Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) Workshop

Drive enterprise adoption of Lean-Agile practices and business results

The LACE is a small, dedicated team of leaders and change agents who are responsible for driving real and lasting organizational change. An effective Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) is a critical success factor differentiating organizations fully committed to adopting Lean-Agile practices and achieving significant business results from those practicing Agile in name only. The challenge is that most of the people qualified to drive change have full-time responsibilities in their current roles. While a significant portion of their time can perhaps be devoted to supporting the change, a smaller, more dedicated group of people is needed to drive SAFe® adoption throughout the organization.

Main elements of the LACE workshop

During this workshop, you will explore proven SAFe adoption patterns (as well as common pitfalls) and how they apply to your context, in order to:

  • Create the mission statement and charter for the LACE

  • Create the mission statement and charter for the LACE

  • Understand and learn how to carry out the responsibilities of the LACE

  • Determine the organizational model for the LACE (centralized, decentralized or hub-and-spoke)

  • Set up the LACE as an Agile team

  • Build your initial SAFe Implementation Roadmap

  • Learn how to prepare to launch your first Agile Release Train (ART)

What You’ll Learn and Accomplish

  • Proven SAFe adoption patterns described in the SAFe Implementation Roadmap

  • Which LACE organizational model is best for your organization

  • LACE roles and responsibilities, and the key practices the LACE can leverage to drive enterprise adoption

  • An action plan for generating the short-term wins critical to organizational change

  • A roadmap and Kanban system to sustain and expand on early successes

  • Fostering Release Train Engineer (RTE) and Scrum Master Communities of Practice (CoPs)

  • Extending SAFe to Lean Portfolio Management, Human Resources, and Finance

Benefits of the Quickstart approach

  • The Agile teams will be fully formed

  • Teams engage in collective learning that starts forming the social network that the ART depends upon

  • The features for the PI will be ready

  • Teams form their own identities

  • Executives, Business Owners, and other key stakeholders will be trained and aligned with the new ways of thinking and doing

  • Specialty roles, such as Product Owners and Scrum Masters will be prepared for their new responsibilities

Who will Benefit?

  • Executive sponsors

  • Change agents

  • Certified SAFe® Program Consultants (SPCs)

  • Agile coaches

Recommended Prerequisites

  • All participants must have attended an Implementing SAFe or Leading SAFe class

  • Completion and socialization of a Value Stream Workshop

SAFe EngagementsP&TProject & TeamLACE