productive PI planning sessions.
Moreover, the virtual environment offers easier organization and facilitation for PI planning. Organizers can easily set up and customize the virtual space, arranging artifacts, and resources according to the specific needs of the planning session. Facilitators can guide participants through the virtual environment, providing real-time assistance and ensuring smooth collaboration. The intuitive nature of VR tools simplifies the planning process, reducing administrative overhead and enabling organizers to focus on facilitating meaningful discussions and driving outcomes.
Virtual Reality has revolutionized the way PI planning sessions are conducted, offering unparalleled benefits for agile collaboration. From eliminating geographical barriers to enhancing engagement, productivity, and easier organization and facilitation, the virtual environment empowers teams to align their objectives, make informed decisions, and drive successful program increments. As organizations embrace the power of VR, they unlock new possibilities for agile project management and propel their teams towards greater efficiency and success.
Solving Collaboration Challenges in Virtual PI Planning: From a user perspective
In a virtual PI planning session, Sarah, a product owner from Chicago, and Mark, a developer in London, overcome the challenge of productive distributed collaboration and the lack of productivity tools in virtual conferences. They join a virtual workspace, where Emma, the facilitator, guides them through the agenda using virtual tools. As they discuss an epic that needs clarification, the team explores the environment to leverage the product. Sarah and Mark engage in a lively discussion, using sticky notes, integrations, uploading files, and broadcasting their screens to propose solutions. The virtual space fosters creativity and empowers the team to make informed decisions.During a break, John, a remote team member, effortlessly catches up on the session's content, joining the ongoing conversations with his avatar. The team prioritizes and allocates resources, updating the backlog through a Jira integration within the virtual environment. They reorder user stories, assign tasks, and adjust timelines while engaging in lively discussions, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability.
Throughout the day, the team remains fully engaged in the immersive virtual environment, minimizing external distractions. They work efficiently, iterate on ideas, and use intuitive virtual tools to drive the planning process forward.As the virtual PI planning session concludes, the team celebrates their accomplishment. They have aligned objectives, made informed decisions, and crafted a roadmap for the upcoming program increment. The facilitator commends the team's dedication and collaborative spirit, demonstrating the power of virtual collaboration in solving remote collaboration challenges.
