Main new features of SAFe 6.0

Scaled Agile has announced the new version 6.0 of SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), an Agile scaling framework that allows us, as a Bronze Transformation Partner, to drive the transformation of atSistemas customers.

SAFe integrates the power of Lean, Agile and DevOps into a comprehensive operating system that helps businesses thrive in the digital age by delivering innovative products and services faster, more predictably and with higher quality.

 

What’s new in the “big picture” of SAFe 6.0?

To reflect all the changes that this scaling framework has incorporated, the “big picture” has been modified. Indeed, the hallmark of SAFe is that it keeps up with new and evolving business and technology trends.

Main new features of SAFe 6.0

 

To begin with, it is increasingly clear and proven that Lean and Agile practices are no longer just for the software development domain. From IT, finance or marketing, to security, the entire organisation must work with the same mindset and practices. A growing component of working differently is how we integrate complex technologies (such as AI, big data and the cloud) into our value streams. They are changing the very nature of application development, and the ability to leverage these technologies will be a defining quality of a successful organisation in the future. And the new big picture SAFe 6.0 introduces all of these requirements into the framework.

 

Main Updates

 

Strengthening the foundation for business agility. All culture in the Big Picture foundation.

Fundamental aspects of business agility, including Business Agility Value Stream and SAFe Foundation, are substantially updated to improve support for working differently and building for the future.

Highlights include updates to the SAFe implementation roadmap and, the BAVS (Business Agility Value Stream), which has been added to the top of the big picture and revised SPC responsibilities. At atSistemas we support scaling with certified SPC profiles to help our customers every step of the way on the Implementation Roadmap. In addition, we provide certified trainings of all official SAFe® courses from the experience and practice in real projects of our team.

SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) certified atSistemas team

 

Empowering teams and clarifying roles

Nothing beats an Agile team, and further improving performance requires clearer and more explicit responsibilities for each SAFe role. With the new version, roles have been refocused and the emphasis has been placed on collaboration. Turning ideas into a steady stream of valuable products and services is a complex task that requires constant coordination and communication between the different roles.

 

Key collaborations for some roles

 

Accelerating the flow of value

SAFe 6.0 defines the eight properties of flow and, with an updated SAFe Principle #6, introduces eight related “flow accelerators” that can make value flow faster. In addition, the new SAFe Scrum, SAFe Team Kanban, Built-in Quality and Value Stream Management articles incorporate flow directly into the daily work of teams.

SAFe’s 8 flow accelerators

 

Improving business agility

A Lean-Agile transformation will touch every part of the organisation. When one part speeds up, it reveals bottlenecks in the others. Therefore, business agility requires everyone to learn how to do their work better by applying Lean-Agile principles: optimising flow, working with small batches, incorporating quality, organising around value, using systems thinking and more, in context.

 

Building the future with AI, Big Data and the Cloud

SAFe offers new guidance on leveraging three innovative technologies that are dramatically changing the nature of software and systems development: AI, Big Data and Cloud. The application of these technologies is becoming critical to compete now and in the future. There are three new articles and icons in the big picture:

• AI (artificial intelligence) has been added to the big picture as a technology that can revolutionise the solutions developed by SAFe organisations and also has the potential to dramatically influence companies’ operating and business models.
• Big Data: SAFe addresses Big Data concerns at the portfolio level, as it requires vision, investment and governance at the highest levels of the organisation. While ARTs create the data, the value comes from the aggregation of data across the portfolio and the enterprise. Big data requires strategic investment from the most important parts of the organisation and a holistic approach that aligns each of the organisation’s developing value streams with the same DataOps practices to produce cohesive data sets used across the organisation.
• Cloud: Cloud computing is the most disruptive driver of delivery model change that enterprise IT has faced since its inception. Not surprisingly, the main reason companies are moving to the cloud so quickly is to increase the speed and agility of product development.

Get the best results, measure and grow and OKR

The metrics icon in the big picture is renamed to “Measure and Grow”. The content includes SAFe’s three measurement domains (Results, Flow and Competition). And three main use cases are provided for OKR as an effective tool to generate better results for the business and customers.

Use cases for OKR implementation in SAFe

 

Our experience from atSistemas and DEXS

With this new version 6.0 of Scaled Agile and as a “Bronze Transformation Partner” from atSistemas we will continue to promote the agile transformation of our customers through services such as Lean Enterprise Agility or the DEXS training catalogue.