“Learning AI isn’t just about acquiring a new skill… it’s about unlocking the power to fundamentally reshape how our organizations work.” – Stephan Neck

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, the hosts — Stephan, Mark, and Niko — share their personal AI learning journeys and reflect on what it means for practitioners and leaders to engage with this fast-evolving space.

They emphasize that learning AI isn’t only about technical skills — it’s a shift in mindset. Curiosity, humility, and experimentation are essential. From late-night “AI holes” to backlog strategies for learning, the discussion highlights both the excitement and overwhelm of navigating an exponential learning curve. The hosts also explore how to structure an AI learning roadmap with projects, fundamentals, and experiments. The episode closes with reflections on non-determinism in AI: its creative spark, its risks, and the reminder that “AI won’t replace you, but someone who masters AI will.”

1. Anchor AI learning in real problems. Mark emphasized: “Have a problem you’re trying to solve… so that every time you go and learn something, you’re learning it so you can achieve that thing better.”

2. Treat AI as a sparring partner, not a servant. Niko showed how ChatGPT improved his writing in both German and English — not by doing the work for him, but by challenging him to refine and think differently.

3. Use a backlog to manage your AI learning journey. The hosts compared learning AI to managing a portfolio — prioritization, focus, and backlog management are key to avoiding overwhelm.

4. Don’t get stuck on hype or deep math too early. Both Niko and Mark stressed that experimentation and practical application matter more in the early stages than diving into theory or chasing hype cycles.

5. Practice humility and collaboration. Stephan underlined that acknowledging blind spots and working with peers who bring complementary strengths is critical for sustainable growth.

The AI learning journey is less about chasing the latest tools and more about reshaping how we think, collaborate, and experiment. For practitioners, leaders, and change agents, the real challenge is balancing curiosity with focus, hype with fundamentals, and individual learning with collective growth. As the hosts remind us, mastery doesn’t come from endlessly consuming content — it comes from applying AI thoughtfully, with humility, intent, and a willingness to learn in public.

By treating AI as a partner and structuring your learning with intent, you not only future-proof your skills but also strengthen your impact as a leader in the age of AI.

“If you're not thinking about an agent being a part of every conversation, something’s wrong with you.” – Mark Richards

Season 3 of SPCs Unleashed opens with a subtle shift. While the podcast continues to serve the SAFe community, the crew is broadening the conversation to explore how AI is disrupting agile practices. In this kickoff, hosts Mark Richards, Niko Kaintantzis, Ali Hajou, and Stephan Neck take on a provocative question: what happens to user stories in a world of AI-generated prototypes, specs, and conversations?

The debate highlights tension between tradition and transformation. User stories have long anchored agile communication, but the panel asks if they still serve their purpose when AI can generate quality outputs faster than humans. Their conclusion: the form may change, but the intent — empathy, alignment, and feedback — remains essential.

1. AI exposes weaknesses. Most backlogs already contain poor-quality “stories” that are tasks in disguise. AI could multiply the problem if used lazily, but also raise the bar by forcing clarity.

2. Feedback speed is the game-changer. Tools like Replit, Lovable, and GPT-5 enable instant prototyping, turning vague ideas into testable experiments in hours.

3. From stories to executable briefs. Stephan notes prompts may become agile’s new “H1 tag”: precise instructions that orchestrate human–AI swarms.

4. Context and craftsmanship still matter. AI cannot intuit the problem space. Human product thinking — empathy, vision, and long-term orientation — remains vital.

5. User stories may fade, intent will not. Mark sees classic stories as obsolete, but clear communication and shared focus endure.

This episode signals a turning point: SPCs Unleashed is no longer just about scaling frameworks — it’s about confronting how AI reshapes agile fundamentals. The verdict? User stories may not survive intact, but the practices of fast feedback, empathy, and shared understanding are more important than ever. Coaches and leaders must now help teams integrate AI as a collaborator, not a crutch.

“At some point you’ve got to look at a set of risks and say, how do we feel about our overall stance?” — Mark Richards

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, hosts Mark Richards, Niko Kaintantzis, and Stephan Neck unpack the complexity of risk management in SAFe. Too often, risk management is reduced to ROAMing during PI Planning. While useful, ROAMing is only a starting point. The discussion centers on the continuum — from identifying risks to shaping an organizational risk posture that balances ownership, experimentation, and resilience.

The hosts explore who owns risk, how unforeseen disruptions like COVID expose organizational resilience, and why AI both enables and complicates risk management. The message is clear: effective risk management requires more than visibility. It demands ownership, accountability, and a proactive stance across all levels of SAFe.

1. Think in terms of risk posture first Instead of obsessing over individual risks, ask: What is our overall stance? This broader view helps leaders balance tradeoffs and set expectations.
2. ROAMing is only the beginning ROAMing surfaces and socializes risks, but it does not ensure ownership, tracking, or mitigation. Treat it as examination, not management.
3. Shared responsibility, clear accountability Risk is everyone’s job, but accountability sits with roles like business owners, product managers, and RTEs to ensure protocols are in place.
4. Build resilience for the unforeseen Events like COVID remind us that Lean-Agile ways of working prepare organizations to adapt faster. Investing in agility is investing in resilience.
5. AI is both a tool and a risk Artificial intelligence can enhance prediction and monitoring but also introduces new risks around bias, governance, and misuse.

Risk management in SAFe cannot stop at ROAMing. That practice creates visibility, but true effectiveness comes from moving along the continuum — toward a well-understood and actively managed risk posture. For SPCs, RTEs, and change leaders, the challenge is to foster transparency, ensure accountability, and guide organizations toward resilience.

In your next PI Planning, go beyond simply documenting risks. Ask what risk posture your teams and business owners are really taking — and ensure that stance is owned, shared, and actively managed.

“We’re unable to build an entire component within just two weeks… so the question becomes: what can we verify at the end of a sprint? It’s about finding the shortest path to your next learning.” — Ali Hajou

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, the hosts dive into the newly released SAFe for Hardware course and use it as a springboard to explore agility in hardware more broadly. Ali Hajou, joined by Mark Richards, Stephan Neck, and Niko Kaintantzis, reflects on how Agile principles—originally inspired by hardware product development—are now circling back into engineering contexts. The group unpacks the unique challenges hardware teams face: aging technical workforces, specialized engineering disciplines, and long product lead times. Through personal stories and coaching insights, the hosts surface strategies for fostering collaboration across expertise boundaries, reframing iteration around learning, and adapting SAFe without forcing software recipes onto hardware environments.

1. Honor Agile’s hardware origins Scrum was born from studies of hardware companies like Honda and 3M. Coaches can remind teams that agility is not a software-only mindset but a return to hardware’s own innovative roots.

2. Reframe what “shippable” means Hardware teams cannot produce finished machines every two weeks, but they can deliver learning increments through simulations, prototypes, and verifiable designs.

3. Lead with humility As Niko described, success comes from co-working with engineers rather than posturing as experts. Admitting limits builds trust and invites collaboration.

4. Shift the conversation to risk Talking about risk reduction resonates more strongly with hardware engineers than software-centric terms like story slicing. It reframes iteration as de-risking the next step.

5. Context matters more than recipes The SAFe for Hardware training emphasizes co-creation. Rather than copying software playbooks, practitioners should tailor practices to local constraints, supply chains, and compliance realities.

The conversation highlighted that agility in hardware is less about forcing software practices and more about adapting principles—short learning cycles, risk reduction, and humble collaboration—to fit the realities of physical product development. SAFe for Hardware provides a structure for that adaptation, but its real power lies in co-creating ways of working that respect both the heritage and the complexity of hardware environments.

“How do you make auditors happy? It’s in the built-in quality stuff… not being the headless chickens anymore, being pretty much relaxed if someone pushes the Audit button.” — Stephan Neck

In this episode of SPCs Unleashed, the crew tackles a topic many practitioners dread: audits. Too often, audits trigger a frantic rush to patch documentation and hide gaps—a fire drill of “headless chickens.” But as the hosts remind us, audits in a SAFe® context don’t have to be adversarial. Done well, they can accelerate transformation by embedding quality, transparency, and risk management into everyday ways of working.

For many developers, the word audit recalls late nights preparing to fake compliance. But the hosts stress that auditors are not enemies—they share the same goal: ensuring sustainable, risk-aware transformation. By treating auditors as stakeholders and colleagues rather than bureaucratic gatekeepers, organizations can shift the dynamic from fear to collaboration.

1. Shift Left on Audits – Just as testing shifted left into daily work, audits should be integrated early. Invite auditors into transformation conversations instead of waiting for them at the end.
2. Build Audit Readiness with Built-In Quality – Practices like Definition of Done, automated compliance checks, and transparent dashboards mean audits become non-events instead of emergency scrambles.
3. Foster Collective Ownership – Move beyond the mindset that one person shields the team. Every role should understand why evidence matters and how it supports organizational safety.
4. Challenge the Myths – Many so-called “audit requirements” are organizational folklore, not law. Bringing auditors in early often exposes outdated practices and frees teams from unnecessary documentation.
5. Use Auditors as Accelerators – When aligned, auditors can clear away obstacles. One story described eliminating 75% of legacy documentation once auditors validated that automated test evidence was sufficient.

Audits are inevitable—but panic and compliance theater are optional. For SPCs, RTEs, and change agents, the opportunity is to reframe audits as continuous, built-in, and collaborative. Shifting left on audits not only reduces fear, it creates conditions where auditors become partners in transformation rather than roadblocks. When quality, transparency, and risk management are embedded into SAFe practices, audits evolve from disruptive events into quiet confirmations of progress.

“Creating ASPC is… a career highlight, one of the most joyful things I've done.” — Cheryl Crupi

In this episode of *SPCs Unleashed*, the crew welcomes Cheryl Crupi from the SAFe Framework team to unpack the brand-new **Advanced SPC (ASPC) training**. While Cheryl joins as a friend rather than in an official role, her fingerprints are all over the course design. Together with Mark, Niko, and Stephan, she explores what “advanced” really means for SPCs, how the training was shaped by research with more than 1,000 practitioners, and why practice, mastery, and confidence-building are at its heart.

Actionable Insights

1. Advanced = Confidence in Sticky Situations ASPC doesn’t revisit the basics. It focuses on the hardest parts of transformation — engaging executives, breaking through organizational inertia, and sustaining momentum — to help SPCs step forward with confidence.

2. Practice, Not Just Theory Half of the ASPC course is scenario-based learning. SPCs practice pitching, influencing, advocating, and problem-solving in a safe environment before facing those challenges in their organizations.

3. Engaging Leaders is Central The Engaging Leaders module emerged as a clear favorite. SPCs must empathize with executives, understand what truly matters to them (growth, innovation, talent), and communicate in their language.

4. The Learning Lab Brings It Together The program culminates in a Learning Lab — a simulation where SPCs navigate a transformation story, apply tools, and create artifacts. It reinforces that no one SPC has all the answers; success comes from collaboration, experimentation, and feedback.

5. Staying Advanced Requires Continuous Growth ASPC is just the first step. To remain advanced, SPCs must keep practicing, mentor others, and share lessons learned at conferences or meetups — sharpening both technical expertise and soft skills over time.

Conclusion The Advanced SPC training is less about new slides and more about preparing SPCs to **lead change with confidence and empathy**. For practitioners who’ve mastered the basics, ASPC offers a challenging but rewarding next step — shifting the role from teaching SAFe to catalyzing enterprise-wide transformation.