Benefits and Challenges of Adopting SAFe - An Empirical Survey

Putta, Abheeshta; Uludağ, Ömer; Paasivaara, Maria; Hong, Shun-Long

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-78098-2_11

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 21 publications

(37 reference statements)

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“…A second reason could be related to legacy systems whose agile integration is difficult [54]. Other reasons may be a lack of cultural change to transform organizational politics and to internalize an agile mindset [18], [72].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[41, p. 88] Scaling agile methods [41] refers to applying agile techniques in larger projects or larger companies. ASFs scale agile practices to large projects and enterprises [18]. Large-scale agile transformation is the "switch from existing work organization concepts or development approaches to agile methods … [that] … can cover a one-time big bang transfer to agile methods in a large setting or a stepwise approach where an agile pilot is subsequently scaled up into a large setting."…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The benefits of SAFe include improved collaboration and dependency management between agile teams and increased transparency in the organization. Its main challenges are team formation, change resistance, organizational politics, and establishing an agile mindset [18].…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Applying agile methods entails that the architecture should evolve incrementally rather than being imposed by enterprise architects. Various agile-scaling frameworks (ASFs), such as scaled agile framework (SAFe), DA2.0, and large-scale scrum (LeSS), are available to scale agile practices to large projects and enterprises [18]. However, each has limitations regarding the attention paid to EA [15].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scaling Agile Company-Wide: The Organizational Challenge of Combining Agile-Scaling Frameworks and Enterprise Architecture in Service Companies

Wessel

Kroon²,

Vries

2022

IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage.

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Many organizations have embraced agile methods. Studies show a trend of large-scale application of agile frameworks company-wide. Emergent architecture design as part of an agile approach is effective at the project level but causes issues when services need to interact seamlessly at the enterprise level. Enterprise architecture (EA) can provide such coherence. Combining the scaling agile methods with EA is challenging. However, such a combination could benefit from the flexibility that agile approaches offer and provide the consistency and long-term focus that EA pursues. This article uses the longitudinal case study research to explore how organizations can effectively govern Agile and EA in large-scale agile transformations. Our case analysis shows that methods for scaling Agile do not provide sufficient guidance to properly handle the transformation from existing EA practices to an Agile EA combination company-wide. We propose how EA can be applied effectively in large-scale agile transformations despite the two seemingly conflicting approaches of Agile and EA. Based on our findings, we propose a conceptual model for future research that incorporates factors that take EA into account in the governance of agile-scaling frameworks. Our findings extend current literature on coordination mechanisms between architects and agile teams in large-scale agile transformations, thereby balancing emergent and intentional architectures.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Scaling Agile Company-Wide: The Organizational Challenge of Combining Agile-Scaling Frameworks and Enterprise Architecture in Service Companies

Wessel

Kroon²,

Vries

2022

IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage.

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“…Each type is compared in 3 temporal, and 8 non-temporal categories, identifying the underlying theories, change agents, and diagnostic models. The SAFe framework has turned out to be popular especially in the finance industry [21]. Experience reports on transformations to SAFe can be found from the SAFe website [22], while academic literature includes, e.g., case studies on transformations [20] and challenges faced [25] in the finance industry.…”

Section: Related Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping the Momentum: Driving Continuous Improvement After the Large-Scale Agile Transformation

Bowring¹,

Paasivaara

2021

Product-Focused Software Process Improvement

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The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is currently the most popular framework to scale agile development to large projects and organisations. An organisational transformation to SAFe is usually driven by a Lean-Agile Centre of Excellence (LACE). What happens to the LACE after the initial transformation is over? How does the organisation keep improving? In this single-case study we investigated how the volunteer-driven LACE in a Nordic bank, Nordea, drives continuous improvement long after the organisation's transition to SAFe. We collected data by 10 semi-structured interviews and several observations. We found that the LACE at Nordea drives continuous improvements by working in a Scrum-like fashion: it uses Product Owners, maintains a backlog of improvement features, works in sub-teams to identify and solve issues, and meets once a week to coordinate and share between the sub-teams. The LACE consists of volunteers, which is an advantage as changes are identified and implemented by the same practitioners who experience the need for them. However, this volunteering model is not without challenges: the LACE lacks the formal mandate to implement the needed changes and other work takes priority for the participants.

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Scaling scrum with a customized nexus framework: A report from a joint industry‐academia research project

2023

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Despite a wide range of scaling frameworks available, large‐scale agile transformations are not straightforward undertakings. Few organizations have structures in place that fit the predefined workflows – while once one applies an off‐the‐shelf framework outside of its prescribed process, guidance quickly runs out. In this paper, we demonstrate how to instantiate a method configuration process using a lightweight experimental approach embedded in Action Research cycles. The proposed approach was developed to assist practitioners working on a multiple‐team project at Intel Technology Poland to find the right practices to continue their Nexus‐based transformation and integrate their in‐house method into the already established company structures, processes, and routines. In particular, it enabled identifying a series of challenges with scaled practices and coping with those. The challenges ranged from logistical problems, through poor availability of the Product Owner, to lackluster knowledge transfer and a wide array of communication/coordination issues at meetings. The study broadens the current body of knowledge within technology management and the scaled agile method‐tailoring domain. It indicates potential corrective actions that may be taken advantage of by entities that are not inclined, due to organizational constraints, to directly implement an off‐the‐shelf framework. Furthermore, our study demonstrates that a gradual transition to large‐scale agile at the project level (1) is possible with the preservation of traditional command‐and‐control management practices; (2) requires neither middle management involvement nor upfront investment; and (3) does not need to disrupt the continuous delivery of the product.

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Benefits and Challenges of Adopting SAFe - An Empirical Survey

Cited by 10 publications

References 21 publications

Scaling Agile Company-Wide: The Organizational Challenge of Combining Agile-Scaling Frameworks and Enterprise Architecture in Service Companies

Scaling Agile Company-Wide: The Organizational Challenge of Combining Agile-Scaling Frameworks and Enterprise Architecture in Service Companies

Keeping the Momentum: Driving Continuous Improvement After the Large-Scale Agile Transformation

Scaling scrum with a customized nexus framework: A report from a joint industry‐academia research project

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