How does the RTE work with Business Owners to define priorities?

The RTE, or Release Train Engineer, plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration between various stakeholders within a SAFe framework, particularly with Business Owners. By collaborating with Business Owners, the RTE ensures that there is a clear alignment between the priorities of the development teams and the overall business goals of the organization. This collaborative approach helps to clarify what is most important from a business perspective, ensuring that the work being done by Agile teams aligns effectively with strategic objectives.

Effective collaboration also promotes transparency and shared understanding, enabling the RTE to support the teams in making informed decisions about their backlogs and planning activities. This cooperative relationship fosters an environment where priorities can be discussed openly, leading to well-informed prioritization that ultimately drives business value. By engaging Business Owners early and continuously, the RTE ensures that the team's efforts are aligned with stakeholder expectations and adapt to any changes in business direction.

In contrast, working independently or avoiding discussions with Business Owners would likely lead to misalignment and confusion, while only consulting them post-planning can result in missed opportunities for adjustment based on strategic imperatives. Thus, the RTE's collaboration with Business Owners is vital for the success of the Agile Release Train and the overall delivery of value in a SAFe environment.