The scaled agile framework (SAFe) helps larger organizations manage the challenges they face when practicing agile. The scaled agile framework was first introduced in 2011 by software industry guru Dean Leffingwell in his book Agile Software Requirements. The framework details a set of workflow patterns for implementing agile practices at an enterprise scale. This is achieved by guiding roles and responsibilities, planning and managing work, and establishing certain values that large organizations must uphold.
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Understanding the scaled agile framework
One of the key strengths of the scaled agile framework is its ability to promote the alignment and successful collaboration of multiple agile teams.
It is not a single methodology. Instead, it provides a broad knowledge base of proven best practices.
Some core values and principles of the scaled agile framework
Values
Alignment
SAFe requires that all employees understand the goals of the business and collectively move toward achieving them.
Importantly, the flow of information runs upward and downward in a timely manner.
This is in stark contrast to the traditional top-down or hierarchical approach.
Built-in quality
All teams operating under SAFe principles must never sacrifice quality for agility.
Practices that increase quality output should be incorporated into five key dimensions: flow, architecture and design quality, code quality, system quality, and release quality.
Program execution
Teams must be able to routinely execute high-quality programs that are aligned with company values.
Principles
Apply systems thinking
Large solutions invariably have many interconnected parts in vast organizations.
Here, solutions are defined as products, services, or systems delivered to an internal or external customer.
Team members should understand how their role fits into the bigger picture.
This can be achieved by considering three key areas: the solution itself, value streams, and the enterprise building the system.
Take an economic view
Everyone must understand the economic impact of project delays and act accordingly.
Operating within lead budgets and developing an understanding of economic trade-offs are a good place to start.
Limit work in progress (WIP) and manage queue lengths
Reducing work in process gives key stakeholders a more holistic understanding of project development.
Here, achieving flow through maximizing throughput is the priority.
This entails limiting the prevalence of overlapping work and the amount of work tackled at a given time.
Work should also be carried out in smaller batch sizes and be less complex.
Scaled Agile vs. Agile

As the name might suggest, the main difference between agile and scaled agile is in the ability of each discipline to work with smaller (agile) or larger enterprise teams (scaled agile).
Indeed, the main goal of scaled agile is to make the agile methodology viable at an enterprise level, thus focusing on some of the key values that matter the most at that level.
At an enterprise level, indeed, things like alignment, quality, and scaled execution matter the most.
Therefore, those values need to be balanced out with fast iterative product development loops.
Whereas in the agile methodology, instead, what matters the most is the ability of the small and lean team to ship fast and iterate even faster.
With very short development cycles that move along a continuous loop of building, launching, measuring, and learning.
Strengths and weaknesses of the scaled agile framework
Strengths
The most obvious strength of the scaled agile framework is that it allows large businesses to have the best of both worlds.
In other words, they can tap into the power of agile and efficient software development while still maintaining centralized, enterprise-level decision making.
The framework also delivers benefits in project alignment.
Alignment can sometimes waver in agile environments when developers lose sight of broader company objectives.
Centralized decision making again comes to the fore by ensuring that strategic objectives remain a key focus during product development.
Weaknesses
Perhaps ironically, SAFe tends to add layers of oversight and administration that many large organizations are trying to negate.
With administrative roles assigned for multiple projects, some argue that developers have little of the freedom or flexibility that characterizes agile environments.
The “bigger picture” thinking of SAFe also leads to longer planning cycles and fixed roles within development cycles.
Again, this contravenes agile development principles around delivering short sprints to bring products to market quickly.
Broadscale thinking also hinders the creation of continuous loops that are important in ensuring quality at every step of the process.
Scaled Agile Framework vs. Scrum

Whereas Scaled Agile focuses on large organizations, to align large teams with launching products at scale.
Scrum focuses on an iterative approach for smaller teams to work more effectively to speed up execution.
Thus, a scrum might be more suited for smaller startups.
Scaled Agile might be more useful for large workforces and complex teams to collaborate effectively at scale.
Is Kanban Scaled Agile?

Kanban is an excellent tool for recording project management tasks related to software development.
Thus, Kanban might be one of the tools used within the Scaled Agile methodology.
Key takeaways
- The scaled agile framework was developed to help large organizations bring better products to market in a timely fashion.
- The scaled agile framework is based on several values and principles that help project teams in large or complex workforces collaborate effectively.
- The scaled agile framework gives large organizations greater access to agile project development while maintaining centralized decision making. However, the effectiveness of this decision making when paired with agile principles is questionable.
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