For several years, I have been a lead software engineer for one of Keyhole’s clients. More recently in the last year, they started a journey to implement SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) methodologies and practices. If you are new to or have not heard of SAFe, this short, three-part blog series will give you the perfect launch pad.
In Part I (this post), I’ll give a high-level overview and then we’ll walk through SAFe’s four core values. In Part II, we’ll dive into its ten core principles. In the final installment (Part III), we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks and then we’ll get a bit more practical. I’ll teach you how it can be used for small teams, some key points a developer should know, and some considerations for if SAFe is right for your organization and teams.
We have a lot to cover! Without wasting any more time, let’s dive in.
Scaled Agile Framework Overview
The Scaled Agile Framework (or SAFe for short) is a knowledge base of proven, integrated principles, practices, and competencies for achieving business agility using lean, agile, and DevOps principles at scale. It provides a structured approach to scaling agile practices across an organization, enabling teams to collaborate effectively, deliver value to customers faster, and respond to changing market conditions more efficiently.
SAFe is designed to help organizations scale agile methodologies from small teams to large enterprises. It offers guidance on how to align strategy, execution, and delivery at all levels of the organization, including portfolios, programs, teams, and individuals. It provides a set of roles, ceremonies, artifacts, and best practices that organizations can adopt to implement agile practices at scale.
SAFe is based on lean-agile principles and draws from various agile methodologies such as Scrum, Kanban, and Extreme Programming (XP). It promotes collaboration, transparency, continuous improvement, and a customer-centric approach to delivering value.
Overall, SAFe is a comprehensive framework that helps organizations navigate the complexities of scaling agile, respond to market changes rapidly, and deliver high-quality products and services to customers efficiently.
SAFe Core Values
SAFe is based on four Core Values: Alignment, Transparency, Respect for People, and Relentless Improvement.
Let’s talk a little more about each one.
SAFe Core Value 1: Alignment
Alignment is the need for all individuals and teams to work together towards a common goal and shared objectives. It focuses on creating a cohesive, collaborative, and purpose-driven culture where everyone is working together to achieve the organization’s mission and deliver value to customers.
Alignment involves ensuring that everyone in the organization understands and is committed to and prioritizing the overall mission, and it encourages cross-functional and interdepartmental collaboration. Transparency also plays a key role in achieving alignment; all information must be shared, so teams can better understand how their work fits into the larger picture.
Alignment begin with leadership. Leaders need to set a clear direction, communicate effectively, and model alignment behaviors to inspire and motivate others to work towards shared objectives. When everyone aligns their efforts toward a common purpose, it creates synergy, fosters a sense of unity, and ensures that everyone is working on initiatives that contribute to the organization’s strategic objectives.
One last note: Alignment is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort. Organizations should continually revisit and adjust their strategies, plans, and actions to ensure that they remain aligned with changing market conditions, customer needs, and business goals.
SAFe Core Value 2: Transparency
Transparency is the importance of openness, honesty, and visibility in all aspects of work within an organization. With Transparency, organizations can create an environment that values open communication, clear visibility, shared information, feedback, accountability, and trust.
Transparency promotes open communication and information sharing at all levels of the organization. A culture of transparency empowers team members to share their experiences, failures, and successes, encouraging innovation and cultivating an organization-wide growth mindset. In that way, transparency facilitates strong feedback loops, which are critical in enabling teams to learn and adapt quickly.
Another aspect of transparency involves making work, processes, and data visible to all stakeholders. Sharing information freely helps break down silos, enables cross-functional collaboration, and encourages a healthy amount of accountability. By providing clear visibility, teams can ensure alignment and shared understanding, resulting in sounder decision-making.
Ultimately, transparency is a key element of building trust within teams and across the organization. When information is shared openly and honestly, trust is strengthened, relationships are deepened, and collaboration thrives – leading to better outcomes and success for the organization.
SAFe Core Value 3: Respect for People
Respect for People is treating individuals within the organization with consideration, empathy, and dignity. Respecting individuals’ contributions, well-being, and diversity drives engagement, innovation, and organizational effectiveness.
A culture of mutual respect empowers team members to confidently make decisions, take ownership of their work, and contribute meaningfully to the organization by encouraging autonomy and self-organization. Each member is listened to, and their efforts are appreciated and acknowledged, which (hopefully) will motivate and inspire them to go above and beyond. In this way, respect drives collaboration, open communication, and personal growth.
Respecting people means embracing diversity and creating an inclusive environment where individuals from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences are valued and celebrated. Diversity makes us stronger and sharper, and organizations benefit from a rich tapestry of ideas and perspectives.
Having respect for a person should extend to respecting their well-being, privacy, and time outside of work as well. Promoting a healthy balance between work commitments and personal needs supports overall wellness and performance.
Respect for People encompasses creating a safe and psychologically safe work environment where individuals feel secure to express themselves, take risks, and contribute without fear of reprisal or judgment. By respecting each other on all levels, organizations cultivate a culture of trust, collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity.
SAFe Core Value 4: Relentless Improvement
Relentless Improvement is the importance of continuous learning, growth, and enhancement within the organization. It is inspired by the Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement, which encourages small, incremental changes consistently over time to drive progress.
Relentless improvement is based on a sense of urgency. Continuous learning, constant experimentation and innovation, and a strong motivation to consistently improve are important tenets of a culture that prioritizes relentless improvement.
Challenges and obstacles are viewed as opportunities for growth and innovation rather than setbacks. Individuals are encouraged to learn new skills and to try creative approaches, with a focus on learning from successes and failures. And when a new strategy clicks, teams should be willing to adapt processes and practices instead of being married to old habits.
Feedback is another integral part in Relentless Improvement. Feedback should be shared and received openly, fostering an environment where insights are valued and used for improvement. Agile retrospectives are a common practice for gathering feedback.
As with all four of SAFe’s core values, leaders play a crucial role in fostering a culture of Relentless Improvement. They provide support, resources, and encouragement for teams to pursue continuous growth and enhancement, and their actions and attitudes set the tone for that of the organization.
Using Relentless Improvement, organizations create a culture of learning, innovation, and adaptation. This focus on continuous enhancement drives organizational agility, empowers teams to deliver value effectively and efficiently, and positions the organization for long-term success in a rapidly evolving environment.
Until Next Time…
Today, we learned that SAFe is a framework for implementing agile practices at enterprise scale. It’s a set of organization and workflow patterns, principles, roles, events, and artifacts that guide large organizations in scaling agile and lean practices beyond individual teams. SAFe’s core values (Alignment, Transparency, Respect for People, and Relentless Improvement) set the scene for a framework that seamlessly coordinates multiple agile teams and ensures alignment with the overall business goals.
Next time in Part II, we’ll dig a little bit deeper into SAFe by exploring its ten core principles, which are guided by its core values. And in Part III, we’ll get into the nitty gritty, discussing the pros and cons as well as some practical tips for implementation.