[link to Version One/Scaled Agile Framework webinar] | [Slides Deck]

Scaled Agile Framework 4.0: What is essential and what is open to conversation, experimentation and adaptation?

ESSENTIALS

1. SAFe Lean-Agile Principles

• Take an economic view
• Apply systems thinking
• Assume variability; preserve options
• Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles
• Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems
• Visualize and limit WIP, reduce batch sizes, and manage queue lengths
• Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning
• Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
• Decentralize decision-making

2. Agile Teams / Release Trains / Value Streams

• ART is main building block
• every SAFe starts with launch of ART

3. Lean-Agile Leaders

• Lead the change
• Know the way, emphasize life-long learning
• Develop people
• Inspire and align with mission; minimize constraints
• Decentralize decision-making

4. Vision and Program Backlog

• The “WHAT” and the “WHY”
• Economic priorities
• Single ”access point” to train’s capacity
• Built-in alignment

5. Key Program Events

• PI Planning – all hands on deck
• System Demo – fully integrated increment, every iteration
• Inspect and Adapt – global optimization

6. Critical Roles

• SM and PO
• business owners - accept product
• system architect / engineering - keeps teams from running astray
• RT engineer - ART SM analog
• product manager - ART PO analog
• customer - involved

7. Architectural Runway—existing code, hardware components, etc. that technically enable near-term business features

8. Program Increment - Facilitate reliability, Program Increment readiness, planning, and innovation - Provide sufficient capacity margin to enable cadence.

• Innovation: Opportunity for innovation spikes, hackathons, and infrastructure improvements
• Planning: Provides for cadence-based planning
• Estimating guard band for cadence-based delivery

9. Cadence - Whole system sprinting, all teams on same metronome w/ all meetings, e.g. 8-12 weeks

ADJUSTABLES

Structural adjustments

• What to organize trains and teams around? (whole of pieces of work: feature, skills needed, component, value subsystems)
• Whether or not to have a System Team?
• Do we need Value Stream Level?
• How to organize DevOps? capability?
• Should UX be at the Team-, Program- or Value Stream level?
• Performance - how team/group works together, how contributes best to overall optimization

Behavioral adjustments

• Duration of PIs?
• What should the System Team do?
• What is the DoD? for Team- vs System Increment?
• How frequently should we release value?
• How long should be our Architectural Runway?
• What capacity allocations do we need and how big?
• What method to use at the team level: Kanban or Scrum or both?
• Who should actually perform the System Demo?
• What decisions should be made by Architect vs Teams, Product Management vs POs, etc?
• How exactly should Customer be involved?