Agile frameworks are popular among companies that want to use an iterative approach to product development and management.
The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is an Agile framework that’s rapidly gaining popularity for large-scale projects and organizations.
SAFe helps teams and organizations deliver high-quality products quickly and efficiently by utilizing Agile principles and practices.
For teams looking to adopt SAFe but don’t know where to start with it, this post is just for you.
Here we’ll discuss the 4 levels of Scaled Agile Framework – Portfolio, Program, Release, and Team.
To be successful in scaling your Agile practices and benefit from SAFe, you first need to understand each level of the framework and decide which one suits your team or organization best.
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What Is the Scaled Agile Framework?
The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a popular set of principles, processes, and tools for implementing Agile practices on a large scale.
It was designed to help organizations manage multiple teams working on the same project in a consistent way, with the goal of improving collaboration, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
SAFe is based on the popular Agile methodology, which promotes a team-centered approach to development.
However, SAFe is designed to help organizations scale Agile practices to larger projects with multiple teams.
Instead of having each team work independently and coordinate their efforts at the end, it encourages all teams to work together from the start, sharing information and collaborating on the same objectives.
SAFe also promotes the use of Lean principles, which focus on continuous improvement and eliminating wasteful activities.
This means that teams can quickly identify and resolve problems and then use those learnings to improve the process for the next project.
Overall, SAFe is a great way for organizations to scale Agile practices for larger projects. It helps teams collaborate and communicate more effectively, while also helping them identify and eliminate wasteful activities.
By leveraging the benefits of both Agile and Lean, SAFe helps organizations achieve better results in less time.
What are the 4 Levels of Scaled Agile Framework?
SAFe is made up of four levels, each of which plays an important role in the success of an Agile project.
Team Level
The team level, also known as the “Team Agile Release Train” (ART), is the foundation of SAFe.
It is where individual teams, made up of 5-10 members, work together to plan, execute, and deliver value.
The team level is where work is broken down into smaller, manageable chunks, and the team takes ownership of the work.
They’re responsible for the delivery of the work items, and the quality of the work. They also take care of the planning, estimation, and execution of the work.
This level is responsible for ensuring that the work is aligned with the overall strategy of the organization and that it is delivered on time and within budget.
Some key characteristics of the team level include:
1. Self-organization
Teams are empowered to make decisions about how they will achieve their goals and are responsible for their own work.
2. Cross-functional
Teams are made up of members with diverse skill sets such as developers, testers, and product owners to ensure that all required aspects of the work are covered.
3. Iterative and Incremental
Teams work in sprints, or short iterations, to deliver value incrementally.
4. Collaborative
Teams work closely together and with other teams to ensure that they are aligned with the overall strategy of the organization.
5. Customer-centric
Teams focus on delivering value to the customer and work with stakeholders to understand their needs.
Program Level
The program level, also known as the “Program Increment (PI)”, is the second level of SAFe.
It’s where multiple teams come together to work on a larger program, such as a product or a project.
The program level is responsible for coordinating the efforts of all the teams, ensuring that they’re working towards the same goals that are aligned with the overall organizational strategy.
The program level is where the work of multiple teams is integrated and coordinated, and is responsible for creating a shared vision and roadmap for the program, and for planning and executing large-scale events such as Program Increment Planning (PI Planning).
It also ensures that the program is aligned with the overall strategy of the organization and that it is delivering value to the customer.
Some key characteristics of the program level include:
1. Integration
The program level is responsible for integrating the work of multiple teams, ensuring that they are aligned and working towards the same goals.
2. Planning
The program level is responsible for creating a shared vision and roadmap for the program, and for planning and executing large-scale events such as Program Increment Planning (PI Planning).
3. Coordination
The program level is responsible for coordinating the efforts of all the teams, ensuring that they are aligned and working towards the same goals.
4. Value Delivery
The program level is responsible for delivering value to the customer and ensuring that the program is meeting its objectives.
5. Risk Management
The program level is responsible for identifying and managing risks that may impact the program.
Portfolio Level
The Portfolio level is the third level of the SAFe. This level focuses on managing the portfolios of programs and projects that make up the organization.
The Portfolio level focuses on the strategic objectives of the organization and how the programs and projects will help achieve those objectives.
It also focuses on the funding of programs and projects, as well as the resources and capabilities that are needed to deliver them.
Some key characteristics of the portfolio level include:
1. Strategy
The portfolio level is responsible for developing and managing the organization’s overall strategy.
2. Initiative Prioritization
The portfolio level is responsible for identifying and prioritizing initiatives that align with the organization’s goals and objectives.
3. Resource Allocation
The portfolio level ensures that the right resources are allocated to the right initiatives.
4. Governance
The portfolio level is responsible for overseeing the governance of the organization, ensuring that initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
5. Risk Management
The portfolio level is responsible for identifying and managing risks that may impact the organization.
Large Solutions Level
The Large Solutions level is the fourth and final level of SAFe. This level focuses on the large-scale solutions that the organization is trying to deliver.
It focuses on the end-to-end delivery of the solutions, including the architecture, design, development, testing, and deployment of the solutions.
It also focuses on the governance and compliance of the solutions, as well as the risk management and change management of the solutions.
Some key characteristics of the large solution level include:
1. Coordination
The large solution level is responsible for coordinating the efforts of all the teams, programs, and portfolios that are working on the project.
2. Alignment
The large solution level ensures that the project is aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and goals.
3. Delivery
The large solution level is responsible for delivering the project on time and within budget.
4. Compliance
The large solution level ensures that the project is compliant with any relevant laws, regulations, or industry standards.
5. Risk Management
The large solution level is responsible for identifying and managing risks that may impact the project.
Scaled Agile Framework Configurations
SAFe configurations are different ways to implement the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) in an organization.
They’re designed to help organizations tailor SAFe to their specific needs and constraints. There are several different configurations of SAFe, each with its own set of principles and practices.
Some common SAFe configurations include:
Essential SAFe
SAFe helps organizations implement Agile practices on a large scale.
However, not all organizations require the full complexity of SAFe and may only need its core principles. This is where Essential SAFe comes in.
Essential SAFe is a simplified version of the SAFe framework that focuses on the core principles of SAFe and can be implemented in a shorter time frame.
It’s designed for smaller organizations or teams that want to experience the benefits of SAFe without the overhead of the full framework.
Essential SAFe also includes the same roles and ceremonies as the full SAFe framework, such as the Scrum Master, Product Owner, and PI Planning, but with less focus on the large solution level.
The core principles of Essential SAFe include:
1. Lean-Agile Leadership:
This principle focuses on creating a culture of continuous improvement and empowering teams to make decisions.
2. Team and Technical Agility
This principle focuses on creating cross-functional teams that are self-organizing and empowered to make decisions.
3. Program Execution
This principle focuses on planning and executing large-scale events, such as Program Increment Planning (PI Planning), to ensure that the work is aligned with the overall strategy of the organization.
4. Lean Portfolio Management
This principle focuses on identifying and prioritizing initiatives that align with the organization’s goals and objectives, and ensuring that the right resources are allocated to the right initiatives.
Portfolio SAFe
Portfolio SAFe is a configuration of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that focuses on the portfolio level of the organization.
It’s designed for organizations that want to implement Agile practices at the portfolio level, where the overall strategy and priorities of the organization are determined and managed.
The portfolio level is responsible for identifying and prioritizing initiatives that align with the organization’s goals and objectives.
It also ensures that the right resources are allocated to the right initiatives, and that the initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
In Portfolio SAFe, the portfolio level is the focal point, and it helps organizations to align their initiatives with their overall business strategy and goals.
One of the key benefits of Portfolio SAFe is that it helps organizations to align their initiatives with their overall business strategy and goals.
It also allows organizations to prioritize initiatives and allocate resources more effectively, resulting in better delivery outcomes.
Additionally, it helps organizations to identify and manage risks, ensuring that initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
Large Solutions SAFe
Large solutions SAFe is a configuration of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that focuses on managing large, complex projects.
It’s designed for organizations that have large, complex projects that require coordination of multiple teams, programs, and portfolios.
In Large solutions SAFe, the large solution level is the focal point. It’s responsible for coordinating the efforts of all the teams, programs, and portfolios that are working on the project, and for ensuring that the project is delivered on time and within budget.
It also ensures that the project is aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and goals, and compliant with any relevant laws, regulations, or industry standards.
One of the key benefits of Large solutions SAFe is that it allows organizations to better manage large, complex projects.
By coordinating the efforts of multiple teams, programs, and portfolios, organizations can ensure that the project is delivered on time and within budget.
Additionally, it allows organizations to align the project with their overall strategy and goals, and ensure compliance with any relevant laws, regulations, or industry standards.
Furthermore, it helps organizations to identify and manage risks that may impact the project.
Full SAFe
Full SAFe is a configuration of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that includes all four levels of the framework: team, program, portfolio and large solution.
This configuration is designed for organizations that want to implement agile practices across the entire organization and achieve a high degree of alignment and coordination between teams, programs, portfolios, and large solutions.
In Full SAFe, all four levels of the framework work together to ensure that the organization is aligned with its overall strategy and goals, and that initiatives are delivered on time and within budget.
The team level is responsible for breaking down work into smaller, manageable chunks, the program level is responsible for integrating and coordinating the work of multiple teams.
The portfolio level is responsible for developing and managing the organization’s overall strategy and prioritizing initiatives, and the large solution level is responsible for coordinating the efforts of all the teams, programs, and portfolios that are working on the large solution project.
SAFe for Government
SAFe for Government is a configuration of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) that is specifically designed for government organizations.
It takes into account the unique challenges of working in the government sector such as compliance with laws and regulations, a complex organizational structure and procurement process, and a focus on security and safety.
SAFe for Government includes all four levels of the SAFe framework, team, program, portfolio and large solution, but it also includes additional principles and practices that are specific to the government sector.
These include:
1. Compliance
SAFe for Government ensures that government initiatives are compliant with any relevant laws, regulations, or industry standards.
2. Security
SAFe for Government places a strong emphasis on security and safety to ensure that sensitive information is protected and that the public is safe.
3. Procurement
SAFe for Government includes practices for managing the procurement process, which can be complex in the government sector.
4. Transparency
SAFe for Government ensures that government initiatives are transparent, with clear communication and reporting to stakeholders.
Conclusion
The Scaled Agile Framework is an effective approach to scaling Agile processes and practices to deliver value more quickly and efficiently.
The framework is made up of four levels, each of which plays an important role in the success of an Agile project.
The Team level focuses on the team’s processes, practices, and tools, while the Program level focuses on integrating the work of the individual teams.
The Portfolio level focuses on the portfolios of programs and projects, and the Large Solutions level focuses on the large-scale solutions that the organization is trying to deliver.
By utilizing the Scaled Agile Framework, teams and organizations can deliver high-quality products quickly and efficiently.
