How SAFe 6.0 Is Revolutionizing Agile: 6 Key Changes You Need to Know

The u003ca href=u0022https://xebia.com/academy/en/safe-scaled-agile-frameworku0022u003eScaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®)u003c/au003e helps organizations implement Agile practices across their entire enterprise. SAFe has been around since 2011 and has evolved over the years to keep up with changing markets and emerging practices. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eIn 2023, Scaled Agile released the latest framework version—SAFe 6.0. This update includes several key changes that can help organizations achieve true business agility. Learn more about the updates and refinements in SAFe 6.0 and what they mean for organizations that use the framework.

The Lean-Agile Mindset is now represented by the u003ca href=u0022https://kanbanize.com/lean-management/implementing-leanu0022u003efive principles of Lean Thinkingu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022https://agilemanifesto.org/u0022u003ethe Agile Manifestou003c/au003e, while the House of Lean has been retired. The u003ca href=u0022https://scaledagileframework.com/safe-lean-agile-principles/u0022u003eSAFe Principlesu003c/au003e now align with the five principles of Lean Thinking, eight common properties of a flow-based system, and accelerators for eliminating impediments to flow. There is a greater emphasis on developing a Continuous Learning Culture that focuses on relentless improvement and promoting a culture of innovation.

Scrum Masters have expanded roles to optimize flow, build high-performing teams, and support organizational agility. As per the Scrum Guide, this was always the intent.

Now, it is even clearer that a SAFe Scrum Master is a real Scrum Master. For organizations not using Scrum, u0022Team Coachu0022 is an alternative title for this role. Updates to the roles of System Architect, Solution Architect, Product Management, and Solution Management reflect the vital collaborations required to support efficient product development flow.

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The framework now outlines eight properties of flow and eight related accelerators to make value flow faster. New section headers on The Big Picture—Team Flow, ART Flow, Solution Train Flow, and Portfolio Flow—describe incorporating the eight properties of flow and applying the eight flow accelerators from revisedu0026nbsp;u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://scaledagileframework.com/make-value-flow-without-interruptionsu0022u003ePrinciple #6 “Make value flow without interruptions”.u003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e

Theu0026nbsp;u003ca href=u0022https://xebia.com/academy/en/kanbanu0022u003euse of a Kanbanu0026nbsp;u003c/au003e(now renamed SAFe Team Kanban) has been clarified, which will help individual teams enhance the flow of value through the ART.

Value Stream Management is now formally recognized as an important portfolio-level responsibility. The Agile Program Management Office is now the Value Management Office (VMO), and it has a new focus to support understanding, measuring, and improving the flow of value.

SAFe 6.0 now offers a more robust knowledge base to guide workflows across the entire organization, including a new u0022Business and Technologyu0022 article that highlights five patterns to help organizations integrate business agility with SAFe. These patterns are:

SAFe 6.0 recognizes the importance of AI, Big Data, and Cloud technologies in the future of business and introduces a new competency to provide guidance on how to develop and leverage these capabilities in organizations.u003cbru003e

Updates to theu0026nbsp;u003ca href=u0022https://scaledagileframework.com/measure-and-growu0022u003eMeasure and Grow processu003c/au003eu0026nbsp;aim to help organizations take a more data-driven approach to business agility. Additionally, a new OKR tool is included in SAFe 6.0 to help organizations track objectives and key results.u003cbru003e

Overall, SAFe 6.0 represents a significant advance in how enterprises integrate SAFe practices into their day-to-day work and achieve the benefits of true business agility. While there are some minor changes to terminology and organization, there are also some significant changes that could impact how you can approach using SAFe.

u003ca href=u0022https://scaledagileframework.com/safe/#:~:text=SAFe%206%20enables%20business%20agility,satisfaction%2C%20and%20improved%20economic%20outcomes.u0022u003eAccording to Scaled Agileu003c/au003e, SAFe 6 ‘has produced dramatic improvements in time to market, employee engagement, higher quality, higher customer satisfaction, and improved economic outcomes’ (see the image below). What’s more, it also helps create a more productive, rewarding, and fun culture.

By embracing the above-mentioned updates, your company can become more Agile and stay ahead in an ever-changing business landscape.