Agile vs. SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) Agile and SAFe share common principles, such as iterative development, collaboration, and delivering value quickly. However, they differ in scale, scope, structure, and intended use cases. Below is a comprehensive comparison of Agile and SAFe.
1. Overview Agile: Definition: A set of principles and practices for managing work in smaller teams, promoting flexibility, collaboration, and iterative delivery. Focus: Team-level collaboration and adaptability to deliver working software quickly. Framework Examples: Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming (XP). SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework): Definition: A framework for scaling Agile across large organizations, addressing the complexity of delivering value in multi-team or enterprise-level environments. Focus: Coordinating multiple Agile teams working on large, interconnected projects or products. Structure: Combines Lean, Agile, and DevOps principles.
2. Key Differences Aspect Agile SAFe Scope Team-level Enterprise-level Team Size 7-10 members (Scrum/Kanban teams) Up to hundreds of people organized into Agile Release Trains (ARTs) Guidance Level Limited or flexible Highly structured with specific roles, artifacts, and ceremonies Use Case Best for small teams or standalone projects Best for large organizations with multiple teams and dependencies Roles Scrum Master, Product Owner, Developers Additional roles: Release Train Engineer (RTE), Solution Architect, System Team, Portfolio Manager Framework Focus Iterative delivery of small increments Coordinating delivery across multiple teams for strategic objectives Artifacts Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog Program Backlog, Solution Backlog, PI Objectives, Value Streams Planning Scope Focus on individual sprints (1-4 weeks) Program Increments (PI) lasting 8-12 weeks, coordinated across teams Metrics Velocity, Burndown Charts, Increment Goals Additional metrics like WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First), Flow Metrics, Program Predictability
3. Structure and Scaling Agile: Teams operate independently. Focuses on delivering small, incremental value. Little emphasis on scaling beyond a single team or aligning multiple teams. SAFe: Organizes teams into Agile Release Trains (ARTs) to coordinate multiple Agile teams (typically 5-12 teams per ART). Aligns team-level work with broader organizational goals using the three horizons: Portfolio Horizon: Aligns strategy with funding. Large Solution Horizon: Manages large, complex solutions involving multiple ARTs. Program Horizon: Manages teams working on specific objectives.
4. Roles Agile Roles: Scrum Master: Facilitates the team’s Agile process. Product Owner: Manages the product backlog. Team Members: Develop and deliver the work. SAFe Roles: Includes Agile roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, Team Members) plus: Release Train Engineer (RTE): Coordinates ARTs and facilitates PI planning. Product Manager: Aligns product vision with business objectives. Solution Architect: Designs large-scale technical solutions. Business Owners: Represent key stakeholders for ARTs.
5. Planning Agile: Focus on short-term planning within iterations (1-4 weeks). Sprint Planning: Determines team tasks for the sprint. SAFe: Focus on longer-term planning across multiple teams. Program Increment (PI) Planning: Aligns work for 8-12 weeks (multiple sprints) across all teams in an ART. Strategic alignment of goals and features to deliver enterprise-wide value.
6. Artifacts Agile: Product Backlog: List of prioritized work items. Sprint Backlog: Subset of the product backlog selected for the sprint. SAFe: Portfolio Backlog: High-level initiatives and Epics. Program Backlog: Features and Enablers for ARTs. Team Backlog: User Stories and technical tasks for individual teams. PI Objectives: Goals set for the Program Increment.
7. Metrics and Reporting Agile: Uses metrics like: Velocity: How much work is completed in a sprint. Burnup/Burndown Charts: Tracks progress. SAFe: Adds additional metrics like: Flow Metrics: Tracks bottlenecks in value delivery. Program Predictability Metrics: Measures how well teams meet PI objectives. WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First): Prioritizes work based on cost-benefit analysis.
8. Examples Agile Example: A Scrum team developing a mobile app feature like a new login screen. Work broken into user stories: As a user, I want to log in with my email and password so I can access my account. SAFe Example: An enterprise delivering a new customer portal involving 10 Agile teams. Teams handle separate components (e.g., database integration, UI, and APIs) while working together in a coordinated ART.
9. When to Use Agile: Small to medium-sized projects. Projects with minimal dependencies or fewer teams. SAFe: Large organizations with multiple teams and complex dependencies. When aligning business goals with development activities is crucial.
Conclusion Agile is ideal for smaller, independent teams focused on delivering value iteratively. SAFe provides the structure to scale Agile principles across large organizations, ensuring alignment and coordination among multiple teams. Both frameworks emphasize adaptability, collaboration, and value delivery but differ in scale and complexity.