Foundations of the

Scaled Agile Framework 4.0

2016 Scaled Agile, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Agile, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1V4.0.4
We thought wed be
developing like this.

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But sometimes it
feels like this.

Library of Congress
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And our retrospectives
read like this: Late
Too little Problems
delivery
visibility Too early discovered
No way to commitment too late
improve to a design
systematicall that didnt
y work
Phase gate
Massive SDLC isn't
growth in Hard to helping
Under- complexity reduce risk
estimated manage
dependencies distributed
teams Poor
morale

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Managements challenge

It is not enough that management commit

themselves to quality and productivity.
They must know what it is they must do.

Such a responsibility cannot be delegated.

W. Edwards Deming

and if you cant come, send no one.

Vignette from Out of the Crisis, Deming,1986

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What it is they must do

Embrace a Lean-Agile mindset

Implement Lean-Agile practices
Lead the implementation
Get results

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Embrace a Lean-Agile mindset

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Embrace Lean-Agile values

House of Lean Agile Manifesto

VALUE We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and
helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:
people and culture

improvement
Respect for

Relentless
Innovation

Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

Flow

Working software over comprehensive documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

LEADERSHIP Responding to change over following a plan

Value in the sustainably That is, while there is value in the items on the
shortest lead time right, we value the items on the left more.

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 SAFe Lean-Agile principles

#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, synchronize with cross-domain planning
#8 - Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers
#9 - Decentralize decision-making

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Building incrementally accelerates value delivery

Requirements
Design
WATERFALL Implementation
Verification

4 444 :
Documents Documents Unverified System System
INCREMENTAL
DELIVERY

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And delivers better economics
Early delivery provides fast value with fast feedback
Fast feedback

Waterfall
Value Delivery

Incremental

Time
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Implement Lean-Agile practices

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Knowledge for people building the world's most important systems

SAFe is a freely revealed knowledge

base of integrated, proven patterns for

enterprise Lean-Agile development.

scaledagileframework.com

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13
Three-level SAFe 4.0

Expand
one level

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Nothing beats an Agile Team

Cross-functional, self-organizing entities that can define, build and

test a thing of value
Applies basic scientific practice: PlanDoCheckAdjust
Delivers value every two weeks

Team Plan Do
1
PDCA
Team
n Adjust Check

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That integrates frequently
Integration points control product development.
Dantar Oosterwal, The Lean Machine

Avoid physical branching Agile Team 1

for software
Frequently integrate hardware Check out most Check newest
functionality changes back in
branches
Use development by intention in Mainline

for inter-team dependencies Check in

first slice

Always current
mainline increases
program velocity
Agile Team 2

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Applies test automation

Test automation supports rapid regression testing

Test 1 Test 1
Test 2 Test 2
Implemented in the same iteration Test 3 Test 3
Test 4 Test 4
Maintained under version control Test 5 Test 5

Passing vs. not-yet-passing and
broken automated tests are the real

Progress
iteration progress indicator

Done
Building functionality

Test automation
Iteration
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Except a team of Agile Teams
Align 50-125 practitioners to a common mission
Apply cadence and synchronization, Program Increments every 6-12 weeks
Provide Vision, Roadmap, architectural guidance

P D

A C

P D P D P D P D P D P D P D
A C A C A C A C A C A C A C

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With some Architectural Runway
Architectural Runwayexisting code, hardware components, etc. that
technically enable near-term business features

Feature Enablers build up the runway

Feature

Feature
Features consume it
Architectural Runway must be continuously maintained
Implemented now
to support
Enablers extend the runway
Enabler
future features

Architectural Runway

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The ART takes a systems view

Business Product Arch/ Program Hardware Software Testing Deployment

Mgmt Sys Eng.

AGILE RELEASE TRAIN

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Synchronizes with PI Planning
Future product development tasks cant be pre-determined. Distribute planning and control to those who can
understand and react to the end results. Michael Kennedy, Product Development for the Lean Enterprise

All stakeholders face-to-face (but typically multiple locations)

Management sets the mission, with minimum possible constraints
Requirements and design emerge
Important stakeholder decisions are accelerated
Teams createand take responsibility forplans

For a short video PI planning example, see: https://youtu.be/ZZAtl7nAB1M

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Demonstrates the full system every two weeks

An integrated solution demo

Objective milestone
Demo from the staging environment,
or the nearest proxy

Full system

System
Team

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Inspects and Adapts every PI

Every PI, teams systematically address the

larger impediments that are limiting velocity
Agree on the Apply root cause analysis Identify the biggest root
problem to solve (+ five whys) cause using Pareto Analysis

Insufficiently
reliable release
commitments?

Restate the new problem Identify improvement

Brainstorm solutions
for the biggest root cause Backlog items

Insufficient
architectural
runway

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Build a portfolio organized around value

Identify and organize around Value Streams

Communicate enterprise strategy with Strategic Themes
Empower decision makers with Lean-Agile Budgeting
Provide visibility and governance to cross-cutting initiatives with Kanban

Lead time

Trigger $

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Apply the Value Stream level for large systems

Collapse
one level

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New 4.0 Value Stream level

Apply cadence and synchronization

Establish local governance with Value Stream roles and Economic Framework
Manage fixed and variable Solution Intent
Manage the flow of Capabilities with the Value Stream Kanban
Frequently integrate and validate Customer solutions

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 Lead the implementation

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Leadership Foundation

VALUE
people and culture

People are already doing their best; the

improvement
Respect for

Relentless
Innovation
problems are with the system. Only
Flow

management can change the system.

W. Edwards Deming
LEADERSHIP

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Implementing SAFe 1-2-3

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 Get results

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Business results

Happier, more TI
M 30 75% faster
E

T
motivated TO

EN
time to market

EM
employees PR M
O AR

AG
D KE
U

G
CT T

EN
BUSINESS
VI I
T

Y
RESULTS Y

IT
AL
U
Q
20 50%
increase in 50%+ defect
productivity reduction

See ScaledAgileFramework.com/case-studies
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 See ScaledAgileFramework.com/case-studies
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 Gain the knowledge

Find SAFe training worldwide at: Explore the SAFe knowledge

ScaledAgile.com base and find free resources at:
ScaledAgileFramework.com

Leading SAFe 4.0

with SA Certification

Implementing SAFe 4.0

with SPC4 Certification

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