1. Invite key team members to discuss proposed environment.

Ideally the Portfolio Manager is familiar with the SAFe process template and IBM Rational Team Concert, and so can explain configuration options to the other stakeholders.

2. Decide portfolio project configuration requirements

Topics to discuss include:

• roles/permissions (if different than the standard SAFe template)
• any other unique configuration requirements for this portfolio.

1. Create a new project area.

The process template preconfigures the portfolio's project area with a default timeline, work item types, dashboards, and so on.

Note that this project area is just for the Portfolio and associated value streams; project areas for Programs are described elsewhere.

Log in as an administrator. See Logging in for project administrators and team leads (web). 

1.  Post Project Initialization Task

A task entitled Post Project Initialization is created when the project area is created.  You can use this task to track your progress configuring the portfolio project area.

The Post Project Initialization task is linked from the Portfolio project area dashboard.

2. Add members to the project and assign appropriate process roles

After you create the project area, scroll to the Members section and assign process roles to members to ensure that they have the permissions required to work on project area artifacts.

As a minimum, someone should be assigned to the Portfolio Manager role.

Adding and modifying users as members of project areas and team areas 

Adding and modifying roles and permissions

3. Define categories

Categories are used to group work items. By default, a category "Portfolio Name (rename)" is created.

Rename this to the name of the portfolio.

Defining categories that work items can be filed against

1. From the Portfolio Dashboard, go to Plans > All Plans.
2. Rename the "Portfolio Name (rename) Roadmap" plan to desired name

5. (Optional) Create and Assign Work Items

Now that you have a project area defined, you can create and assign work items. Work item templates may be available for creating work items for common activities.

Creating work items from a template

1. Overview

Add and rename tabs as needed to get the following tabs:

• Portfolio Overview
• Value Stream Overview (4 level SAFe only)
• Portfolio Planning
• Portfolio Execution (Current PI)
• Risks and Impediments
• Trends
• My Process Exceptions
• Process Guidance
• General

• Add widgets to each of the tabs as listed below.
• Set the appearance/title to match the name listed. 
• Change settings as described.

Configure each of the tabs and add report widgets as described below.

Dashboards

Adding and organizing tabs on dashboards

Adding and configuring widgets

2.1 Submit new ideas

Provides a convenient way to create Portfolio Epics.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

Title: "Submit new ideas"
Rich text: "Click here to create a new Portflio Epic."

Create a link for "here" that links to the same URL as Work items > Create work item > Portfolio Epic.

2.2 Important plan views

Provides a convenient link to the portfolio roadmap and other plans as desired.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

Title: "Important plan views"
Rich text: "Portfolio roadmap" (and other plans as desired).

Create links to the plans.  The URL for the plan can be found by navigating to the plan and then copying the URL from the browser address bar.

2.3 Show incoming ideas

Displays newly created Epics.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > Work items > Work items

Title: Show incoming ideas

Query: Show Incoming Ideas

2.4 Portfolio Epics ready for approval

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > Work items > Work items

Title:  Portfolio Epics ready for approval

Query: Portfolio Epics in the Ready (for Approval) state

2.5 Post-Project initialization tasks

This widget is already present.  It links to tasks and guidance to be performed after created the project area.  You can remove this widget when it is no longer useful.

2.6 Portfolio (requirements management)

Lists all the strategic themes.

Widget: Requirements Management > Requirements > Requirements view

Project Area: Set to the portfolio requirements project

Module: None

View: [SAFe] Strategic Themes - Portfolio Epics

2.7 Headline: As a Portfolio Manager or Director, I need to understand how work is aligned with business strategy and how my budget is allocated across Value Streams

You can add a headline widget with the above title text and then place the following 2 widgets underneath it.

2.10 Headline:  As a Portfolio Manager or Director, I need to know what Portfolio Epics have been delivered and what is on the roadmap for delivery

You can add a headline widget with the above title text and then place the following 2 widgets underneath it.

3.1 Important Plan Views 

Provides convenient links to the value stream roadmaps.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

Title: "Important plan views"
Rich text: <Create a link to each value stream roadmap plan.  The URL for the plan can be found by navigating to the plan and then copying the URL from the browser address bar. >

3.2 Value Stream Epics ready for approval

Title:  Value Stream Epics ready for approval

Query: Value Stream Epics in the Ready (for Approval) state

3.3 Capabilities ready for approval

Title:  Capabilities ready for approval

Query: Capabilities in the Ready (for Approval) state

3.4 Headline: As a Solution Manager, I need to understand how work is aligned, what work has been delivered and what is on the roadmap for delivery

You can add a headline widget with the above title text and then place the following widget underneath it.

3.6 Headline: As a Value Stream Engineer, I need to understand how my budget is allocated across the Programs in my Value Stream so that I can help the Solution team craft the roadmap

You can add a headline widget with the above title text and then place the following widget underneath it.

4.1 Important plan views

Provides a convenient link to important plan views for each value stream.  

Create these portfolio iteration plans if they do not already exist:

• PI Next plan (Owner: <portfolio>,  Iteration: <next PI>, Plan type: Portfolio Backlog).
• PI Next+1 plan (Owner: <portfolio>,  Iteration: <next+1 PI>, Plan type: Portfolio Backlog).

Create roadmap plans for each value stream if they do not already exist:

• <Value Stream> Roadmap (Owner: <value stream>, Iteration: Value Stream Roadmap, Plan Type: Value Stream Backlog)

The following are the recommended links to above plans, setting the view as specified.

Next PI Planning

PI Next plan (View: Kanban view).

PI Next+1 plan (View: Kanban view).

Kanban Views:

<Value Stream> Roadmap - Epic Kanban: (View: Value Stream Kanban View)

<Value Stream> Roadmap - Capability Kanban: (View: Capability Kanban View)

Ranked list of Capabilities:

<Value Stream> Roadmap - WSJF Ranked List: (View: WSJF Ranked List)

See creating plans for guidance on creating a plan for the next PI.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

Title: "Important plan views"
Rich text: <Create links to each of the recommmended plan views.  The URL for the plan can be found by navigating to the plan, selecting the correct view, and then copying the URL from the browser address bar. >

4.2 Value Stream Epics Ready for Approval

Title:  Value Stream Epics ready for approval

Query: Value Stream Epics in the Ready (for Approval) state

4.3 Capabilities Ready for Approval

Title:  Capabilities ready for approval

Query: Capabilities in the Ready (for Approval) state

4.4 Capabilities Proposed but not Committed 

Title:  Capabilities Proposed but not Committed

Query: Capabilities Proposed but not Committed

4.5 WSJF Ranked List <Portfolio> Roadmap

Lists capabilities for all value streams ranked by WSJF.

Project:  <Portfolio>

Plan:  <Portfolio> Roadmap

Plan view: WSJF Ranked List

5. Portfolio Execution (Current PI) tab

Open the tab menu by clicking the Down Arrow icon, click Layout, and select 3 columns.

5.1 Headline: Value Delivery

Add a headline widget to the first column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

5.4 Headline: Status & Progress

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

5.5 Capability "Done Criteria" Status

With icons, summarizes for each capability the work item  status and "done criteria".
 

Query: Capability "Done Criteria" Status

Additional icons:

• Status
• Acceptance Test
• Documentation
• Performance Test
• UX Design

5.7 Headline: Planning

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

5.8 Roadmap <Value Stream><current PI>

Create a plan view widget for each Value Stream's current PI plan.

Project:  <Portfolio>

Plan:  <Value Stream><current PI>

Plan view: Roadmap

6. Risks and Impediments tab

Open the tab menu by clicking the Down Arrow icon, click Layout, and select 3 columns.

6.1 Headline: Risk & Process Issues

Add a headline widget to the first column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

6.2 Risks for Current PI

Bar chart showing number of risks for the current PI grouped by Impact.

Query: Risks for current PI

Parameter:  Impact

6.5 Headline: Dependencies

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

6.8 Headline: Quality

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

Open the tab menu by clicking the Down Arrow icon, click Layout, and select 3 columns.

7.1 Headline: Value delivery

Add a headline widget to the first column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

7.4 Headline: Effort estimation 

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

7.7 Headline: Velocity

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

8. My process exceptions tab

Open the tab menu by clicking the Down Arrow icon, click Layout, and select 3 columns.

8.1 Headline: Draft or Unresolved

Add a headline widget to the first column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

8.2 Incomplete WSJF

Lists Epics and Capabilities that have an incomplete WSJF (excludes those in Draft state).

Query: [Process Exception] Epics and Capabilities beyond Draft state with an incomplete WSJF

Additional icons: Status

8.3 Proposed but still in Draft

Lists Epics and Capabilities that in Draft state that have been proposed for a PI.

Query: [Process Exception] Epics and Capabilities in Draft proposed for a PI

Additional icons: Status

8.4 Planned For is set even though Proposed is future

Lists Epics and Capabilities that have been proposed for a future PI, but the Planned For is not set to Backlog.

Query: [Process Exception] Epics and Capabilities Proposed for Future PI but Planned for is not Backlog

Additional icons: Status

8.5 Headline: Analyzing or Ready

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

8.6 <Widget name >

Query: [Process Exception] <query>

Additional icons: Status

8.7 Headline: Approved or Implementing

Add a headline widget to the next column with the above title text and then place the following widgets underneath it.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General> Headlines 

8.8 No Program work specified

Lists all Capabilities in Approved or in Implementing state that are not tracking any Program-level work.

Query: [Process Exception] Capabilities Requiring Program Work for PI Planning

Additional icons: Status

9. Process Guidance tab

Use headlines, HTML, and bookmarks widgets to provide process guidance.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General > Headlines

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General > HTML

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General > Bookmarks

10. General tab 

10.1 Programs

Provides links to all the programs in the portfolio.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > General > Bookmarks

Title: "Programs"

Click Add Bookmark to create links to the dashboard for each Program.  The URL for each dashboard can be found by navigating to the dashboard, and then copying the URL from the browser address bar.

10.2 Value Streams (optional)

Provides links to all the Value Stream team dashboards.

Note that we do not provide guidance for configuring Value Stream dashboards, as most organizations do not use them (enough information is on the Portfolio dashboard).              

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > Project/Team> Teams

Title: "Value Streams"

10.3 Team members

Lists all the members of the Portfolio project area.

Widget: Change and Configuration Management (/ccm) > Project/Team> Teams

Title: "Team members"

11. Add and configure report widgets

Add SAFe specific reports to each of the dashboard tabs.

See SAFe Reporting Guidelines.