Scaled agile framework

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The scaled agile framework (SAFe) is a set of organization and workflow patterns intended to guide enterprises in scaling lean and agile practices.[1][2] Along with disciplined agile delivery (DAD) and S@S (Scrum@Scale), SAFe is one of a growing number of frameworks that seek to address the problems encountered when scaling beyond a single team.[3][4]

SAFe promotes alignment, collaboration, and delivery across large numbers of agile teams. It was developed by and for practitioners, by leveraging three primary bodies of knowledge: agile software development, lean product development, and systems thinking.[5]

The primary reference for the scaled agile framework was originally the development of a big picture view of how work flowed from product management (or other stakeholders), through governance, program, and development teams, out to customers.[6][7] With the collaboration of others in the agile community, this was progressively refined and then first formally described in a 2007 book.[8] The framework continues to be developed and shared publicly; with an academy and an accreditation scheme supporting those who seek to implement, support, or train others in the adoption of SAFe.

Starting at its first release in 2011, six major versions have been released[9] while the latest edition, version 6.0, was released in March 2023.[10]

While SAFe continues to be recognised as the most common approach to scaling agile practices (at 30 percent and growing),[11][12][page needed],[13] it also has received criticism for being too hierarchical and inflexible.[14] It also receives criticism for giving organizations the illusion of adopting Agile, while keeping familiar processes intact.[15]

  1. ^ Hayes, Will; Lapham, Mary Ann; Miller, Suzanne; Wrubel, Eileen; Capell, Peter (2016). Scaling Agile Methods for Department of Defense Programs. Software Engineering Institute. CMU/SEI-2016-TN-005.
  2. ^ Athrow, Desiree (29 January 2015). "Why Continuous Delivery is key to speeding up software development". TechRadar. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  3. ^ Linders, Ben (January 22, 2015). "Scaling Agile with the Disciplined Agile Delivery Framework". InfoQ. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  4. ^ van Haaster, K (2014). Agile in-the-large: Getting from Paradox to Paradigm. Unpublished paper from Charles Sturt University.
  5. ^ King, Michael (2017). "Serving Federal Customers with SAFe Concepts" (PDF). Capability Counts Conference Proceedings.[dead link]
  6. ^ Bridgwater, Adrian (August 7, 2013). "Real Agile Means Everybody Is Agile". Dr. Dobb's. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  7. ^ Linders, Ben (August 28, 2014). "Death by Planning in Agile Adoption". InfoQ. Retrieved 2017-11-27.
  8. ^ Leffingwell, Dean (2007). Scaling Software Agility: Best Practices for Large Enterprises. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 978-0321458193.
  9. ^ "About Scaled Agile Framework - A Brief History of SAFe". Scaled Agile Inc. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Say Hello to SAFE 6.0". Scaled Agile Inc. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  11. ^ "13th Annual State of Agile Report". State of Agile Survey. CollabNet VersionOne. 2019. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  12. ^ Link, P; Lewrick, M (29 September 2014). "Agile Methods in a New Area of Innovation Management" (PDF). Science to Business Marketing Conference.
  13. ^ Baptista, Roberto (28 January 2015). "Profissionais brasileiros e o interesse por treinamentos de especialização". Computerworld Brazil. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  14. ^ Schwaber, Ken (2013-08-06). "unSAFe at any speed". Telling It Like It Is. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
  15. ^ Gothelf, Jeff (2021-10-05). "SAFe is not Agile". Retrieved 2023-05-21.