What if the SAFe agile method was simpler than you thought?

SAFe... 4 letters for an agile project management method you've only heard about. But as soon as you delve into its nebulous framework, your hair stands on end.

And yet, this project management methodology turns out to be simpler than it sounds (well, not as simple as Scrum, admittedly). It all starts with the story of a train that has to leave on time.

So make yourself comfortable, and we'll tell you all about the SAFe agile method.

See all software Project Management

Definition of the SAFe agile method

What is the SAFe agile method?

The SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) method emerged in 2011 from the brain of its father Dean Leffingwell, to join the large family of agile methods.

Its objective? To adapt Agility (and more specifically Scrum) to the scale of the company, in order to bring together the different teams working in scattered areas on product development.

Its framework also implies greater consideration for top management, and works to align the actions of technical teams with the company's overall strategy.

As you can see, SAFe establishes cross-functional project management processes.

What's the difference between Scrum and SAFe?

The main difference between the two?

Scrum is aimed at a single team, while SAFe acts as a link between different teams.

The 4 values of the SAFe agile method

To ensure the effectiveness of the SAFe agile method, teams must embody 5 fundamental values.

Let's examine them in detail.

#1 Alignment

In the SAFe agile method, alignment is an essential condition for collective effectiveness. It's not just a question of setting objectives, but of ensuring that everyone involved understands them and refers to them on a daily basis.

Tools such as PI Planning (Program Increment Planning) facilitate coordination between teams, even when they work in very different geographical or functional contexts.

As a result, efforts converge in the same direction, and priorities are harmonized at all levels.

#2 Quality

With SAFe, quality is not an afterthought. On the contrary, it's integrated right from the start, throughout the entire development cycle.

To achieve this, our teams rely on rigorous practices, such as :

• automatedtesting;
• continuous integration ;
• shared documentation, etc.

These mechanisms guarantee reliable, stable deliverables. What's more, by dealing with problems upstream... you avoid costly corrections downstream!

#3 Transparency

Transparency is the most essential lever for building a culture of trust. It's based on a clear flow of information, with no filters or grey areas.

In concrete terms, agile rituals, sprint reviews and visual management tools encourage this openness. In this way, everyone can point out a risk, share a difficulty or celebrate a success, and collaboration is greatly strengthened.

#4 Program execution

In SAFe, rhetoric is less important than tangible results. What counts above all is regular program execution, measured and structured around concrete objectives.

This is why the Agile Release Train (to which we'll return later) plays a central role: it synchronizes the deliveries of several teams to generate value at a fixed rate.

#5 Management

Finally, the fifth value, often underestimated, is management. And for good reason: an agile transformation cannot succeed without a clear vision, actively supported by leaders.

Leaders don't just validate roadmaps: they clarify priorities and support teams in their projects. In this way, decisions remain aligned with the organization's long-term objectives, creating a coherent environment conducive to collective performance.

The 10 principles of the SAFe framework

After the values, let's move on to the 10 principles you need to respect to fully immerse yourself in the SAFe vision.

#1 Adopt an economic vision

In the SAFe agile method, every decision must be taken within a clear economic context, driven by the company's financial objectives.

This means evaluating each action in terms of :

• its business value;
• its return on investment;
• its impact on time-to-market.

#2 Apply systems thinking

To make lasting progress, the SAFe framework requires us to move beyond a vision limited to the team's perimeter. This is where systems thinking comes in, as it encourages everyone to understand the interdependencies that structure the whole organization.

It encourages analysis of feedback loops, cross-functional constraints and the side-effects of more "localized" choices. In other words, it broadens the perspective for better decision-making.

#3 Take variability into account and preserve options

Most of the time, product development evolves in an uncertain environment (economic, political, societal context, etc.). That's why SAFe recommends preserving several options for as long as possible.

This approach encourages exploration and reduces the risks associated with a poor initial choice. Rather than being locked into a single solution too early on, your company remains open, ready to adjust the trajectory as circumstances dictate.

#4 Build incrementally

Produce one big deliverable at the end of the project, with no intermediate feedback? I don't need to tell you how risky this is.

As a good agile method, SAFe values incremental construction, based on short cycles. At each increment, part of the solution is tested and validated, so that errors are detected earlier and assumptions validated.

#5 Base milestones on objective assessment

In the SAFe agile method, milestones are based on objective assessments of the system under development.

Thanks to this logic, you get a reliable view of the project's progress. Decisions to continue or adapt are thus taken on a sound basis.

#6 Visualize and limit Work in Progress

Too many parallel projects? This situation (well known...) generally leads to an overall slowdown in company projects.

The SAFe method, on the other hand, stresses the importance of limiting WIP (Work In Progress).

By :

• reducing the size of work packages;
• visualizing queues;
• active workflow management;

teams gain in fluidity and clear blockages more easily.

#7 Enforce cadence and synchronize teams

In a complex work environment, cadence structures deliveries. How can this be achieved? By avoiding delays and facilitating coordination.

At the same time, synchronization enables several teams to progress together. Thanks to cross-domain planning, all teams move forward at the same pace.

#8 Unleash employee motivation

The advocates of the SAFe agile method are well aware that, to get the best out of teams, they need to be given autonomy and trust!

In fact, the fewer unnecessary controls that are imposed by management, the greater the potential for collective intelligence. After all, when employees' expertise is valued, so is initiative and innovation.

#9 Decentralize decision-making

Agility at scale requires rapid decisions, taken as close to the field as possible. That's why SAFe encourages decentralized decision-making.

In this context, teams no longer wait for cascading validations, but have the framework they need to make decisions. And the result is shorter lead times.

#10 Organizing the company around value

Finally, SAFe encourages organizations to structure themselves around the flow of value, rather than around rigid departments.

This approach involves identifying real value chains and eliminating silos. In other words, you create teams aligned with expected results. And in today's digital economy, this principle boosts companies' ability to deliver user-centric solutions quickly and efficiently. A real strategic lever in the face of competition!

💡 Tip: to help you see things more clearly, we recommend that you go straight to the official SAFe agile framework website. There you'll find an interactive diagram, explaining the essentials of the methodology and the best practices to be applied.

How does the SAFe agile method work?

SAFe's 3 levels

In order to better coordinate all contributors, the SAFe agile method is structured around 3 levels:

• Essential. This is the basic configuration of the SAFe framework. It includes the elements required for successful deployment of the methodology.
  
  
• Large Solution. For companies building large, complex solutions, but not requiring the Portfolio level.
  
  
• Portfolio. This corresponds to the implementation of agility at top management level, with the aim of addressing strategic and financial issues.

Essential level

The principle: Agile Release Train and cadence

The Essential level is built around the Agile Release Train(ART) . Its aim is to organize processes, so that everyone works consistently on projects.

The ART is made up of several teams who plan and deploy according to the Scrum methodology, maintaining the same artifacts, ceremonies and so on.

But for this train to set off in the right direction and arrive on time, several principles need to be added. Essentially:

1. The schedule is fixed: all teams leave the station together, according to the cadence determined by PI Planning.
   💡 Quid du PI: ceremony SAFe incontournable, it corresponds to a large planning carried out by all teams face to face.
   
   
2. A new increment is delivered at the end of each sprint, every 2 weeks or so, then presented and evaluated at the System Demo.
   ☝️ PI, System Demo... their presence does not prevent Scrum ceremonies such as the Sprint Review from taking place.
   
   
3. All teams synchronize on the same PI duration, generally between 8 and 12 weeks.
   
   
4. The speed of the train is known. In other words, each team can estimate how many new features can be delivered per PI.
   
   
5. At the end of each IP, an I&A (Inspect & Adapt) event is organized. This is used to assess progress and determine the elements of the improvement backlog.

Remember: the Agile Release Train is structured around the IP, which takes place every 4 sprints (approximately 8 to 12 weeks). This is also when an increment is delivered, i.e. all the functionalities developed and tested by all the teams. In short, we're dealing with iterative, incremental project management, in the manner of Scrum, but applied at a higher level.

Essential level backlogs

On the Scrum team side, unsurprisingly, we find a backlog made up of user stories, for which the Product Owner is responsible.

Above this is the Program Backlog, comprising the features to be developed as part of an Agile Release Train.

Essential level roles

While we still have the Scrum regulars (development team, Product Owner, Scrum Master), new roles are emerging to ensure that the SAFe method runs smoothly on a large scale:

• The RTE (Release Train Engineer) : helps the train to run smoothly, facilitating the completion of ceremonies and compliance with ART processes.
  
  
• Product Management: responsible for ensuring that the products created are properly aligned with customer needs, and contributing to value generation via the Program, Kanban Solution and Continuous Delivery Pipeline.
  
  
• Architects and system engineers: they define the technical and architectural vision shared by all teams.
  
  
• Business Owners: ensure good governance, compliance and ROI of the solution developed.

The Large Solution level

Large Solution principles

Large Solution incorporates all the principles of the Essential layer, but at a higher level (for teams of over 150 employees, for example). It therefore embeds a larger train: the Solution Train.

In short, it's an organizational layer, bringing together various lower-level trains into a higher-level train.

No additional cadence is added. On the other hand, Large Solution integrates a new skill: Enterprise Solution Delivery. This involves applying Lean-Agile methods to the development of software, networks and larger systems.

It is based on 9 practices, detailed on the official SAFe website.

The Large Solution backlog

Large Solution is built around a Solution Backlog (the upper scale of the Product Backlog), which therefore spans several ARTs.

Large Solution level roles

You've understood the principle: the roles are complementary to those of Essential, but at a higher level:

• STE (Solution Train Engineer): facilitates and guides the work of all ARTs.
  
  
• Solution management: supports the creation of large-scale solutions.
  
  
• Solution architect/engineering: responsible for defining and communicating a shared technical and architectural vision across the Solution Train.

Portfolio level

The Portfolio principle

The aim of Portfolio is to manage the more business-oriented aspects, by aligning the company's global strategy with its translation into operational actions.

To achieve this, this layer relies on 3 competencies:

• Lean Portfolio Management competency, to apply Lean and systems thinking approaches to strategy, operations and governance;
• the Continuous Learning Culture competency, which describes a set of values and practices to encourage individuals to continuously increase their knowledge and innovation;
• the Organizational Agility competency, with the aim of optimizing business processes.

Portfolio Backlog

The Portfolio Backlog groups together the Epics, i.e. the most important functionalities, which are in turn subdivided into smaller functionalities.

Portfolio-level roles

• Epics Owners: coordinate the Portfolio Epics via a Portfolio Kanban System.
  
  
• Enterprise Architect: establishes a technology strategy and roadmap for all portfolio management.

How to use SAFe in your company?

Advice from SAFe

Unlike other agile methodologies, such as Scrum or Kanban, SAFe does not seem so easy to implement and use in a company. The methodology involves a great deal of transformation and adaptation.

However, the official SAFe website suggests a multi-stage approach, with the aim of implementing SAFe progressively:

• ✅ Wait for the tipping point before starting the process, i.e. the moment when it becomes imperative to modify the organization, to avoid resistance to change.
  
  
• ✅ Train Lean/Agile change agents.
  
  
• ✅ Train executives, managers and leaders.
  
  
• ✅ Create a Lean/Agile center of excellence, i.e. a small team of people dedicated to implementing the working method.
  
  
• ✅ Identify Agile Release Trains.
  
  
• ✅ Create the implementation plan.
  
  
• ✅ Prepare the launch of the first ART (definition, date, cadence, etc.).
  
  
• ✅ Train teams and launch ART.
  
  
• ✅ Launch more ART, once employees have got the hang of it.
  
  
• ✅ Extend to the entire portfolio.
  
  
• ✅ Accelerate organizational transformation and total imbibition of SAFe culture.

What about dedicated software?

The SAFe logic is therefore not so simple to implement, and induces the cohabitation of different project teams in the same workflow, all driven by the company's strategic vision. As a result, the use of software quickly becomes indispensable to :

• centralize all data;
• gain visibility on the progress of operations;
• collaborate and align.

Gone, then, is the good old Excel spreadsheet. As for the multiplication of tools (PPM, EPM, APM, etc.), it increases costs and complicates management. It's better to find the all-in-one solution that will enable you to deploy agility at scale!

🛠️ Triskel, for example, is a software package perfectly suited to this problem. It goes further than a traditional PPM, positioning itself as a true agile governance tool. Flexible and configurable, it enables SAFe to be implemented at all levels (planning, resource management, etc.). It also offers a flexible, iterative approach to budgets: finance products according to strategic and organizational priorities. All with the emphasis on transparency and communication between teams.

See all software Project Management

The SAFe agile method in a nutshell

While SAFe may seem scary at first glance, understanding its broad outlines isn't all that complex. In short, we have several layers:

• Scrum teams ;
• several scrum teams grouped together in the same train, the Agile Release Train, and working at a common pace;
• if the project is large, we combine these trains into a larger one, the Solution Train;
• Above all, we have the Portfolio, aimed at top management and designed to manage strategic and financial aspects.

All this is driven by fundamental values and principles, designed to instill a dynamic based on agility, product and customer value, and continuous improvement.