Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)
Origin
Dean Leffingwell describes the origin of SAFe as follows…
Over the last few years, I’ve worked extensively with a number of other professionals (including Drew Jemilo, Colin O’Neill, Alex Yakyma, Mauricio Zamora) in the implementation of a number of large enterprise lean|agile transformations. This collaboration has resulted in many back and forth discussions around implementation of the Scaled Agile Framework™. To date, this framework has been elaborated primarily in my books Agile Software Requirements, Scaling Software Agility, and blog).
Recently, we decided to formalize our collaboration with the intent of making the framework public-facing and more readily available to a larger audience, and we have also committed to developing certain extensions and enhancements to the framework that have presented themselves as the marketplace, agile enterprise maturity, and our thinking and experiences have evolved.
To that end, we will offer the Scaled Agile Framework (SAF) as a “proven, publicly available, framework for applying Lean|Agile practices at enterprise scale, presented in a structured, interactive, web format.”
Source: Dean Leffingwell, Introducing the Scaled Agile Framework™
Learning It
Our recommended way of learning about SAFe is through…
- SAFe® Reference Guide
- SAFe has extensive training and certification schemes
SAFe Spine
From the perspective of prospective users of SAFe…
Need (Where might it be used?)
Values (What does it optimise for?)
Principles (What is it based on?)
- Take an Economic View
- Apply Systems Thinking
- Assume Variability; Preserve Options
- Build Incrementally With Fast Integrated Learning Cycles
- Base Milestones On 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