Un-SAFe agile 🗣️
Nope, I'm STILL not comfortable with calling use of SAFe (to improve predictability) an ‘agile transformation’. (Audio; 1:11)
This post was first published on the agile Teams WordPress blog on July 6, 2023. As of July 12, 2024, all agile Teams content has moved here to Agile Analytics and Beyond. Minor edits have been made to support audio voiceover for the podcast.
This Medium article summarizes well my continuing discomfort with calling use of SAFe (to improve predictability) an ‘agile transformation’. If predictability is what the business actually needs most, fine, go for it; but don’t call it agile or lean when it is neither.
“While multi-year plans, and committed fixed-date milestones may be a reality for many enterprises, it is obscure to pass them off as being ‘Agile’ or ‘Lean’.”
The focus on predictability also tends to be weighted heavily on the supply side (disempowered development teams) without considering or measuring the churn on the demand side (incoming changing requirements and other demands on the teams’ time).
A true economic perspective would examine, and focus on improving, both. It STILL wouldn’t be agile, but it would be better for predictability, AND for the teams, it would reduce stress & improve productivity to boot.
(originally posted online as a comment on Cliff Berg’s LinkedIn post on the topic)