"SAFe provides a roadmap for scaling Agile, but it's important to remember that it's not a magic bullet. It takes time, effort, and commitment to make it work." - Lyssa Adkins, Agile Coach, and SAFe Program Consultant.
How to implement SAFe in an organization? Does there exist a success recipe? Do we have a series of activities that have proven effective in the successful implementation of SAFe? The answer to the question is Yes, we do have a success pattern to implement SAFe in an organization and it is known as the SAFe Implementation Roadmap.
The SAFe implementation roadmap gives the leadership and stakeholders a starting point and a sequence of steps that they can acclimate to, and adopt as a visual plan for the transformation. It shows options and an aspect of look-ahead planning.
Does that mean anyone can implement SAFe without having to take the help of SAFe Program consultants? We really do not have an answer to that question. The reason being there is nothing impossible. From our experience of working with various companies where we implemented SAFe, it is known that there is no “one size fits all” as there are no two SAFe implementations exactly similar.
The implementation roadmap has been created from the experience of our practitioners who have implemented SAFe and have got the best results by following these twelve steps shown below.
1. Reaching the Tipping Point
2. Train Lean-Agile Change Agents
3. Train Executives, Managers, and Leaders
4. Create a Lean-Agile Center of Excellence
5. Identify Value Streams and ARTs
6. Create the Implementation Plan
7. Prepare for the ART Launch
8. Train Teams and Launch the ART
9. Coach ART Execution
10. Launch More ARTs and Value Streams
11. Extend the Portfolio and Accelerate
All these twelve steps are based on John P. Kotter's 'Eight-step process' to leading a change.
We can map these eight steps with the SAFe implementation roadmap which assures that the steps SAFe has mentioned are tested over time again and again. 1. Reaching a tipping Point OR Creating a sense of urgency Why do we need to change? In 'Start With Why', Sinek emphasizes that great leaders INSPIRE action, they don't MANIPULATE people to act. And they achieve this by articulating their WHY — the purpose, cause, or belief behind WHAT they are doing.
The top two reasons why an organization decides to change are:-
I. A burning platform - A mission-critical solution is hindering the agility and success of an organization and there is no choice but to change. As leaders know that if they keep doing the same things they will get the same results. To get different successful results they need to change.
II. Visionary Leadership - Proactive leadership knows that to stay at number one they have to relentlessly improve and the only way is to keep adapting to the changing market needs.
There were very limited instances where you will see a combination of both of these reasons. 2. Building a guiding coalition by Training Lean-Agile Change Agents on Implementing SAFe and creating a lean-agile center of excellence further Trains executives, managers, and leaders with leading SAFe training. 3. Form a strategic vision and initiatives with a volunteer army by identifying value streams and Agile Release Trainers after training executives, managers, and leaders to organize around the flow of value. 4. Enable action by removing barriers and generating short-term wins This is done in SAFe by training everyone on SAFe with respect to the role people are playing and then launching the first trainer by conducting PI Planning. 5. Sustain, Accelerate, and Institute change At the end which actually is not an end. The accelerated step of the Implementation Roadmap is the beginning of another journey that is based on Relentless improvement. The ten critical Agile Release Train success factors are to be used to reinforce the basics in the accelerated step of the roadmap. About Advance Agility
We, at Advance Agility, are the new-age Agile Coaching, Consulting, and IT services company. We enable end-to-end Digital Transformation. Agile execution is integral to our being. We are doing SAFe implementation with small, medium, and large organizations across the globe.
Our vision is to be the leading Agile execution player globally. To keep adding value at every process stage. We are on a mission to empower our clients and move from concept to cash in the shortest sustainable lead time by adopting the human-centric approach to business agility. Embracing change is in our DNA.
Things that keep us apart are Quicker and Seamless execution with the end-to-end gamut of services. Our Global presence and Stellar Track Record give us an edge over our competitors.
Connect with us at advanceagility.com to learn about SAFe and SAFe Implementation. Write to us at contact@advanceagilty.com for any agile training or consulting needs. We are always looking for competent agile trainers as well. So if you are one or want to become one, do get in touch with us to that we can learn together.
Comments