5 Things You Need To Know About The Scaled Agile Framework

A good software is essential to a large company. From storing a customer database to details about employees and their work, a software is a crucial part of a business.

Any efficient software is based on a solid framework. A framework allows you to use tried and tested methods to build a dependable software that can benefit your company. SAFe® is one such framework. But what exactly is SAFe®? Let’s find out.

1. What It Stands For

‘Scaled Agile Framework’ is a pretty long name. That’s why the framework is commonly referred to as ‘SAFe®’.

2. What It Actually Is

So what is SAFe®?

SAFe® is an Agile software development framework. Agile software development is when there’s a set of principles set for software development. Under these principles, solutions and requirements come forth through the collaborative effort of cross-functional, self-organising cross-functional teams.

Agile software development promotes a variety of things. It encourages flexible and rapid response to change, continuous improvement, early delivery, evolutionary development, and adaptive planning. These principles back up the continuing evolution of various software development methods.

SAFe® was designed by Scaled Agile, Inc. It is a knowledge base that’s freely-revealed. This means that it contains integrated patterns for the enterprise-scale of Lean-Agile development. Since it’s modular and scalable, it allows an organisation to apply SAFe® in a way that fits into the needs of company.

3. How It Helps Us

So what does this complicated-sounding framework do?

SAFe® synchronises the delivery, collaboration, and alignment of huge numbers of agile teams. It supports both systems development and software development, and although this may not sound like such a big feat, SAFe® supports them from the scale of just under a hundred practitioners to the most complicated cyber-physical systems and biggest software solutions. There are systems that call for over thousands and thousands of people to maintain and create them.

SAFe® focuses on helping consumers solve even their most challenging scaling problems.

The framework borrows the three primary bodies of knowledge (knowledge in information systems, that is): systems thinking, Lean product development, and Agile development.

4. There’s A Website Dedicated To It

Yes, there’s a website solely dedicated to the Scaled Agile Framework. This website gives users a thorough and comprehensive guide to the framework. It also informs consumers or potential buyers on how scaling development can be implemented across all levels of a business or enterprise.

For novices to software framework, the website provides something known as ‘SAFe® Big Picture’. The Big Picture is nothing more than a visual that gives you an overview of the framework. It’s relatively straightforward to use, too. There are many icons, each of which is easily selectable. These icons navigate the learner to a relevant article that provides a thorough understanding on the topic. It also provides links to any further information you might need, along with links to related articles.

5. What It’s Based On

Like any solid framework, SAFe® is based on a set of principles. The framework is based on nine principles, to be exact, all of which are immutable. In software terms, this means that they cannot be modified once they’re created. The principles are also based on underlying Agile and Lean principles.

These principles are support important, since they’re the fundamental truths and economic foundations that make SAFe® as effective as it is. The nine SAFe® principles are:

1. Take an economic view
2. Apply systems thinking
3. Assume variability; preserve options
4. Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
5. Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
6. Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue lengths
7. Apply cadence (timing), synchronize with cross-domain planning
8. Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
9. Decentralize decision-making

SAFe®, when used correctly, is a highly effective tool. It can help you or your company develop a suitable software that can greatly enhance performance.

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