PI planning that lasts the whole PI
PI planning produces a great plan on day two. By week four, the program board, the backlog and the objectives spreadsheet all tell different stories. Ondule keeps the plan and the delivery on the same record for the whole Program Increment.
Updated
The short answer
Ondule is a product operating system with PI planning built in. Each product runs in a Program Increment with its objectives, milestones, epics, dependencies and risks on one connected record. The plan you make at PI planning is the plan you track, so the program board never has to be rebuilt.
The problem with PI planning today
Most teams plan the PI across four places: a physical or virtual program board, a spreadsheet of PI objectives, the backlog in Jira, and a risk log. Within weeks they drift apart. Dependencies go overdue without anyone noticing until the next sync, and the release train engineer spends Fridays reconciling it all.
What PI planning looks like in Ondule
One connected record for the whole Program Increment.
- Program Increments are real records, with dates (for example PI 3 2026, 8 July to 4 October) shown on every product.
- PI objectives link to the milestones and epics that deliver them, with human-owned status.
- Dependencies between products and teams are tracked with owners and due dates, and overdue ones surface in Needs attention.
- Risks and issues sit on the product record, next to the work they threaten.
- The portfolio overview shows every product's delivery progress, next milestone and status for the PI.
How it works
Three steps, from planning day to the end of the PI.
1. Set the PI: create the Program Increment and attach each product's objectives and milestones.
PI dates on the department sidebar. 2. Plan the work: break milestones into epics, plan sprints, and record cross-team dependencies and risks.
Needs attention, with overdue dependencies at the top. 3. Track it live: the portfolio view and Needs attention list show progress, overdue dependencies and at-risk milestones all PI long.
The portfolio overview for every product in the PI.
Who it's for
Release train engineers who want the program board to stay true. Product managers and product owners who own PI objectives. Engineering leads who need dependencies visible before they block a sprint.
Questions
- Does Ondule support SAFe?
- Ondule has Program Increments, PI objectives, portfolio views, dependencies and risks built in, which cover the core of SAFe PI planning. It doesn't force a framework, so it also suits teams planning in quarters.
- Can I track cross-team dependencies?
- Yes. Dependencies link work across products and teams, with due dates, and overdue ones appear in the Needs attention list.
- How much does it cost?
- Free for the first 3 members, then $20 per member per month, with PI planning and every other feature included.