Efficient delivery at scale
How Renato guides agile practices at ETAS
In today’s world, where speed, adaptability, and quality define competitiveness, ETAS is reshaping how embedded software is delivered at scale. At the heart of this transformation is Renato, our Release Train Engineer (RTE), who plays a pivotal role in guiding teams toward modern, agile ways of working. He is not simply facilitating processes; he actively designs and shapes a system that empowers global teams to deliver faster, collaborate better, and continuously exceed customer expectations.
From legacy to agility
Renato’s journey at ETAS is a testament to the power of transformation. He joined at a time when development followed well-established, centralized models, characterized by longer release cycles and defined structures. This approach served the organization reliably for many years. However, adapting to evolving market demands required new ways of working.
The automotive industry, and embedded software development in particular, has since transformed dramatically. Complexity is rising, integration cycles are tightening, and customers’ expectations are increasing. Renato was motivated by the vision of faster time-to-market, stronger collaboration across disciplines (hardware, software, integration), and a development process centered around real customer needs. Agile and Lean methods promised not only higher software quality through continuous testing and integration, a crucial aspect for embedded software development, but also the adaptability required to stay aligned with a fast-moving market.
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Navigating the agile journey
The transition to agility was far more than the introduction of new tools; it required a cultural shift. Through workshops, coaching sessions, and targeted training, teams gradually embraced agile practices and the mindset behind them. Cross-functional teams were formed, roles became clearer, and customer value became the guiding principle for all work. This shift went hand in hand with more responsibility and greater autonomy within the teams.
"Scrum gives our teams structure, iterative development in two-week sprints, and frequent feedback loops, allowing us to respond faster and align closely with customer needs. Kanban helps us visualize flow, limit work in progress, and ensure predictability. Lean principles tie everything together by reducing waste, optimizing value streams, and enabling our teams to focus on what truly delivers customer benefits".
This systematic introduction of agile principles transformed initial skepticism into broad organizational confidence. Cross-functional collaboration became the norm, breaking down silos and strengthening communication, which is essential for reliably delivering complex solutions.
Empowering the RTE
Central to this transformation is Renato's role as Release Train Engineer. He guides and connects a global Agile Release Train (ART), ensuring that multiple teams across multiple countries move in the same direction and share the same priorities.
“My role is to synchronize teams, coach them on agile practices at scale, and facilitate key events like Program Increment (PI) Planning,” Renato says. “I help remove obstacles so teams within a release train can stay focused on delivering value and improving continuously.”
Renato acts as a neutral, trusted partner, balancing the needs of development teams, management, and customers. Using data-driven insights, he identifies friction, optimizes integration cycles, reduces meeting overload, and enables faster decision‑making. He also cultivates an environment where team members feel confident raising ideas and concerns, fostering ownership, motivation, and continuous learning. His work strengthens the underlying system so teams can do their best work, making agile transformation not just a vision, but a lived reality.
Looking ahead
Renato’s vision is clear: deepen agile and Lean principles across ETAS to keep the organization resilient, innovative, and proactive in an increasingly dynamic market. This includes consistently implementing best practices, accelerating customer feedback loops, and defining KPIs to measure system improvements and our end-to-end delivery. All with the goal of creating the greatest possible benefit for our customers.
"In a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous), we must remain flexible and adapt quickly to market changes," Renato emphasizes. He sees future challenges in navigating accelerating complexity, ensuring fast and informed decision-making, and maintaining adaptability. For him, people make the difference: Continuous learning, empowerment, and shared ownership are, in his view, the strongest drivers of long-term success and customer value.
Key takeaways from Renato's journey
Embrace change
See transformation not as disruption, but as an opportunity to elevate how work is done.
Focus on customer value
Make customer needs the guiding principle for every step of the development process.
Collaborate effectively
Leverage team strengths and cross-functional collaboration to build innovative solutions.
Renato Garcia Dominguez
Renato is a Release Train Engineer (RTE) at ETAS, playing a pivotal role in navigating the company's agile transformation. He leads 10 teams across 5 countries, fostering a global approach to efficient delivery. With a passion for enhancing flexibility, efficiency, and quality in automotive software development, he champions iterative development, improved collaboration, and unwavering customer focus. Renato is an expert in implementing agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban, coaching teams, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. His work is essential in enabling ETAS to thrive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
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