What is a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)?
Scaled Agile Framework SAFe, is a freely available online knowledge base that allows you to apply lean-agile practices at the enterprise level. It provides a simple, lightweight experience for the software development team. The whole framework is divided into three segments Team, Program and Portfolio. SAFe allows team for:
- Implementing Lean-Agile software and systems in enterprise level
- It’s based on Lean and Agile principles.
- It gives detailed guidance for work at the enterprise Portfolio, Value Stream, Program, and Team.
- It’s designed to meet the needs of all stakeholders within an organization.
Why to use Agile Framework
It is simpler and lighter in weight, yet it expands to handle the needs of large value streams and complex system development. By implementing an Agile Framework, you will have following benefits,
- Productivity increased by 20–50%
- Quality increased more than 50%
- Time to Market is faster than 30 -75%
- Increased employee engagement and job satisfaction.
When to Use Scaled Agile Framework
- When a team is interested to implement an agile approach consistently across larger, multi-team programs and portfolios.
- When multiple teams are running their own way of Agile implementation but regularly facing obstacles, delays, and failures.
- When teams want to work independently.
- When you want to scale Agile across the organization but not sure what new roles may be needed or what existing roles (i.e., management) need to change and how.
- When you have attempted to scale the Agile across your organization but struggling in alignment to achieve uniform or consistent strategy across business departments from portfolio to program and team levels.
- When an organization needs to improve its product development lead time and want to know how other companies have succeeded in scaling Agile with SAFe.
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How different than other Agile practices
Let’s see how Scaled Agile framework is different from other agile practices,
- It’s publicly available and free to use.
- Available in a highly approachable and usable form.
- It’s lightweight, practically proven results and specific to level.
- It constantly/regularly modifies/maintains most commonly used agile practices.
- Offers useful extensions to common agile practices.
- Grounds agile practices to an enterprise context.
- Offers complete picture of software development.
- Visibility or transparency is more on all the levels.
- Continues or regular feedback on quality and improvement.
Foundations of Scaled Agile Framework
Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe): It stands on the foundations of its
1. Lean-Agile Principles
2. Core Values,
3. Lean-Agile Leadership
4. Lean-Agile Mind-set,
1. SAFe Lean-Agile Principles
These basic principles and values for SAFe must be understood, exhibited and continued in order to get the desired results.
- Take an economic view
- Apply systems thinking
- Assume variability; preserve options
- Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
- Base milestones on an objective evaluation of working systems
- Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes and manage queue lengths
- Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning
- Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
- Decentralize decision-making
2. SAFe Agile Core Values
The SAFe agile is based on these four values.
Alignment:
- SAFe supports alignment.
- Alignment starts at,
- Strategic Themes in Portfolio Backlog and
- Moves down to Vision and Roadmap of Program Backlogs and then
- Moves to the Team Backlogs.
Built-in Quality:
- It ensures that every incremental delivery reflects the quality standards.
- Quality is not “added later” is built in.
- Built-in quality is a prerequisite of Lean and its mandatory
Transparency:
- Transparency is the enabler for trust.
- SAFe helps the enterprise to achieve transparency at all levels- Executives, Portfolio Managers, and other stakeholders.
- Everyone can see into the portfolio backlog/Kanban, program backlogs/Kanban, and Team Backlog/Kanban.
- Each level has a clear understanding of the PI goals.
- Train Programs have visibility into the team’s backlogs, as well other program backlogs
- Teams and programs have visibility into business and architecture Epics. They can see what might be headed their way.
Program Execution:
- SAFe places great focus on working systems and resultant business outcomes.
- SAFe is not useful if teams can’t execute and continuously deliver value.
3. Lean Agile Leaders:
The Lean-Agile Leaders are lifelong learners and teachers. It helps teams to build better systems through understanding and exhibiting the Lean-Agile SAFe Principles.
As an enabler for the teams, the ultimate responsibility is adoption, success and ongoing improvement of Lean-Agile developments. For the change and continuous improvement, leaders must be trained.
Leaders need to adopt a new style of leadership. One that truly empowers and engages individuals and teams to reach their highest potential.
Principles of these Lean-Agile Leaders
- Lead the Change
- Know the Way; Emphasize Lifelong Learning
- Develop People
- Inspire and Align with Mission; Minimize Constraints
- Decentralize Decision-Making
- Unlock the Intrinsic Motivation of Knowledge Workers
4. Lean Agile Mind-Set:
Lean-Agile mindset is represented in two things:
1. The SAFe House of Lean
2. Agile Manifesto
The SAFe House of Lean:
SAFe is derived from Lean manufacturing principles and practices. Based on these factors SAFe presents the “SAFe House of Lean”. It is inspired by “house” of lean Toyota.
The Goal of lean is unbeatable: To deliver maximum customer value in the shortest lead time with the highest possible quality to customer.
SAFe® DevOps Course
To compete in a disruptive global market, every organization needs to deliver valuable technology solutions at the speed of business. This requires a shared DevOps mindset among all the people needed to define, build, test, deploy, and release software-driven systems — not just the engineers operating a CI/CD pipeline.
The two-day, interactive SAFe® DevOps course helps people across technical, non-technical, and leadership roles work together to optimize their value stream from end to end. Attendees will learn what DevOps is, why it is important to every role, and design a continuous delivery pipeline that is tailored to their business. Attendees work in cross-functional teams to map their current state value stream from concept to cash, identify major bottlenecks to flow, and build an actionable implementation plan that will accelerate the benefits of DevOps in their organization. Attendees will leave with the knowledge they need to support and enable a successful DevOps initiative at scale. The course also prepares attendees for the SAFe® 4 DevOps Practitioner (SDP) certification exam.
After attending the class, attendees should be able to:
· Explain how DevOps enables strategic business objectives
· Apply a CALMR approach to DevOps to avoid automating broken processes
· Understand how successful DevOps requires continuous exploration, continuous integration, continuous deployment, and the ability to release to end users on demand
· Apply SAFe’s Lean and Agile principles to the roles and practices of SAFe
· Create high-performing teams by establishing mission and purpose
· Lead the transformation with the SAFe Implementation Roadmap
· Support PI Planning and the events associated with successful Program execution
· Drive Release on Demand with the Continuous Delivery Pipeline
· Establish alignment and execution with Strategic Themes and Lean Portfolio Management
· Understand the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise
Benefits
· Attendee workbook
· Preparation and eligibility to take the exam
· One-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform
· Course Certification of completion
· SAFe DevOps Practitioner certification upon passing of exam
SAFe® Agilist Course
During this two-day course, attendees will gain the knowledge necessary to lead a Lean-Agile enterprise by leveraging the Scaled Agile Framework ® (SAFe®), and its underlying principles derived from Lean, systems thinking, Agile development, product development flow, and DevOps. They will discuss the five competencies needed to become a Lean Enterprise. They will also learn and practice the skills for supporting and executing PI Planning events, and coordinating multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs).
Attendees will gain an understanding of the Lean-Agile mindset, why it’s so effective in today’s adapt-or-die marketplace, and what it means to lead a Lean-Agile transformation. They’ll also learn how to build and support Agile teams and programs, empower a Lean Portfolio, build a Continuous Delivery Pipeline and DevOps culture, and coordinate large solutions. They will develop a skillset that’s in demand worldwide — and empower their enterprises to succeed in a disruptive marketplace — when they become a SAFe® 4 Agilist (SA). Attending the class prepares individuals to take the exam and become a certified SAFe® Agilist (SA)
To perform the role of a SAFe® Agilist, attendees should be able to:
· Understand the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise
· Become a Lean-thinking manager-teacher
· Apply the values and principles of a Lean-Agile Mindset
· Apply SAFe’s Lean and Agile principles to the roles and practices of SAFe
· Create high-performing teams by establishing mission and purpose
· Lead the transformation with the SAFe Implementation Roadmap
· Support PI Planning and the events associated with successful Program execution
· Drive Release on Demand with the Continuous Delivery Pipeline
· Establish alignment and execution with Strategic Themes and Lean Portfolio Management
· Understand the Five Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise
Benefits
· Attendee workbook
· Preparation and eligibility to take the SAFe® 4 Agilist exam
· One year membership to the SAFe Community Platform
· Course certificate of completion
