Keeping the Train on the Tracks: Building Great Release Train Engineers (RTEs)
by Rod Morrison
The job of an Release Train Engineer (RTE) is a complex one, tends to carry significant responsibilities, and may sometimes feel lonely. RTEs need to build great and effective teams, foster strong and productive relationships while managing a wide range of people and personalities. And the RTE is also an enabler of outcomes. He or she is tasked with fixing the problems that have been uncovered by external SMEs, often without the full buy-in of internal stakeholders who may not understand the role and responsibilities of the RTE. In many cases organizations engage an RTE to manage the dependencies, risks, and symptoms rather than fixing the fundamental issues with systems and processes. These are just some of the wIde range of challenges RTEs face as they carry out their important mission in the organization. In this hands-on workshop we will explore ways of improving the integration of RTEs in the organizations from a logistical, productive, and cultural perspective. Participants will create a backlog of value drivers, examine the most common challenges and facilitate activities and actions to mitigate those issues to create “space and time” for the RTEs. These activities will lay the foundation needed to create an environment where agile transformation can flourish and scale. We will also examine how the role of the RTE will fit within the upcoming SAFe 6.0 update. This workshop is intended for SAFe coaches, leaders, and RTEs. Participants will learn: 1. Common RTE challenges across a wide variety of clients 2. Best practices for RTE succes 3. Tooling to accelerate success, enable situational awareness efficiencies, and create true business agility
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