Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a set of organizational and workflow patterns for implementing agile practices at an enterprise scale.

The framework is a body of knowledge that includes structured guidance on roles and responsibilities, how to plan and manage the work, and values to uphold.

Scrum is a simple, flexible approach to adopting Agile that's great for small teams. SAFe is an enterprise-wide Agile framework designed to help bring Agile beyond the team and into the company as a whole.

Scaled Agile has built a comprehensive level that includes all the four layers called the team, program, large solutions, and portfolio level.

4 Layers:

1. Portfolio - Strategy, Vision, Roadmap, Strategy goal, Decision making, Budget, Portfolio level metrics, 
2. Program - Align multiple teams towards a common mission, Bring together all the Agile teams, transparency, collaboration, and synchronisation, Scrum of Scrums, Product Owners to define the overall vision.
3. Large Solutions - architectural guidance and technical leadership
4. Team -  Agile Teams collaborate closely to deliver incremental value to the customer, cross-functional collaboration, iterative development, continuous integration and delivery, Agile Ceremonies, continuous improvement.

The SAFe serves enterprise businesses across a range of industries: from financial services, telecommunications, and aerospace to education, automotive, and healthcare.

The SAFe methodology is used by organizations globally for the following proven reasons:

• It increases quality and productivity
• Increases the staff involved in product delivery
• Provides faster time to market
• Big room planning
• Lean portfolio management

The four core values of SAFe are: 

1. alignment
2. built-in quality
3. transparency
4. program execution 

They all work together to align organizations so that they meet their desired goals. 

SAFe Lean-Agile Principles include:

• Taking an economic view
• Applying systems thinking
• Assuming variability; preserving options
• Building incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
• Basing milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
• Visualizing and limiting WIP, reducing batch sizes, and managing queue lengths

3 C's SAFe are:

1. Clear
2. Consistent
3. Communicated

Roles in SAFe:

• Scrum Master/ Team Coach
• Release Train Engineer
• Product Owner
• Agile Teams

ART (Agile Release Train):

The Agile Release Train (ART) is a long-lived team of Agile teams that incrementally develops, delivers, and often operates one or more solutions in a value stream.

The SAFe Scrum Cycle

PI Planning (Program Increment Planning):

PI Planning stands for Program Increment Planning. PI Planning sessions are regularly scheduled events held throughout the year where multiple teams within the same Agile Release Train (ART) meet to align to a shared vision, discuss features, plan the roadmap, and identify cross-team dependencies.

SaFe Agile Ceremonies are:

SaFe Agile Artifacts are:

SaFe Agile Release Plan:

Here are key metrics aligned with SAFe principles:

• Agile Release Train (ART) Performance
• Program Increment (PI) Objectives Achievement
• Program Predictability Measure (PPM) (planned business value  vs actual business value)
• Delivery Metrics
• Value Metrics
• Innovation and Learning Metrics
• Velocity
• Flow Metrics (How efficient is the organization at delivering value to the customer?)

SAFe Scrum is an Agile method used by teams within an ART to deliver customer value in a short time box.

SAFe Scrum teams use iterations, Kanban systems, and Scrum events to plan, execute, demonstrate, and retrospect their work. 

Many teams use SAFe Scrum as their primary Agile Team process.