What is Scaled #Agile Framework® (SAFe®)? Why #SAFe ®? #scaledagileframework #agile #SAFe®

In the world of #Agile, it’s hard to have not heard of #SAFe. One of the leading frameworks for enterprise-scale #Agile, it’s been widely adopted within the past decade when it was first introduced. It’s constantly evolving and adapting with the times, now on its fifth full iteration. It’s worth asking, why has #SAFe exploded in popularity? What is #SAFe?

#SAFe is an acronym, standing for Scaled #Agile Framework. #SAFe is just that-- an #Agile Framework existing to scale #Agile up to an enterprise-level for large organizations where traditional #Agile might otherwise fail. It works by building everything around the Seven Core Competencies of the Lean Enterprise, these competencies being Lean-#Agile Leadership, Team and Technical #Agility, #Agile Product Delivery, Enterprise Solution Delivery, Lean #Portfolio Management, Organizational #Agility, and Continuous Learning Culture.

Since the time Scaled #Agile released #SAFe 4.6 in late 2018, they were taking feedback and analytics and developing something new that would sharpen the efficiency of the framework, as well as allow increased flexibility in business decisions. Implemented in 5.0 and shaking the foundations of #Agile, Business #Agility was introduced. It requires that everyone involved in delivering solutions-- like IT, #marketing, support, compliance, and more-- use Lean and #Agile practices in their own departments to continually deliver innovative, high-quality products.

Like Scrum, #SAFe prides itself in its ease of use while remaining difficult to master. Mastery of these competencies enables enterprises to make decisions and react appropriately to turbulent situations, like a rapidly changing #market, developing technologies, and customer needs. Each of these Seven Core Competencies is built around providing businesses a safe, stable way to ensure employee contentment, client satisfaction, flexibility, and effective communication.

#SAFe is widely supported with over 350 Scaled #Agile Partners across the world. Rigorous testing and education ensure that those who spread #SAFe’s word-- #SPCs-- are of high quality and teach everything needed to know to implement #SAFe successfully. Ever since its inception, #SAFe has been constantly updated and adjusted to match changing conditions in the world of business, being consistently supported by Scaled #Agile to fit every business need, even when it may differ wildly from the ‘norm’.

Scaled #Agile has the numbers to back up why so many businesses are scaling #Agile using #SAFe. Numerous case studies have shown that enterprises, both large and small, are greatly benefiting from #SAFe implementation. This includes a 20-50% increase in productivity, 25-75% improvement in quality, 30-75% faster time-to-#market, and a 10-50% increase in employee engagement and job satisfaction, which affects all other aspects of the company. This has led to #SAFe being #implemented in seventy percent of Fortune 100 companies.

So, why should you choose #SAFe? Many would say the evidence speaks for itself, but it’s important to keep asking and learning. #SAFe provides a highly effective and efficient platform for installing #Agile in organizations both large and small through techniques and elements both new as well as tried-and-tested. It has a flexible but sturdy system of seven core competencies that can apply to any business situation. Because #SAFe is so widely adopted, it will be supported and developed for years to come.

[timwendt]

This is really good. I would like to see a second iteration of this video with more information on the Core Competencies and a little bit less animation on the text.