The RTE podcast Episode 2 — Mikael Broome

Carl Starendal
3 min readJun 27, 2018

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Today it is time for the second episode of the podcast series called “The RTE Podcast” where I together with my good friend, fellow RTE and now also podcast co-host Håkan Löven, will be interviewing practicing, real-world Release Train Engineers (RTEs) to learn about how they work, and how they actually go about facilitating the flow of value with a large team of agile teams.

In this second episode of the podcast we are talking to Mikael Broome from Stockholm, Sweden who as an RTE is helping the company Elekta create medical equipment using lean/agile to develop the software, hardware and firmware for one big integrated system.

Håkan Löven, Mikael Broome & Carl Starendal

Together with Mikael we discuss working as part of a solution train, how to help evolve retrospectives and the value of strong visual facilitation.

Some of Mikaels best RTE-tips:

  1. The Scrum-Of-Scrums event should never regress into a “status reporting meeting”. Ensure it is focused on collaboration across the ART and removing impediments and that all Scum Masters see the value in coming together as a team at regular intervals.
  2. If your ART is part of a larger Solution Train that is building a big system together, then a regular scrum-of-scrum-of-scrums across the ARTs can help the collaboration among the RTEs that facilitate the different ARTs.
  3. Read the book “Agile Retrospectives” by Esther Derby and Diana Larsen with the ART scrum masters and together use the ideas in that book to help further evolve the relentless improvement for the teams that make up the ART.

Mikael also showed us some of the posters that he has been building for the PI-plannings as part of his approach to use clear visual radiators to help the facilitation:

Posters used in PI-planning

Listen on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/the-safe-rte-podcast/episode-2-mikael-broome

Upcoming SAFe events and training:

If you want to learn more about the RTE and get trained & certified for the role you can attend my upcoming RTE-class in Copenhagen during September: https://bestbrainsacademy.com/course/safe-4-5-release-train-engineer-rte-copenhagen-sept-2018/

If you want to learn how to implement SAFe in your organisation and get trained & certified as a SAFe SPC then attend my upcoming SPC-class in Sweden during August: https://bestbrainsacademy.com/course/implementing-safe-stockholm_august2018/

My co-host Håkan Löven hosts a SAFe training in Sweden that will be in Swedish during September: https://www.avegagroup.se/event/bli-en-safe-4-utovare-sp-2/

Useful links:

More about the RTE role in SAFe: https://www.scaledagileframework.com/release-train-engineer-and-solution-train-engineer/

Mikael Broome on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikaelbroome/

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Carl Starendal

Leadership/Agile Development Expert and Sustainability Entrepreneur (We Are Movement, Naturgruppen & Rädda En Art)