28 Key Features and Benefits of SAFe 6.0.

Scaling Agile practices across an entire organization can be a daunting task, but with the right framework and approach, it is possible to achieve enterprise-scale agility and deliver value to customers in today's dynamic and rapidly changing business environment. One such framework is the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) 6.0, which provides organizations with a comprehensive and adaptable approach to scaling Agile practices across their entire enterprise.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at some of the key features and benefits of SAFe 6.0.

1. Improved flexibility and adaptability: SAFe 6.0 includes several new features that make it more flexible and adaptable to different organizational structures and cultures. This includes new guidance on how to customize the framework to fit specific business needs and new flexibility in how teams can plan and execute work.
2. Enhanced customer focus: SAFe 6.0 emphasizes a customer-centric approach to product development, with a focus on delivering value to customers quickly and continuously. This is achieved through features such as Lean Portfolio Management, which helps organizations to prioritize investments based on customer needs and market trends.
3. Greater focus on Lean-Agile Leadership: SAFe 6.0 puts a greater emphasis on Lean-Agile leadership and provides new guidance on how leaders can support Agile teams and drive organizational change. This includes new guidance on how to develop leaders at all levels of the organization and how to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
4. Improved support for DevOps: SAFe 6.0 includes several new features that support DevOps practices, including new guidance on how to integrate Agile and DevOps teams, and how to improve collaboration and communication between these teams.
5. Improved governance and compliance: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve governance and compliance in Agile organizations, without sacrificing agility or innovation. This is achieved through features such as Compliance Guardrails, which provides a set of guidelines and guardrails to ensure that teams are meeting regulatory requirements and industry standards, and Agile Contracts, which enables organizations to contract and collaborate with suppliers and partners in an Agile way.
6. Enhanced business agility: SAFe 6.0 emphasizes the importance of business agility, which is the ability to respond quickly and effectively to changing market conditions and customer needs. This is achieved through features such as Value Stream Management, which helps organizations to identify and optimize the value stream from ideation to delivery, and Lean-Agile Budgeting, which provides a more flexible and responsive approach to budgeting and funding.
7. Improved team and employee engagement: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve team and employee engagement, by promoting autonomy, mastery, and purpose. This is achieved through features such as Lean-Agile Leadership, which empowers leaders at all levels to create a culture of trust and engagement, and Communities of Practice, which provides a platform for teams to collaborate, learn, and share best practices.
8. Enhanced scalability and adaptability: SAFe 6.0 is designed to be scalable and adaptable, to fit the needs of organizations of all sizes and industries. It provides guidance on how to customize the framework to fit specific business needs and contexts, while also providing a common language and set of practices for teams to work together effectively.
9. Remote work readiness: SAFe 6.0 includes new guidance on how to implement Agile practices in a remote work environment. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many organizations to work remotely, SAFe 6.0 provides a framework for organizations to continue to collaborate and deliver value to customers, even when working from home.
10. Enhanced technical agility: SAFe 6.0 includes new guidance on how to achieve technical agility, which is the ability to respond quickly to changing customer needs by delivering high-quality software and services. This is achieved through features such as Continuous Delivery Pipeline, which provides a continuous flow of value from idea to delivery, and Agile Product Delivery, which helps teams to continuously integrate and deliver new features and enhancements.
11. Improved alignment between business and IT: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve alignment between business and IT by breaking down silos and improving collaboration. This is achieved through features such as Agile Release Trains, which aligns teams around a common mission and vision, and Lean Portfolio Management, which helps organizations to prioritize and manage their investments based on business outcomes.
12. Continuous learning and improvement: SAFe 6.0 emphasizes a culture of continuous learning and improvement, with features such as Communities of Practice, which provides a platform for sharing knowledge and best practices across the organization, and Innovation and Planning Iteration, which provides dedicated time for teams to experiment, learn, and improve.
13. Emphasis on customer-centricity: SAFe 6.0 puts a strong emphasis on customer-centricity, which means focusing on delivering value to customers and meeting their needs and expectations. This is achieved through features such as Lean Portfolio Management, which helps organizations to prioritize and align their investments with customer needs, and Customer Centricity Competency, which helps teams to better understand and anticipate customer needs.
14. Improved team collaboration and communication: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve team collaboration and communication, by promoting transparency, alignment, and shared understanding. This is achieved through features such as Program Increment Planning, which provides a platform for teams to collaborate and plan their work together, and Continuous Improvement Workshops, which provides a forum for teams to reflect on their work and identify opportunities for improvement.
15. Enhanced resilience and adaptability: SAFe 6.0 is designed to help organizations become more resilient and adaptable, by promoting a culture of continuous learning, experimentation, and improvement. This is achieved through features such as Innovation and Planning Iteration, which provides dedicated time for teams to experiment, learn, and improve, and Agile Release Train Inspect and Adapt, which provides a platform for teams to reflect on their work and identify opportunities for improvement.
16. Increased business value and ROI: SAFe 6.0 helps organizations to increase their business value and ROI, by focusing on delivering high-quality products and services that meet customer needs and drive business outcomes. This is achieved through features such as Agile Product Delivery, which helps teams to continuously integrate and deliver new features and enhancements, and Lean Portfolio Management, which helps organizations to prioritize and invest in initiatives that deliver the most value to customers and the business.
17. Alignment with industry standards: SAFe 6.0 is aligned with industry standards such as ISO, CMMI, and ITIL, which helps organizations to comply with regulatory requirements and industry best practices, while also leveraging the benefits of Agile practices.
18. Improved risk management: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve risk management in Agile organizations, by promoting a culture of transparency, collaboration, and shared responsibility. This is achieved through features such as Agile Release Train Risk Review, which provides a platform for teams to identify and manage risks at the program level, and Lean-Agile Principles, which emphasize the importance of risk management in Agile practices.
19. Enhanced DevOps integration: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to integrate DevOps practices into Agile organizations, to improve the speed and quality of software delivery. This is achieved through features such as Continuous Delivery Pipeline, which provides a framework for automating and optimizing the software delivery process, and DevOps and Release on Demand competency, which provides guidance on how to develop and implement DevOps practices.
20. Improved leadership and culture: SAFe 6.0 emphasizes the importance of leadership and culture in Agile organizations, by promoting a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This is achieved through features such as Lean-Agile Leadership, which empowers leaders at all levels to create a culture of trust and engagement, and Communities of Practice, which provides a platform for teams to collaborate, learn, and share best practices.
21. Support for distributed teams: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to effectively scale Agile practices across distributed teams, to improve collaboration, alignment, and productivity. This is achieved through features such as Agile Release Train Virtualization, which provides a framework for remote collaboration and planning, and Lean-Agile Mindset for Distributed Teams, which helps teams to develop a shared understanding and commitment to Agile practices.
22. Integration with Lean Six Sigma: SAFe 6.0 integrates with Lean Six Sigma practices, to provide a holistic approach to process improvement and quality management. This is achieved through features such as Continuous Improvement Workshop, which provides a forum for teams to identify and address process and quality issues, and Lean-Agile Principles, which emphasize the importance of continuous improvement in Agile practices.
23. Enhanced focus on cybersecurity: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to effectively manage cybersecurity risks in Agile organizations, to ensure the security and privacy of sensitive data and systems. This is achieved through features such as Cybersecurity and Information Assurance competency, which provides guidance on how to integrate cybersecurity practices into Agile development, and Agile Release Train Risk Review, which provides a platform for teams to identify and manage cybersecurity risks.
24. Improved business agility: SAFe 6.0 helps organizations to improve their business agility, by providing a framework for rapid and responsive decision-making, and enabling teams to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs. This is achieved through features such as Agile Product Delivery, which helps teams to continuously deliver value to customers, and Lean Portfolio Management, which provides a platform for strategic alignment and investment prioritization.
25. Increased focus on customer centricity: SAFe 6.0 puts a strong emphasis on customer centricity, by promoting a culture of customer empathy, continuous feedback, and rapid iteration. This is achieved through features such as Agile Product Delivery, which emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and delivering value to them, and Lean-Agile Principles, which encourage teams to focus on delivering customer value and reducing waste.
26. Improved alignment between business and IT: SAFe 6.0 provides guidance on how to improve alignment between business and IT, to ensure that IT initiatives are aligned with business goals and priorities. This is achieved through features such as Lean Portfolio Management, which provides a platform for strategic alignment and investment prioritization, and Agile Product Delivery, which helps teams to deliver products and services that meet business needs and customer expectations.
27. Enhanced focus on employee engagement and empowerment: SAFe 6.0 emphasizes the importance of employee engagement and empowerment, by promoting a culture of trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. This is achieved through features such as Lean-Agile Leadership, which empowers leaders at all levels to create a culture of engagement and continuous improvement, and Communities of Practice, which provide a platform for teams to collaborate, learn, and share best practices.
28. Improved support for innovation: SAFe 6.0 helps organizations to support innovation and experimentation, by providing a framework for rapid feedback and iteration, and by encouraging teams to take risks and learn from failure. This is achieved through features such as Innovation and Planning Iteration, which provides a platform for teams to experiment with new ideas and technologies, and Lean-Agile Principles, which emphasize the importance of experimentation and learning in Agile practices.

In conclusion, SAFe 6.0 provides a comprehensive and adaptable framework for scaling Agile practices across an entire organization. With its emphasis on continuous improvement, team empowerment, customer-centricity, and Lean thinking, SAFe 6.0 is well-suited to the dynamic and rapidly changing business environment of today. By improving collaboration, alignment, and communication across teams and stakeholders, SAFe 6.0 helps organizations to improve their agility, efficiency, and quality, while also delivering value to customers more quickly and effectively. Overall, SAFe 6.0 represents an important approach to achieving enterprise-scale agility and maintaining competitiveness in today's highly competitive market.

Scaled Agile, Inc.