What is the primary focus of the Program Increment (PI) in SAFe?

The primary focus of the Program Increment (PI) in SAFe is to define the overall direction and objectives for the Agile Release Train (ART) over a set period, typically spanning multiple iterations. During the PI planning event, teams collaborate to establish a shared understanding of the vision and objectives to ensure alignment and coordination. This collective effort helps in setting priorities, allocating resources, and defining the work that will be delivered in the upcoming iterations.

By concentrating on defining the overall direction and objectives, the PI enables teams to create a roadmap for what they plan to accomplish, ensuring that everyone is working towards common goals. This fosters teamwork and facilitates better decision-making, as all teams understand how their contributions fit into the larger context of the organization's strategy.

While elements such as managing dependencies are important for successful execution, the core purpose of the PI is to outline and clarify objectives that guide the work of teams throughout the increment, thus ensuring alignment with the business goals.