What is SAFe?

You’ve probably heard about u003cstrongu003eSAFe®u003c/strongu003e, the Scaled Agile Framework. But what is SAFe? What can it do for your organization? And when and why should you implement it?u003cbru003eu003cbru003eDigital transformation and Agile ways of working are key for complex organizations to become – and remain – successful in an extremely volatile and competitive global market. SAFe helps organizations with this agile transformation and enables them to handle all challenges involved with adapting to such markets. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eWith this article, we help you to understand the basics of SAFe. And find the answer to the question of why you should implement SAFe in your organization.

How do you still apply the principles of Lean Agile in a growing, more complex organizational structure and on a much larger scale? By mastering and internalizing the u003cemu003eu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://scaledagile.com/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eScaled Agile Framework (SAFeu003c/au003e)u003c/strongu003e!u003c/emu003e

u003cstrongu003eSAFeu0026nbsp;u003c/strongu003eis a framework for organizations in which many teams work on multiple complex products in an ever-changing environment. The SAFe framework enables organizations to respond quickly to change, efficiently recognize customer needs, and increase the quality of fluidly evolving products.

SAFe promotes collaboration and constant value delivery across large(r) numbers of Agile teams. The framework aligns structure, strategy, and execution of software- and systems-developing organizations, in order to increase product value, quality, predictability, and efficiency.

SAFe also ‘safeguards’ competitiveness through speedy innovation (hence the complementing ‘e’) and bolsters instant adaptation to extremely volatile market environments.

SAFe is a scaling method that combines the principles of u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/discipline/scrum/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eScrumu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e, u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/training/certified-safe-lean-portfolio-management/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eLeanu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e, u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/discipline/kanban/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eKanbanu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e, and u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/discipline/devops/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eDevOpsu003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e, making your organization as Agile as you need it to be.

The following u003cemu003eu003cstrongu003e’agility tactics’u003c/strongu003eu003c/emu003e define the four core values of SAFe:

1.u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u003cstrongu003eAlignmentu003c/strongu003eu003cbru003eOrganizations that are not aligned internally might have difficulties with making decisions and responding to unexpected changes. Aligned organizations are Agile; they can adapt quickly and deal with the unforeseen.

2.u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u0026nbsp;u003cstrongu003eBuilt-in Qualityu003cbru003eu003c/strongu003eProduct quality must be built and monitored during all stages of the process, not just added later, after inspection.

3.    u003cstrongu003eTransparencyu003cbru003eu003c/strongu003eIn SAFe, transparency is vital because without it, facts are just opinions, and decisions will be made based on gut feelings. That won’t do your product any good.

4.    u003cstrongu003eProgram Executionu003cbru003eu003c/strongu003eWith SAFe, process execution, and actual production is crucial, as value needs to be delivered on a constant basis. With Agile teams and an u003cemu003eAgile Release Train (ART)u003c/emu003e guaranteeing program execution, the work gets done.

ART refers to theu0026nbsp;u003cemu003eAgile Release Trainu003c/emu003eu0026nbsp;and is a critical element of the SAFe Framework.

u003ca href=u0022https://www.scaledagileframework.com/agile-release-train/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eThe u003cstrongu003eAgile Release Train (ART)u003c/strongu003eu003c/au003e is a long-lived group of Agile teams, which, along with other stakeholders, incrementally develops, delivers, and – where applicable – operates one or more solutions in a value stream.

Each ART consists of multiple Agile teams. Together, they form a virtual organization (five to 12 teams, five to nine people each) that plans, commits, and executes in an aligned way. An ART consists of at least 50 people but is more likely to contain up to 125 to 150 people (u003cemu003eDunbar’s Numberu003c/emu003e).

A Release Train Engineer, Scrum Masters, Product Management, and Product Owners support each ART. The goal of the ART is to deliver partial products together with other stakeholders in a series of Sprints (so-calledu0026nbsp;u003cemu003eProgram Incrementsu003c/emu003e).

An overview of the ART’s continuous flow of value:

The SAFe Framework comprises four incremental configurations or ‘levels’ of SAFe, consisting of seven customer-centric u003cemu003eCore Competencies of the Lean Enterprise:u003c/emu003e

u003cemu003eThe most basic configuration; the critical elements of SAFe, including:u003c/emu003e

u003cemu003eFor coordination and synchronization across multiple programs, withu003c/emu003e:

u003cemu003eIncludes strategy, funding, and lean governance through:u003c/emu003e

u003cemu003eAll of the above combined, plus:u003c/emu003e

Organizations that master these Core Competencies are able to build the essential muscle memory and mindset that thrive future successes.

u003cemu003eu003cstrongu003eFull SAFeu003c/strongu003eu003c/emu003eu0026nbsp;at a glance:

For a full overview of the complete Framework and its Core Competencies,u003cemu003e u003ca href=u0022https://www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-for-lean-enterprises/u0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003ehave a look hereu003c/au003e.u003c/emu003e

Organizations have to embrace a more fluid way of working to stay competitive. They are forced to work in an effective manner – one that allows for new technologies to be assessed, tested, analyzed, and acted upon as quickly as possible. Fail fast, succeed faster. Something we practice ourselves too at Xebia. u003cbru003eu003cbru003eBut getting to a more flexible, agile way of working requires a fundamental shift in work culture and organizational behavior. u003cemu003eu003cstrongu003eThat shift is SAFe.u003c/strongu003eu003c/emu003e

SAFe maximizes the ability of complex organizations to deliver the best solution value in the shortest sustainable time.

SAFe organizations…

SAFe focuses on scaled Agile team-working systems and business outcomes, making enterprises more reliable and efficient in a transparent, structured way. u0026nbsp;

u003cstrongu003eTHAT is why SAFe is so popular. u003c/strongu003eBut even more important, it’s motivating your personnel!u003cbru003e

u003cstrongu003eThe top five advantages of SAFe are:u003c/strongu003e

All these advantages are top business requirements in a volatile market environment that’s subject to non-stop technological acceleration and constantly changing customer demands and needs.

SAFe is based upon ten basic concepts derived from the Lean u0026amp; Agile principles of the u003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.htmlu0022 target=u0022_blanku0022 rel=u0022noreferrer noopeneru0022u003eAgile Manifestou003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e. Translated, these principles lead the way.

The organizational adoption of SAFe requires the following steps.

To reach this adoptive mindset, Scaled Agile has developed a u003ca href=u0022https://www.scaledagileframework.com/implementation-roadmap/u0022u003eroadmap for implementationu003c/au003e with 12 steps:

Small organizations with, for example, only one product (group) are perfectly fine with working Agile by implementing one or a small number of Scrum teams and Product Owners.

But as soon as your organization reaches a stage where complexity causes…

…then you’ll definitely have to scale beyond a single team and resort to better-scaled ways of Agile working, such as the SAFe Framework.

So, better ask the opposite question. u003cemu003eIs your organization in need of scaling Agile processes?u003c/emu003e Then yes, SAFe is definitely suitable for you!

As a certified SAFe Professional, you have many advantages, as mentioned in the video below.

Over half a million individuals worldwide – such as Agile Coaches, Business Analysts, System u0026amp; Solution Architects, Portfolio Managers, Product Owners, and CEOs – have already engaged in Scaled Agile training to help their organizations and teams transition to the new way of working.

Which certification course should you take? That depends on your current role and the reason why you wish to enhance that role. Whether you are a Scrum Master wishing to become a u003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://xebia.com/academy/en/training/scrum-master-trainingu0022u003eSAFe Scrum Masteru003c/au003e (SSM)u003c/emu003e, or a Product Owner aiming at becoming a u003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/training/certified-safe-product-owneru0022u003eCertified SAFe Product Owner/Product Manageru003c/au003e (SAFe PO/PM),u003c/emu003e we have all the right courses in the house.

As a Gold Partner of Scaled Agile, you can find tailored, professional, world-class SAFe certification training courses. For individuals and in-company learning for teams or your entire organization – across the globe.

For a complete overview of all SAFe courses offered by Scaled Agile,u003cemu003e u003ca href=u0022https://academy.xebia.com/discipline/safe/u0022u003eclick hereu003c/au003eu003c/emu003e