SAFe vs Agile: Difference Between Scaled Agile and Agile (2024)

It was only a relatively few years ago that traditional waterfall project management was pretty much the only way to go. And while it worked well for many projects – especially ones considered ‘predictive’ – it didn’t work so well for ones we will call adaptive. And so, over the past 20 years and especially the last 10 or so, agile has been increasingly used in projects, primarily software-based ones. Leading SAFecertification will help you master the role of scrum master and train you to clear the exam in one go. Let's start with the comparison table of Agile vs SAFe Agile!

Agile vs SAFe Agile Framework [Head-to-Head Comparison]

Explore the differences between Agile and Scaled Agile Framework in this comparison table:

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What is Agile?

According to theAgileAlliance, Agile is “the ability to create and respond to change. It is a way of dealing with, and ultimately succeeding in, an uncertain and turbulent environment.”

It isaset of values and principles as expressed in the Agile Manifesto. While it can be used for a variety of projects it typically refers to a group of approaches to software development using iterative(repeated processes)and incremental(successively added functionality)development.

TheAgileManifestostatesthat:

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

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

There is also an underlying set of 12 principles.The first two principles state that “our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software” and that we “welcome changing requirements, even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer’s competitive advantage.”

Some of the more common Agile methods include Scrum, Extreme Programming (XP), Kanban, and Feature-Driven Development (FDD.) Of these, Scrum is by all accounts the mostpopular,so we’ll focus there.

For the most part, all Agile methodologies have certain things in common – they use timeboxes, which Agile Alliance describes as “a previously agreed period of time during which a person or a team works steadily towards completion of some goal.”

They employ iterations to “develop the product through a series of repeated cycles and increments to successively add to the functionality of the product.”The graphic belowdisplays the Agile Scrum process.

At the end of a timebox – or sprint -the entire Scrum Team is accountable for creating a valuable, usefulincrement. Regular interactions with stakeholders, small batches of work, regular reviews and retrospectives improve the process and therefore, the product.

Read about 5 whys root cause analysis in agile teams, along with its approaches and success factors, in our blog posts.

What is SAFe?

As mentioned above, Agile was designed for small teams andSAFe® wasdesigned to scale to various levels, from essential to fullSAFE®.It rests on the Agile Foundation and expands on it.

Cprimerecently published a report calledAgile at Scale 2020. The report was based on asurveyofcompanies who are scaling Agile beyond small teams and often to the enterprise. The size of development teams ranged from <50 (32%) to an astonishing1001+ (18.4%).

According to the same study,the leading framework at 34% isSAFe®while “Scrum only” is at 24%. The study doesn’t dig deeper into those numbers but it’s realistic to think that as companies scale to theenterprise,they require something more than Scrum only.

SAFe® for Lean Enterprises is a knowledge base of proven, integrated principles, practices, and competencies for achieving business agility using Lean, Agile, and DevOps. It has several levels to which one canscale:

• EssentialSAFE®-contains the minimal set of roles, events, and artifacts required to continuously deliver business solutions via an Agile Release Train (ART) as a Team of Agile Teams.
• Large SolutionSAFe®describesadditional roles, practices, and guidance to build and evolve the world’s largest applications, networks, and cyber-physical systems. It incorporates an additional competency called Enterprise Solution Delivery.
• PortfolioSAFe®alignsstrategy with execution and organizes solution development around the flow of value through one or more value streams. It is the smallest configuration that can be used to achieve Business Agility and adds the core competencies of Lean Portfolio Management, Continuous Learning Culture, and Organizational Agility.
• FullSAFe®representsthe most comprehensive configuration. It supports building large, integrated solutions that typically require hundreds of people to develop and maintain.Difference Between Agile and SAFe Agile

Difference Between Agile and SAFe Agile [Detailed Comparison]

The difference between Agile and SAFe Agile is in their scope and application. Let us try to understand them in detail.

1. Agile vs SAFe Agile: Scale of Application

• Agile, with its roots in small to medium-sized projects, excels in providing flexibility and quick adaptations. However, we might face challenges scaling Agile to meet the demands of large enterprises.
• SAFe Agile, on the other hand, steps up to the plate, offering a structured framework designed explicitly for the complexities of extensive projects.

2. Agile vs SAFe: Flexibility

• The flexibility inherent in Agile allows teams to pivot swiftly in response to changing requirements. This adaptability fosters a collaborative environment where adjustments are made seamlessly.
• SAFe Agile, while still flexible, strikes a balance by introducing a more organized framework that ensures alignment across teams while maintaining adaptability.

3. Agile vs Scaled Agile: Organizational Structure

• Agile principles emphasize self-organizing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and autonomy.
• On the flip side, SAFe Agile introduces a structure with defined roles. This structure aims to streamline communication and decision-making in larger enterprise settings.

4. SAFe vs Agile: Project Planning

• Agile's project planning involves iterative cycles, allowing for quick adjustments and improvements. This approach facilitates short-term planning and adaptability.
• In contrast, SAFe Agile combines iterative and incremental planning, synchronizing efforts across multiple teams. This coordinated planning ensures that each increment contributes to the larger enterprise goals.

5. Scaled Agile vs Agile: Communication

• Agile projects thrive on informal and frequent communication within self-organizing teams.
• In SAFe Agile, communication strategies become more structured, necessitating comprehensive plans to facilitate information flow among larger, distributed teams. The additional documentation ensures that everyone is on the same page in a scaled environment.

6. Agile vs SAFe Agile: Decision-Making

• Agile empowers teams to make decisions collaboratively, leveraging the collective intelligence of the group.
• SAFe Agile introduces a structural decision-making, to align decisions with the broader goals of the organization. This makes sure that everyone is on the same page across different teams and encourages a team effort toward achieving project goals.

7. Agile vs SAFe Agile: Cadence of Releases

• Agile champions frequent and small releases, allowing for continuous feedback and quick adjustments.
• In SAFe Agile, releases are coordinated across multiple teams, ensuring that each release aligns with the strategic goals of the enterprise. This synchronized cadence enhances the impact of the delivered product.

8. Agile vs SAFe Agile: Lean-Agile Principles

• While Agile adheres to the principles of the Agile Manifesto, SAFe Agile expands on these principles. It integrates Lean-Agile principles, emphasizing efficiency, optimization of resources, and the elimination of waste.
• This broader framework aims to deliver not just individual project success but also overall organizational efficiency.

Important Roles in Scrum Variant of Agile

The Scrum variant of Agile defines three importantroles:

• A Product Owner orders the work for a complex problem into a Product Backlog.He or she is also responsible for developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal, ordering Product Backlog items,and ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent,visible,and understood.
• The Scrum(or Development)Team turns a selection of the work into anincrement of value during a Sprint. The Scrum Team and its stakeholders inspect the results and adjust for the next Sprint.They arecross functional,self-organizing and decide how to do the work.
• The Scrum Master is accountable for the Scrum Team’s effectiveness. They do this by enabling the Scrum Team to improve its practices, within the Scrum frameworkand by removing impediments.

Scrum uses several events or “ceremonies” to inspect progress toward the sprint goal and adapt the sprint backlog (items to be worked on) as needed:

• Daily Scrum - The purpose of the 15-minute Daily Scrum is to inspect progress toward the Sprint Goal and adapt the Sprint Backlog as necessary, adjusting the upcoming planned work.
• Sprint Review - The purpose of the Sprint Review is to inspect the outcome of the Sprint and determine future adaptations. The Scrum Team presents the results of their work to key stakeholders and progress toward the Product Goal is discussed.
• Retrospective - The purpose of the Sprint Retrospective is to plan ways to increase quality and effectiveness. The Scrum Team inspects how the last Sprint went with regards to individuals, interactions, processes, tools, and their Definition of Done.

Instead of command and control as practiced in a traditional waterfall, agile employs servant leadership which is aphilosophy and practice of leadership based on listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment, and community building. 

SAFe Agile Key Roles [Based on Levels]

Like Agile, theSAFe®framework has several defined roles, some of which are dependent on the level to which one aspires.

A. KeySAFe®Roles atthe Essentiallevel

The keySAFeroles and main responsibilities at theEssentiallevel are:

• Business Owners– key stakeholders who are ultimately responsible for the business outcome.
• System Architect/Engineer – responsible for designing and sharing the architectural vision across the agile release train, which means the work delivered will be fit for purpose.
• Product Manager – responsible for prioritizing features and ensuring they are well described and understood
• Release Train Engineer – responsible for ensuring the agile release train (the team of agile teams) work well together and follow the processes
• Agile Teams– responsible for delivery and quality of the work undertaken.
• Scrum Master – responsible for ensuring the team works well and follows the processes.
• Product Owner – responsible for prioritizing stories and ensuring they are well described and understood.To effectively fulfill the SAFe product owner role and collaborate efficiently with the team to deliver valuable products, attending SAFe coursesare recommended.

B. KeySAFeroles atLarge Solutionlevel

The keySAFe®roles and main responsibilities atlarge solution level includeall ofthe above and:

• Solution Architect/Engineer – responsible for designing and sharing the architectural vision across multiple agile release trains, which means the solutions delivered will be fit for purpose.
• Solution Management is responsible for defining and supporting the building of desirable, feasible, viable and sustainablelarge-scalebusiness solutions that meet customer needs over time.
• The Solution Train Engineer (STE) is a servant leader and coach for the Solution Train, facilitating and guiding the work of all ARTs and Suppliers in the Value Stream.
• Customer – consumes the output from the agile release train. Could be external customers or people within the organization. The customers are the people who will have the final view on whether the output was valuable.

C. KeySAFeroles at Portfolio level

The keySAFe®roles at portfolio level are:

• Epic Owners – responsible for defining an epic, articulating itsbenefits,and facilitating its implementation.
• Enterprise Architect – drives architectural initiatives for the portfolio.

• FullSAFe®has no new defined roles.

Planning
While both Scrum and Agile plan their work at the beginning of each sprint,SAFe®has a unique event, called a Program Increment.Key to this is the Agile Release Train (ART) whichis a long-lived team of Agile teams, which, along with other stakeholders, incrementally develops, delivers, and where applicable operates, one or more solutions in a value stream.

A Program Increment (PI) is a timebox during which an Agile Release Train delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and systems. PIs are typically 8 – 12 weeks long.
Typically,there arefour development Iterations, followed by one Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration. API isto an Agile Release Train (ART) (or Solution Train), as an Iteration is to the Agile Team. It’s a fixed timebox for planning, building, and validating a full system increment, demonstrating value, and getting fast feedback.

Each PI

• Plansthe ART’s next increment of work
• Limitswork in process (WIP). Limiting work in process is from Kanban, andcontributes to better focus, clearer communication, and more realistic analysis and projection.
• Summarizesnewsworthy value for feedback
• Assuresconsistent, ART-wide retrospectives

The Program Board is used when teams come together for two-day planningsessions:

Image Source

It should be noted thatSAFe® utilizes a concept called Value Streams.Value Streams represent the series of steps that an organization uses to implement Solutions that provide a continuous flow of value to a customer.

ASAFe®portfolio contains one or more value streams, each of which is dedicated to build and support a set of solutions, which are the products, services, or systems delivered to the Customer, whether internal or external to the Enterprise.

How are Agile, Scrum andSAFe®Similar?

Scrum, like XP and Kanban is a type of Agile. So, all Agile types are similar in that theywork in short bursts of work and stay in close contact with customers. So, the real comparison is between Scrum andSAFe®.

Scrum/Agile andSAFe®are similar in that they use roles outlined in the Scrum Guide such as Product Owner, Scrum Master and Teams. The same rules apply about using sprints, sprint reviews and retrospectives.

Benefits

Some of the benefits of Agile include:

• Customer satisfaction- their regular involvement assures that they will get what they want
• The ability to quickly pivot away from suboptimal solutions
• Reduced risks due to shorter timeboxes and quality integrated into the team
• Allows for continuous improvement due to regular retrospectives

SAFe®has all those benefits but also adds the ability to not only look at work in terms of value streams but also to take into consideration the portfolio that is connected to the strategy of the enterprise.

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SAFe Agile or Agile: Which is Better?

The perennial question: which methodology reigns supreme? The answer, as with many things in the dynamic world of project management, is contingent on context. Agile, with its adaptability and collaborative ethos, shines in smaller, nimble teams or projects with rapidly changing requirements. When it comes to handling the intricacies of large enterprises, SAFe Agile takes centre stage. It provides a well-organized framework that guarantees alignment among diverse teams.

While Agile might be the go-to choose for start-ups or projects with a need for quick iterations, SAFe Agile becomes the hero in scenarios where scalability, structure, and synchronized efforts are paramount. The project manager holds the key to making the "better" choice, as they need to thoughtfully assess the project's objectives, size, and the structure of the organization.

Conclusion

Agile has developed over time into a framework that provides business agility, allowing organizations to remain flexible in their approach to getting work done. Defined roles, small batches of work and regular cadence allcontribute to a focus on product delivery while minimizing risk.

However, Agile focuses on small teams and once work expands to the enterprise, a scaling methodology is required to enable teams to work while still focusing on the larger strategic picture. Scaled Agile Framework is one such methodology. It maintains the core ideas of Agile but adds roles and ceremonies that allow it to serve at whatever level of the organization is required.KnowledgeHut best Agile certificationswill help boost your knowledge and get through the exam.