Is SAFe? really agile?
Krishnakumar Chinnappachari
Senior Program Manager and Enterprise Agile Coach | I deliver business outcomes via GenAI, Traditional, Lean-Agile and Hybrid methods based on the Organization context | Top Agile Voice
Holistic perspectives: Series 2
In my last post, (Series1), we discussed on agile values on how they relate to SAFe.
In this post, let’s do a deep dive into the agile manifesto [1] principles (#1 to 6) and compare them with SAFe.
1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
SAFe has always been in line with this principle, except for the fact that it focuses on the complex enterprise-level solution or product development, not just software. When I say solution or product, it includes software, hardware, and firmware. The Release on Demand aspect [2] is part of the CD [3] pipeline and helps to achieve on-demand release as per the business or market needs.
2. Welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage.
I often get questions from SAFe critics that how can it address changes in requirements when the program level timebox, Program Increment [4] is almost a quarter.
SAFe practices promote delivery as frequently as possible (as often as multiple times daily [5]) to benefit the customer and to provide the validated learning that improves future development. SAFe’s System Demo [6] at the end of every iteration and the PI System Demo and Solution Demo at each PI boundary. Even in Scrum, the potentially releasable increment gets developed and/or deployed every iteration. The same concept is replicated here as well through System Demos. If there is a need for change during the Program Increment, SAFe promotes collaboration across Business Owners, Product Management, Product Owners, RTE, System Architect/Engineer, and Scrum Masters through ART Sync (Scrum of Scrums and PO Sync).
Scrum Guide says, sprint (read it as iteration in SAFe) cancellations are often traumatic to the Scrum Team and are very uncommon [7]. Remember, SAFe is an enterprise-level agile framework suited for large complex solution development. Hence PI cancellations are traumatic to the train (ART) and are uncommon. If the situation demands, SAFe does not stop Business Owners and Product Management to collaborate with other stakeholders and take the appropriate course of action (for example, feature scope negotiations, etc).
3. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference for the shorter timescale.
As discussed earlier on principle # 1, SAFe has been in line with this as well, except for the fact that it focuses on the complex enterprise-level solution or product development, not just software. DevOps [5] plays a critical role in bringing down the “lead time” to a shorter timescale.
4. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project.
SAFe integrates business and product owners and product and solution managers into backlog refinement, demos, PI planning [8], and other events, which illustrates its commitment to this Principle.
Also, Iteration work does happen through Scrum practices. Hence there is a collaboration in the agile teams [9]. However, the business representation at the team level is through Product Owners who are aligned with the Product Management. Remembers Team backlog items (User Stories) are the subset of a Program backlog item (Feature).
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5. Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done.
SAFe’s principle # 8 [10] does align with this. In fact, it goes one level beyond to include an additional iteration called IP [11] to provide individuals the dedicated time for innovation, continuing education, and avoid the tyranny of the urgent [12]. This is where I have observed that some agile/Scrum purists (Certified Scrum Trainers/Professional Scrum Trainers aka CST/PST’s), did not like the concept of IP. However, I have also noticed recently, that the same purists have moved on and included the SAFe training in their portfolio ??
6. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation.
SAFe does align with this principle as well. Program Increment (PI) Planning is a cadence-based, face-to-face event that serves as the heartbeat of the Agile Release Train (ART), aligning all the teams on the ART to a shared mission and Vision. PI planning is essential to SAFe: If you are not doing it, you are not doing SAFe.
Large enterprises have clearly got the ROI and outcomes that they were expecting. However, in the current COVID-19 situation, this may not always be possible. The unwritten SAFe ‘rule’ is “the people who do the work plan the work.” When physical presence is not possible, real-time, concurrent, virtual, face to face planning has now proven to be effective. Read here [13] for more tips on distributed PI planning
Conclusion
SAFe does align with most of the agile manifesto principles as is. However, given the intent of “large complex solution/product development for large enterprises”, some of the agile principles definitely need to be revised. That’s exactly what SAFe has done.
In my next post (i.e., Series 3), I will do a deep dive into the principles #7 to 12 behind the agile manifesto and compare them with SAFe."
What are your thoughts or viewpoints or perspectives on agile manifesto principles (#1 to 6) related to SAFe?
About the author
Krishna is an Enterprise Lean-Agile Coach, Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, and a Blogger. One of the Value Glide Trainers, Coaches, and Consultants. He is authorized to conduct training on Agile Methods and SAFe.
Scale Agile Framework?, SAFe? are registered trademarks of Scaled Agile, Inc.
References:
1 https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html
2 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/release-on-demand/
3 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/continuous-delivery-pipeline/
4 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/program-increment/
5 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/devops/
6 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/system-demo/
7 https://www.scrumguides.org/scrum-guide-2017.html
8 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/pi-planning/
9 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/agile-teams/
10 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/unlock-the-intrinsic-motivation-of-knowledge-workers/
11 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/innovation-and-planning-iteration/
13 https://www.scaledagileframework.com/distributed-pi-planning/