Leading the Change

The best course of action is to Publicly validate a team's decision to pivot based on a disproven hypothesis, emphasizing that the knowledge gained is as valuable as code delivery.

This action directly addresses the discrepancy between the leader's words and actions. In a Continuous Learning Culture, leaders must demonstrate that learning (innovation, hypothesis testing, and invalidating assumptions) is as valuable as predictable feature delivery. By celebrating a 'pivot'—which implies a change in direction based on data rather than just executing a plan—the Business Owner signals that the organization values the discovery of the right solution over the mere completion of tasks.

The other options do not effectively shift the culture. Creating a distinct showcase separates innovation from 'real work,' suggesting it is secondary. Categorizing outcomes is a process change that delegates the cultural shift to Product Management rather than modeling it. Finally, demanding immediate ROI justification for experiments inhibits innovation by placing a high barrier on low-risk entry activities.

The correct answer is: To base the necessary governance and investment model changes on the objective evidence and credibility generated by operating value streams.

In the SAFe Implementation Roadmap, 'Extend to the Portfolio' is positioned later because implementing Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) represents a significant shift in how an organization handles strategy, funding, and governance. By first launching multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs), the organization generates quick wins and tangible proof that the new way of working delivers value efficiently. This objective evidence provides the necessary credibility and trust required to convince senior leadership to abandon traditional project-based funding and command-and-control governance in favor of Lean budgets and decentralized decision-making.

Why the other answers are incorrect:

• Mandating that the Enterprise Architect group finalizes a full technical roadmap before portfolio intervention contradicts the Agile principle of emergent design and adapting to change; SAFe does not advocate for fixing long-term plans in isolation before engaging portfolio stakeholders.
• Requiring Release Train Engineers to establish stable velocity metrics for long-term financial forecasting is not the primary strategic driver. While predictability is valuable, velocity is an internal planning metric for teams and trains, not a tool for calculating financial ROI at the portfolio level, and delaying portfolio modernization solely for this metric would impede progress.
• Waiting for Human Resources to realign compensation structures is crucial for long-term sustainability, but it is not a prerequisite dependency that dictates the roadmap placement of Portfolio adoption. HR changes typically run in parallel or evolve as part of the organizational change management, rather than acting as a gate for implementing LPM practices.

The correct answer is: To create clarity that enables broad-based action towards the new future.

In the context of SAFe and John Kotter's 8-step model for leading change, communicating the vision is critical because large-scale transformations cannot be executed by a small guiding coalition alone. For the change to stick, the vision must clarify the direction and purpose of the change, encouraging buy-in from the wider organization. This clarity empowers employees at all levels to take independent, aligned actions that move the company toward the new future, effectively enabling broad-based action.

The other options are incorrect because:

Constructing a detailed master plan contradicts the Agile mindset of adaptive planning. While a roadmap is useful, a rigid 'master plan' implies a waterfall approach to transformation which SAFe discourages.

Standardizing development protocols is a tactical implementation detail rather than the strategic purpose of a high-level change vision.

Defining the reporting hierarchy is an organizational design task, not the primary strategic objective of communicating the inspirational vision for change.