Agents Unleashed

SAFe for Hardware: Stories and Strategies from the Field

“We’re unable to build an entire component within just two weeks… so the question becomes: what can we verify at the end of a sprint? It’s about finding the shortest path to your next learning.” — Ali Hajou
 
In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, the hosts dive into the newly released SAFe for Hardware course and use it as a springboard to explore agility in hardware more broadly. Ali Hajou, joined by Mark Richards, Stephan Neck, and Niko Kaintantzis, reflects on how Agile principles—originally inspired by hardware product development—are now circling back into engineering contexts. The group unpacks the unique challenges hardware teams face: aging technical workforces, specialized engineering disciplines, and long product lead times. Through personal stories and coaching insights, the hosts surface strategies for fostering collaboration across expertise boundaries, reframing iteration around learning, and adapting SAFe without forcing software recipes onto hardware environments.
Actionable Insights for Practitioners
1. Honor Agile’s hardware originsScrum was born from studies of hardware companies like Honda and 3M. Coaches can remind teams that agility is not a software-only mindset but a return to hardware’s own innovative roots.
2. Reframe what “shippable” meansHardware teams cannot produce finished machines every two weeks, but they can deliver learning increments through simulations, prototypes, and verifiable designs.
3. Lead with humilityAs Niko described, success comes from co-working with engineers rather than posturing as experts. Admitting limits builds trust and invites collaboration.
4. Shift the conversation to riskTalking about risk reduction resonates more strongly with hardware engineers than software-centric terms like story slicing. It reframes iteration as de-risking the next step.
5. Context matters more than recipesThe SAFe for Hardware training emphasizes co-creation. Rather than copying software playbooks, practitioners should tailor practices to local constraints, supply chains, and compliance realities.
Conclusion
The conversation highlighted that agility in hardware is less about forcing software practices and more about adapting principles—short learning cycles, risk reduction, and humble collaboration—to fit the realities of physical product development. SAFe for Hardware provides a structure for that adaptation, but its real power lies in co-creating ways of working that respect both the heritage and the complexity of hardware environments.

Shifting Left on Audits

“How do you make auditors happy? It’s in the built-in quality stuff… not being the headless chickens anymore, being pretty much relaxed if someone pushes the Audit button.” — Stephan Neck
 
In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, the crew tackles a topic many practitioners dread: audits. Too often, audits trigger a frantic rush to patch documentation and hide gaps—a fire drill of “headless chickens.” But as the hosts remind us, audits in a SAFe® context don’t have to be adversarial. Done well, they can accelerate transformation by embedding quality, transparency, and risk management into everyday ways of working.
From Fear to Partnership
For many developers, the word audit recalls late nights preparing to fake compliance. But the hosts stress that auditors are not enemies—they share the same goal: ensuring sustainable, risk-aware transformation. By treating auditors as stakeholders and colleagues rather than bureaucratic gatekeepers, organizations can shift the dynamic from fear to collaboration.
5 Actionable Insights for Practitioners
Shift Left on Audits – Just as testing shifted left into daily work, audits should be integrated early. Invite auditors into transformation conversations instead of waiting for them at the end.
Build Audit Readiness with Built-In Quality – Practices like Definition of Done, automated compliance checks, and transparent dashboards mean audits become non-events instead of emergency scrambles.
Foster Collective Ownership – Move beyond the mindset that one person shields the team. Every role should understand why evidence matters and how it supports organizational safety.
Challenge the Myths – Many so-called “audit requirements” are organizational folklore, not law. Bringing auditors in early often exposes outdated practices and frees teams from unnecessary documentation.
Use Auditors as Accelerators – When aligned, auditors can clear away obstacles. One story described eliminating 75% of legacy documentation once auditors validated that automated test evidence was sufficient.
Conclusion
Audits are inevitable—but panic and compliance theater are optional. For SPCs, RTEs, and change agents, the opportunity is to reframe audits as continuous, built-in, and collaborative. Shifting left on audits not only reduces fear, it creates conditions where auditors become partners in transformation rather than roadblocks. When quality, transparency, and risk management are embedded into SAFe practices, audits evolve from disruptive events into quiet confirmations of progress.

From SPC to ASPC: Advancing Change Leadership with Confidence

“Creating ASPC is… a career highlight, one of the most joyful things I've done.” — Cheryl Crupi
 
In this episode of *SPCs Unleashed*, the crew welcomes Cheryl Crupi from the SAFe Framework team to unpack the brand-new **Advanced SPC (ASPC) training**. While Cheryl joins as a friend rather than in an official role, her fingerprints are all over the course design. Together with Mark, Niko, and Stephan, she explores what “advanced” really means for SPCs, how the training was shaped by research with more than 1,000 practitioners, and why practice, mastery, and confidence-building are at its heart.  
Actionable Insights  
1. Advanced = Confidence in Sticky SituationsASPC doesn’t revisit the basics. It focuses on the hardest parts of transformation — engaging executives, breaking through organizational inertia, and sustaining momentum — to help SPCs step forward with confidence.  
2. Practice, Not Just TheoryHalf of the ASPC course is scenario-based learning. SPCs practice pitching, influencing, advocating, and problem-solving in a safe environment before facing those challenges in their organizations.  
3. Engaging Leaders is CentralThe Engaging Leaders module emerged as a clear favorite. SPCs must empathize with executives, understand what truly matters to them (growth, innovation, talent), and communicate in their language.  
4. The Learning Lab Brings It TogetherThe program culminates in a Learning Lab — a simulation where SPCs navigate a transformation story, apply tools, and create artifacts. It reinforces that no one SPC has all the answers; success comes from collaboration, experimentation, and feedback.  
5. Staying Advanced Requires Continuous GrowthASPC is just the first step. To remain advanced, SPCs must keep practicing, mentor others, and share lessons learned at conferences or meetups — sharpening both technical expertise and soft skills over time.  
 
Conclusion  The Advanced SPC training is less about new slides and more about preparing SPCs to **lead change with confidence and empathy**. For practitioners who’ve mastered the basics, ASPC offers a challenging but rewarding next step — shifting the role from teaching SAFe to catalyzing enterprise-wide transformation.  

Why the Organizing Portfolios Toolkit Isn't Just Another Workshop

“You’re making a big withdrawal from the transformation credit bank to get that many senior executives into a room for two days, aren’t you?” – Mark
Introduction
What justifies pulling senior leaders away for two days of portfolio work? In this episode, Mark, Ali, and Niko dig deep into the newly released Organizing Portfolios for Strategic Agility toolkit. The discussion is honest and pragmatic—tempered by real use, not just theory—but above all, it’s focused on how the toolkit can prompt meaningful insight and concrete movement inside organizations that rarely pause to re-examine their boundaries and assumptions.
Mark reflects on the toolkit’s progression from rough concept to proven tool. Ali enters as a “workshop skeptic,” bringing fresh eyes and healthy questioning from the LPM classroom. Niko connects the dots between early pilots and live delivery, sharing where even experienced hands needed to adjust. Together, the team underscores real value: the toolkit creates space for leaders to surface trade-offs and stuck patterns that often go unaddressed.
This one’s for coaches, VMOs, and change agents weighing not just “will this work here?” but “how do we make real progress with our stakeholders?”
Actionable Insights
Here’s what the Unleashed crew surface—explicitly or between the lines—about navigating portfolio structure and workshop facilitation:
- Workshops demand deep preparation, not a plug-and-play approach: Effective portfolio sessions rely on understanding the unique context, stakeholder views, and organizational politics ahead of time. “If this workshop would take us two days, I’m probably going to spend a full two weeks or more preparing for this workshop,” Ali notes.
- Strategic use of the two-part design is critical: The Overview builds shared language and a safe space to test boundaries, before executives confront trade-offs in the subsequent Workshop. This separation helps surface and derisk sensitive topics before action is taken.
- Language matters: frame conversations commercially: The toolkit’s focus on commercial criteria—regulatory, regional, business unit, innovation—allows executives to show up as decision-makers, not as process students. This turns frameworks into relevant strategy conversations.
- Drive momentum with phased, tangible action: Close sessions with clear next steps—now, next week, next month. Appreciation and clarity matter as much as insight; don’t end on a vague list.
Highlights
Why This Toolkit Demands Real Facilitation Skill
Mark and Niko make it clear: facilitating at this level is a distinct skill, fraught with political nuance and heightened stakes. It’s about more than managing group process—executives expect relevance and rigor. The enablement videos—especially Rebecca’s walkthroughs—surprise even seasoned coaches, who admit to slowing down and watching rather than skimming.
“You have to be good in facilitating high-ranked people or people who are doing strategic things, and that’s different from a workshop you are with teams, with developers.” – Niko
Who Is This Really For? Boundary Friction and Target Audience
Ali presses on audience fit: “To whom is this workshop, specifically designed?” The consensus: readiness is more about mindset and context than about scale. Whether facing a complex multi-portfolio landscape or just a single portfolio, the process uncovers where leaders are stuck or blind to key trade-offs.
“Some of the most profound insights and aha moments seem to come for the people who only had one portfolio, because it could help you think about what was inside your portfolio.” – Mark
Action, Not Just Awareness: Generating Real Change
Ali points to the challenge of translating group insight into organizational movement—especially around funding and governance. The conversation veers into the reality that a high-energy workshop can expose risk just as quickly as it exposes opportunity.
“A workshop like this can become quite a snake pit...if the workshop has participants that are very eager to do something, this workshop can really make or break your push to agility.”
Mark’s advice: aim for a charter you can realistically deliver on, and build your workshop flow to support that momentum.
Facilitation Patterns: Building the Team and Owning the Room
The team highlights running the Overview as a preparatory exercise for facilitators as much as for participants. Get your team aligned and immersed before you go live; it makes the Workshop delivery more resilient and adaptive.
Niko, usually quick to customize workshops, finds the toolkit robust right out of the box—an unusual endorsement, underscoring the quality and structure of the supporting materials.
The ASPC Requirement: Paywall or Professionalism?
The exclusive hosting requirement for Advanced SPCs (ASPC) evokes no debate about barriers. Instead, the team emphasizes the level of craft and preparation required to make the workshop safe and valuable for executive participants.
“If you have to be an ASPC or not, at least, what I expect is you have to know the article. You have to have done the overview yourself...experience on this level is not really high, even for the coaches.” – Niko
Conclusion
If you’re considering a portfolio structure workshop, resist the urge to treat the kit as an off-the-shelf solution. Its real power lies in providing structure to the necessary, often messy dialogue—helping leaders move past inertia, see the real trade-offs, and sketch a more actionable path forward. As Mark points out, “You could do the full workshop, change nothing, and still be better off for it—if you emerge with a clearer sense of your map and your mileposts.”
Don’t start with the stickies. Start with the purpose, the politics, and the prep.
 

What the State of SAFe Survey Actually Tells Us (and What it Doesn't)

“Information is crucial. If you use it the wrong way, it’s the wrong data—it will influence your actions in a drastic way.” —Stephan Neck
In this episode, the Unleashed crew—Mark Richards, Ali Hajou, Stephan Neck, and Nikolaos Kaintantzis—bring a practitioner’s lens to the latest State of SAFe survey. Instead of glossing over findings or defaulting to boosterism, they pull apart the data, the context, and the stories those numbers can (and can’t) tell. Ali keeps the conversation grounded, Niko brings fresh metaphors and questions, and Mark and Stephan bridge the gap between framework theory and lived experience. The result is a thoughtful exploration of how coaches and leaders can use survey insights to inform—rather than define—their next moves.
 
Actionable Insights
Here’s what the Unleashed crew surface—explicitly and between the lines—about navigating survey data, SAFe transformation, and what to do next:
 
- Context transforms data into insight: Numbers alone aren’t enough. As the crew note, understanding who’s responding and what lens they’re using can shift a piece of data from trivia into guidance.- Patterns reveal opportunities, not just problems: Ongoing role confusion—especially between PO and PM—signals systemic friction. But it also points to clear spaces where targeted coaching, structure clarification, and realignment can unlock better outcomes.- Framework evolution is a call to creative action: SAFe, like any framework, moves forward through practical experimentation and responding to what actually works. Adaptation isn’t a burden—it's the path to staying relevant and making a real impact.
 
Highlights
 
The Database Dilemma: Can We Trust What We’re Reading?
 
Instead of accepting the survey at face value, the team probe what’s beneath the surface. Stephan sets the tone: “Where’s your database? How did you gather it? ...Is it telling a good story, or is it pouring in what the challenges are?” With many responses coming from managers rather than coaches, positive statistics require a second look.
“I would have expected more coaches, more SPCs… When I hear managers and being critical, is it telling a good story, or is it pouring in? What are the challenges we have?” —Stephan Neck
Mark urges a tailored approach to what the survey tells us: “I want to be able to go, what if you did that same analysis and you split it by cohort—what would the difference be?” The message: questioning is healthy, and segmenting data can lead to greater clarity and more precise action.
 
Hybrid Agility and the Trap of Surface Change
Ali surfaces a recurring reality: many organizations try to “do SAFe” in parallel with established systems—resulting in overlap, frustration, and the temptation to rebrand instead of rethink. Niko highlights the missing perspective: the survey tracks practices, but less so the people-focused work of coaching and enabling adaptive change.
“A lot of SAFe practices, but also the roles, are in a way done next to the existing way of working…rebranding a meeting, or rebranding a role, just giving it the new name.” —Ali Hajou
The crew encourage looking beyond relabeling—real change lives in how roles are experienced and supported, not just how they’re titled.
 
Why Are POs and PMs So Dissatisfied?
 
One insight stands out: product owners and product managers report the lowest satisfaction. Niko notes, “POs have the most decrease in satisfaction, and the most less increase is for PMs.” Mark explains the root: “That product owner is not going to have a lot of fun, because the team’s not going to want to talk about business problems—they’re going to want to talk about mainframe COBOL.” Responsibility without genuine autonomy creates frustration.
 
But here’s the upbeat twist: coaching and clarifying role responsibilities, especially on complex subsystem teams, offers a real lever for positive change. The data simply shines a light on where to focus next.
 
The Language Games: Rename with Care, Build with Intention
 
Niko points out the risk in constant renaming: “Just inventing everything new with a new vocabulary, then you have the worst of both.” Mark sums it up for coaches: “I don’t care what you call it, so long as you all call it the same thing… Let’s grow from the language you’ve got today.” The opportunity: meet teams where they are, align language deliberately, and create shared meaning rather than confusion.
 
Data Is a Compass, Not a Map
 
Throughout, the crew resist easy headline takeaways. As Mark puts it with a grin: “The box didn’t blow my mind, but it did confirm that I’ve been shopping at the right chocolate store.” The true gift of the survey is in confirming patterns and pointing practitioners towards areas where their energy will matter most.
“It’s comforting to have the survey confirm my beliefs about the common challenges, and now that Scaled Agile has the data in hand, there’s a better chance we’ll see meaningful change.” —Mark Richards
Conclusion
 
This episode isn’t about taking sides on SAFe. It’s an invitation to coaches and leaders: use data as a spark for useful dialogue, not dogma. Interpretation matters. Real transformation is about what we do next—together—when we see friction, not just how we label it.
 
Stay curious, stay connected to context, and let both skepticism and optimism fuel your next experiment.

From Framework to Fieldwork: Making Sense of SAFe’s New Disciplines

“The disciplines are about problem solving. They’re a way to navigate to knowledge… Different people love to find their knowledge different ways.” — Mark Richards
Introduction
SPCs Unleashed returns with a stepwise, hard-nosed look at the new Scaled Agile “disciplines” announced in Sorrento—an architectural shift intended to make the framework more usable, less dogmatic, and ultimately more valuable in the context of enterprise change. With Mark Richards guiding the connection points and Stephan Neck leading the inquiry, the team (joined by Nikolaos “Niko” Kaintantzis) explores what this modular reframe really means for practitioners and transformation leaders invested in real agility, not just surface adoption.
No hype here. The Unleashed crew does what they do best: challenge received wisdom, probe for real-world risks, and test whether the new direction delivers what coaches and organizations actually need.
Actionable Insights
Here’s what the crew surfaces—directly and by friction—about adopting the “disciplines” model for Scaled Agile:
- Navigation over prescription: The move from static configurations to adaptable disciplines creates more tailored entry points for actual business problems—if you’re willing to begin with context, not the “one true path.”
- Optionality introduces risk and clarity: The flexibility is real, but so is the risk of new “disciplinary silos.” Systemic glue—often in the form of LACE or a Value Management Office—matters more than ever.
- Depth and teaming over overwhelm: Coaches shouldn’t be daunted by the number of disciplines now in play. The days of aspiring to be a master of everything are gone; the model favors T-shaped expertise—broad awareness, with real depth in focus areas, working in cross-functional teams where strengths combine instead of one coach trying to cover all bases.
- Leadership isn’t a module: While there’s a dedicated discipline for Leadership & Culture, raising actual executive capability will almost always demand more than the framework prescribes.
Highlights
Goodbye “Fit All” Configurations—Hello Study, Inquiry, Focus
The team unpacks what a discipline means—a field of study, not just a “box to tick.” As Stephan frames it: “You study something… you inquire—it’s not a given, then you dive into the methods, theories, and principles.”
For coaches, this isn’t a theoretical shift. Navigation starts with the problem at hand. Mark calls out the storytelling value: “You can now sit and see a connected story… Discipline names guide you, then the disciplines can tell a story that is meaningful to you.”
The Silo Risk: Specialization Without System Fragmentation
There’s energy around the newfound freedom to “specialize”—but also caution. Niko reframes the “silo” anxiety, saying: “If there are silos, I love them—as areas of specialization. It’s better than forcing full SAFE because you think you have to do everything.” Still, the LACE becomes responsible for ensuring the overall flow: “The LACE should be the glue between the disciplines.”
Not Just Clicking Around: Adaptive Learning and Agentic Guidance
Mark and the crew recognize that modern knowledge-seeking isn’t about browsing static pictures: “Structuring your knowledge for a modern person means providing clarity to the information and guidance SAFE has to offer—in their particular context and situation. People are going to do what most of us do… ask our CoPilots or ChatGPT questions.”
This has implications for framework design—and for the way coaches help others find, not just receive, useful knowledge.
Practice as Organism, Not IT Upgrade
Niko spotlights a critical mindset shift: “With disciplines, it feels more human—a living organism you actively tend, not just a system to install or upgrade.” The conversation pushes for systemic coaching and change—not checklist compliance. In Stephan’s words: “It’s a step from crawling to walking, even running.”
Leadership & Culture: Essential, Yet (Still) Not Enough
On the leadership discipline: Mark is frank—perhaps provocatively so: “Personally, I don’t know that teaching senior leaders to be better leaders is SAFE’s strong suit… If an enterprise wants better leaders, they’ll go elsewhere.” Niko echoes the call for “outside bodies of knowledge” and cautions that even with more content, “leadership training is not everything.”
Yet, the team affirms the new model’s “red thread”: contextual, cross-cutting, lived behaviors matter. Stephan frames it clearly: “Culture isn’t a poster on the wall; it’s the sum of our behaviors… you either live it or it doesn’t exist.”
Product Development Flow: Feedback Isn’t Optional
When exploring the Product Development Flow discipline, Niko delivers a caution to those who see themselves as “special cases”: “Never say, ‘I don’t need this competency; everything is clear.’ Nothing is clear.” Mark adds, “The discipline gives you a starting place for a conversation. Where you begin is not always where you should end.”
The Donut Problem: Expertise, Teaming, and Copilot Reality
Don’t be a donut. Both Mark and Niko agree: you can’t—and shouldn’t—try to become a generalist who is “a jack of all trades, master of none.” Mark points out, “If you’re an SPC, you’ve got to find some way to do better than copilot. I don’t know that you’re going to do that if you chase being a donut.”
The answer? Cross-functional, specialized LACE teams—moving as a team sport, not as isolated experts.
Conclusion
This episode doesn’t romanticize SAFE’s evolution—it interrogates it. The new disciplines model offers real leverage for coaches to navigate, not just replicate, patterns of agility. But it comes with risks: potential fragmentation, the need for new forms of glue, and an increased demand for coaches to specialize, stay context-sensitive, and admit where outside expertise is essential.
If you’re leading an enterprise journey, start with the context. Let the problem, not the picture, guide your engagement. Don’t chase donuts; build a team where depth and cross-pollination are your differentiators.

Decouple, Contextualize, Evolve: A Sorrento Summit Debrief

“Safe is evolving in small batches now—not just big bangs.” - Nikolaos KaintantzisIntroductionNiko moderates this debrief of the 2024 SAFe Summit in Sorrento—but it quickly becomes more than a recap. While only he and Ali attended in person, Stephan and Mark bring layered reflection from the sidelines. What begins as a highlight reel turns into a conversation about direction: not just where the framework is going, but how change agents are meant to meet it. What does it mean to decouple without diluting? How do we contextualize without fragmenting? And how do you lead when the framework’s evolving beneath your feet?Actionable InsightsHere’s what the Unleashed crew surfaced—explicitly and between the lines—about navigating SAFe's latest shifts:Modularity is in. The shift toward continuous delivery and context-driven overlays marks a departure from SAFe’s monolithic past.Contextualization is canon. Tailoring is now core guidance, not subtext.Disciplines over dimensions. The new structure invites varied learning paths—and sharper competency focus.HighlightsConfiguring SAFe for Continuous DeliveryThe crew probes both the mechanics and the implications of breaking the framework into modular, industry-specific parts. While the monolith gave SAFe stability, it also limited adaptability—especially in fast-moving or heavily specialized environments. Now, there's a growing shift toward a leaner, more customizable ecosystem, one where guidance can evolve continuously without requiring a complete re-release.“How do we decouple it? How do we set ourselves up to get into more of a continuous delivery model with SAFe?” —Mark RichardsThe New Discipline and Competency ModelThe team reflects on the practical limits of the old competency model and the opportunities created by the new discipline format. The previous structure forced symmetry, even when some dimensions overlapped or felt redundant. With disciplines, SAFe can hold complexity without enforcing uniformity. It also creates clearer on-ramps for learners—and clearer invites for contributors.Niko shares his own internal tension when offered the chance to contribute to one of the new competencies. At first, he planned to focus tightly—but the new structure made that harder than expected.“I always had in my mind, I want to specialize... then I realized everything is so interesting.” —Nikolaos KaintantzisInsights from the State of SAFe SurveyAli brings in results from the 2024 State of SAFe report, and the conversation turns toward implementation integrity. From misused titles to rebranded hierarchies, the crew reflects on what makes a transformation feel hollow—and what makes it stick. Rather than avoid hard truths, the report appears to be surfacing them, prompting a more honest community conversation.Looking Ahead: Between Sorrento and DenverInstead of closing with conclusions, the crew opens the door to what’s next. They speculate on competency expansions, story-first navigation, and new learning tools—along with risks of fragmentation or fatigue. It’s a hopeful segment, but not a naive one. They’re excited—but they also want to keep the purpose intact.ConclusionIf SAFe is shifting, so are the questions we ask of it—and of ourselves. This episode doesn’t just explore new structures. It shows what happens when a community chooses curiosity over certainty, and depth over dogma. For the Unleashed crew, the goal isn’t to protect the past. It’s to help shape what’s next—one thoughtful step at a time.ReferencesState of SAFe ReportSAFe Explained PDF

Value Stream Mapping: When it Works, and Why it Fails

“There are at least four different versions of a process: how managers believe it operates, how it's supposed to operate, how it really operates, and how it could operate.” —Mark RichardsIntroductionThis episode begins with beach envy and ends with facilitation mastery. In between: a sharp, field-grounded discussion about Value Stream Mapping—its purpose, practice, and perils.Ali, Stephan, and Mark trace their own learning curves, revisit facilitation misfires, and offer clear-eyed advice to SPCs who want more than “a map on the wall.” They’re not trying to convince anyone that Value Stream Mapping is magic. They’re trying to make it useful.Actionable InsightsFrom anecdotes and cautionary tales, here’s what emerges:Start with intent, not format. Mark opens the frame: “What are you trying to use this, the Value Stream Map for?” It’s a design question, not a tooling one​.Avoid detail spirals. Ali cautions against over-indexing on passionate specifics: “Even though they're valid, they're not that valid in that detail, in the grand scheme of things.”.Don’t outsource ownership. Stephan warns, “It looked like a delegate workshop… that doesn't work.” The lesson? Delegates can prepare, but decisions require presence from empowered leaders.Operationalize the map. Mark reminds: “Your Value Stream Map should become your Kanban… then you'd get your data for free.”HighlightsDon’t Let the Map Derail the DialogueAli recalls early workshops where things spiraled into endless details—some valid, some not.“People are really passionate… even though they're valid, they're not that valid in that detail, in the grand scheme of things.” —Ali HajouStephan agrees: the core challenge is “this competition between over-complication and over-simplification.”Delegate ≠ DisengagedStephan names the trap bluntly: “It looked like a delegate workshop… that doesn't work.” But Mark reframes it. Delegates can help build the map—if the real decision-makers show up to own the outcomes. And those delegates must speak from real experience: “It’s their ‘aha’ moment that comes out of that.”Mapping as SensemakingAli offers a systems lens: Value Stream Mapping “is a trick to try to understand the system” as it really works—not just on paper.Stephan builds on that metaphor: “Value Stream Mapping for me is this magnifying glass… your crime scene of inefficiency.”Maps That BreatheMark’s closing gem is a pragmatic vision: when maps become systems, insight becomes flow.“Your Value Stream Map should become your Kanban… then you'd get your data for free.” —Mark RichardsConclusionThis episode isn’t about selling Value Stream Mapping. It’s about rescuing it.From vague templates. From overzealous data obsession. From workshops that deliver nothing but fatigue.And the biggest rescue move? Invite the right people. Ask the right question. Then let the map do its real job: show you what’s really going on.

Running a Smarter Value Stream and ART Identification workshop

"Don't underestimate how much fear is in the room" - Ali HajouIn this episode of SPCs Unleashed, Mark Richards, Stephan Neck, Ali Hajou, and Nikolaos Kaintantzis bring their collective experience to one of the most pivotal—and high-risk—moments in a SAFe transformation: the Value Stream and ART Identification Workshop.Each voice brings a distinct perspective. Stephan sets the stage with a sharp metaphor and a focus on structure. Ali warns of the workshop’s destructive potential if rushed or misused. Nikolaos grounds the conversation in organizational reality and long-term systems thinking. And Mark reminds us that the goal isn’t to get it perfect, but to start the journey of learning and adaptation.Key Highlights1. A Honeypot With BeesStephan opens with a perfect metaphor: this workshop is a honeypot—but it attracts bees. While it promises alignment and flow, it also brings organizational tension and complexity to the surface.“It aims to address organizational complexity… But there are some bees around this honeypot.” —Stephan Neck2. It Can Make or Break a TransformationAli calls it potentially the most destructive workshop in a SAFe rollout. Get it wrong, and you embed misalignment from day one—creating teams that still can't deliver value together.3. Respect What Already WorksNikolaos cautions against wiping the slate clean. While redesigning for value flow is essential, facilitators must acknowledge existing relationships, patterns, and practices that are already enabling success. Change for change’s sake is just as risky as standing still.“We always say start with what you do well. There’s already value flowing somewhere—your job is to find it, not replace it.” —Nikolaos Kaintantzis4. Set the Stage for LearningMark emphasizes that the real outcome of this workshop isn’t finality—it’s understanding. It's a first draft of a system that will evolve through inspection and adaptation.“You don’t need to get it right—you need to get started, and keep learning.” —Mark Richards5. Use Two Workshops, Not OneThe group strongly advocates for a second workshop. The first is about exploring the system, the second about committing to decisions. The gap between the two allows for assumption testing and fact finding to enable more informed commitments.Actionable TakeawaysSet expectations up front: This isn’t a two-day org design sprint—it’s the start of a systems-thinking journey.Don’t overwrite what works: Start from current state patterns that are already delivering value.Pause before deciding: Come back in a second workshop to refine, adjust, and commit.Focus on learning over certainty: Evolution, not perfection, is the goal.If you’re preparing to run a Value Stream and ART Identification Workshop—or coaching leaders through one—this episode is a must-listen. It’s a real-world guide to helping organizations shift from structure-first to value-first thinking.

The software behind high-impact virtual workshops

“Good flow is invisible, but it takes a lot of work to get there” - Nikolaos KaintantzisIn this episode of SPCs Unleashed, Mark Richards, Ali Hajou, Nikolaos Kaintantzis, and Stephan Neck take you behind the scenes of their virtual facilitation setups. It’s a follow-up to their earlier hardware episode—but this time, the spotlight is on software: the tools, flows, and tweaks that help them deliver seamless, engaging remote workshops.What emerges is less about specific apps and more about a mindset—crafting experiences that support learning, participation, and energy in distributed environments.Key Highlights1. Craft Before ConvenienceAli kicks off the conversation by reflecting on how tweaking and refining their setups became a creative obsession—not just to impress, but to enable smoother sessions. The group agrees: great online workshops don’t happen by default.“It becomes a passion over time to tweak things a little… and create a better working environment.” —Ali Hajou2. Their Actual Software StackThe team share a range of tools they rely on in different contexts, including:OBS: For managing transitions and camera scenesStream Deck: As a control panel for switching inputs smoothlyMiro and MURAL: Go-to tools for interactive whiteboardingMentimeter: To gather quick input and keep energy highSlack: Used between facilitators during live sessions for coordinationJamboard, Teams, Zoom, Webex, PowerPoint, Confluence: Mentioned as tools they’ve used or adapted to depending on client setupThe focus isn’t on using every tool—it’s about configuring the right mix to serve the group.3. It's About Reducing FrictionMark emphasizes the importance of flow—both technical and emotional. Tools should fade into the background, allowing participants to stay focused and feel safe. Nikolaos adds that even internal facilitator backchannels (like Slack) help keep delivery smooth.“Even if you’re improvising, you want people to feel like they’re in safe hands.” —Mark Richards4. It’s Performance, But Grounded in PurposeStephan compares facilitation to a performance—but stresses it’s not theater for the sake of it. The tech is in service of connection, trust, and clarity.“You can’t fake facilitation—people feel it when you’re tuned in.” —Stephan NeckActionable TakeawaysBe intentional: Every tool you introduce should remove friction, not add it.Start simple and scale: You don’t need every app—just the right few, well-configured.Practice transitions: Good flow builds participant confidence and focus.Coordinate backstage: Use backchannel tools (like Slack) to manage live facilitation seamlessly. If you’ve ever juggled tabs mid-session or wished your workshops felt more alive—this episode offers practical setups, mindsets, and inspiration from seasoned practitioners who’ve been there.