PI Planning in Classified Environments: Making SAFe Work

The Unique Challenge of Classified Agile

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) has gained significant traction across the Department of Defense and intelligence community. Its structured approach to scaling Agile across large programs appeals to organizations that need both agility and governance. But SAFe was designed for commercial environments where teams share open networks, collaboration tools, and physical spaces.

Classified environments upend many of those assumptions. Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) limit physical access. Classified networks are air-gapped from the internet. Commercial collaboration tools like Jira, Mural, and Slack may not be available, or may exist in limited, on-premise versions. Remote participation may be restricted or prohibited.

Despite these constraints, PI Planning can and does work in classified settings. It just requires deliberate adaptation.

Pre-Planning: The Most Critical Phase

In unclassified environments, teams can prepare for PI Planning asynchronously over several weeks using shared digital tools. In classified settings, preparation requires more structure.

Establish a Classification-Aware Backlog

Not all backlog items carry the same classification level. Work with your security team to establish clear guidelines for what can be discussed at each classification level. Some programs maintain parallel backlogs: an unclassified backlog for general planning and a classified backlog for sensitive features and integrations.

Reserve SCIF Time Well in Advance

SCIF space is a finite resource, often shared across multiple programs. PI Planning events for a full Agile Release Train (ART) may require two full days in a large SCIF. Book the space months ahead. Have backup dates identified.

Prepare Cross-Domain Materials

If your ART spans multiple classification levels (a common scenario in intelligence community programs), you will need materials prepared at each level. Briefs that reference classified system names or capabilities cannot be used in unclassified breakout sessions. Prepare sanitized versions in advance.

Running the Event

Day 1: Vision and Team Breakouts

The standard SAFe PI Planning agenda translates well to classified settings with a few modifications.

Business and Architecture Vision. Conduct this in the SCIF at the highest classification level needed. This ensures all teams have full context on mission drivers and technical constraints. Record minutes at the appropriate classification level, not on personal devices.

Team Breakouts. This is where classified PI Planning diverges most from the standard model. If teams work at different classification levels, breakout sessions must be physically separated. Designate a "runner" from each team, a cleared individual who can move between breakout rooms and the program-level planning board to communicate dependencies.

Draft Plan Review. Bring teams back together (at the appropriate classification level) for the management review and problem-solving session. Use physical boards or classified-network-connected displays rather than commercial tools.

Day 2: Refinement and Commitment

Adjustment Period. Teams refine their plans based on feedback and resolved dependencies. In classified settings, this often takes longer because cross-team communication is constrained. Build extra buffer time into Day 2.

Final Plan Review and Confidence Vote. Conduct the standard fist-of-five confidence vote. Document the PI objectives and committed features using approved classified systems.

Tooling Strategies

The tooling gap is one of the biggest pain points for classified Agile teams. Here are approaches that work.

Physical Boards and Sticky Notes

Sometimes the simplest approach is the best one. Physical program boards with sticky notes are classification-agnostic, require no software approval process, and force face-to-face collaboration. The downside is that they do not scale well for distributed teams and require manual digitization after the event.

Approved On-Premise Tools

Several Agile management tools have versions approved for classified networks, including Jira (via Data Center deployments on accredited infrastructure), GitLab (self-hosted), and Microsoft Azure DevOps Server. The approval process can take months, so start early.

Custom Lightweight Tools

Some programs build lightweight planning tools using approved technologies already on the classified network. A well-structured SharePoint site with custom lists can serve as a basic planning board. It is not elegant, but it works and avoids lengthy accreditation timelines.

Managing Distributed Teams

Many classified programs have team members across multiple sites. Remote PI Planning participation in classified environments is constrained by secure video teleconference (SVTC) availability and bandwidth.

Hub-and-spoke model. Designate a primary site where the ART leadership conducts the event, with satellite sites connected via SVTC. Each satellite site needs a local facilitator who can manage the room and relay information.

Asynchronous preparation. Compensate for limited real-time collaboration by investing heavily in pre-event preparation. Distribute draft PI objectives, architectural runway items, and known dependencies before the event so teams arrive ready to plan rather than ready to discover.

Security Considerations

Classification management during discussions. PI Planning generates a lot of free-form discussion. Designate a security representative to attend and provide real-time guidance on classification boundaries. This prevents inadvertent spillage and gives teams confidence to discuss openly within appropriate limits.

Artifact handling. All PI Planning artifacts (boards, printouts, notes) must be handled according to their classification level. At the end of the event, ensure all materials are properly stored or destroyed per facility procedures.

Photography and recording. Many SCIFs prohibit photography. If your team relies on photos of physical boards for post-event digitization, get explicit approval in advance.

Making It Sustainable

The overhead of classified PI Planning is real. Programs that sustain it long-term invest in standing SCIF reservations, pre-approved tooling, trained facilitators with appropriate clearances, and streamlined pre-event preparation processes. The upfront investment pays dividends in planning quality and cross-team alignment.

EaseOrigin has supported PI Planning in classified environments across DoD and IC programs. We bring both SAFe expertise and an understanding of the security constraints that shape how Agile operates in these unique settings.