The four core values of SAFe®
As a modern business tool, the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) is an Agile framework built to help companies thrive. It lays out a collection of fundamental principles that support the framework. As a result, teams may make better decisions with these guiding principles in mind, and businesses can foster an atmosphere conducive to teamwork and creativity.
The four core values of SAFe® are:
1. Alignment
The success of any team is determined by the level of cohesion between its members. When everyone is fully aligned, the team can truly thrive, working together to achieve their shared goals with creativity and innovation. A positive environment can be created where collaboration and new ideas can flourish by striving to ensure everyone is on the same page.
2. Built-in Quality
SAFe® advises that teams incorporate quality testing at each stage of product development since it believes that Quality is an indispensable component of every successful product. This indicates that teams should keep Quality in mind throughout the development process, from conceptualization to testing to final delivery. Instead of being an afterthought, quality assurance should be considered an essential component of the process.
3. Transparency
SAFe® places a priority on open communication and transparency. Teams need to communicate with one another openly and honestly, freely exchanging information and ideas. As a result of being better able to grasp each other's points of view, teams are more likely to collaborate when transparency is practised. It is also helpful to establish an environment with trust so that team members may feel comfortable sharing their views and opinions.
4. Program Execution
Finally, SAFe® recommends that teams focus on program execution. This means that teams should take a holistic view of the project and ensure that all the pieces are working together. Program execution requires teams to focus on the big picture while keeping track of the smaller details. It allows teams to stay on track and ensure that the project is completed on time and budget.
These four core values of SAFe® provide a strong foundation for any Agile organization. By following these values, teams can create an environment of collaboration, trust, and innovation.
Why is leadership essential?
Leadership is essential for successful scaled Lean-Agile development and implementing four core values. With the support of Lean-Agile Leadership and a Continuous Learning Culture, teams and programs can use SAFe® Lean-Agile Principles and practices to create customer value. This results in an environment of meaningful, engaging culture that brings the teams and their stakeholder's many rewards, such as employee engagement, productivity, Quality, and quicker time to market- advantages that Lean-Agile enterprises are well aware of.
How to achieve the core values of SAFe®?
You should now better understand SAFe® and its four core values. But, of course, the logical follow-up question will always be, "How exactly do you put those values into action?"
- Achieving Alignment
Achieving unity through alignment is the key to success in the SAFe® framework. Strategic decisions are made at the portfolio level and then communicated through PI Objectives and Iteration Goals. This creates a unified front across the organization, enabling the whole company to move in the same direction as one Agile team. With strong alignment, progress is made towards a common goal, and everyone is on board with the mission.
- Achieving Transparency
Gaining transparency is critical to the success of any organization. And SAFe® provides the tools and mechanisms to achieve that goal. By signing on to short-term commitments and then meeting them, teams can ensure that everyone from the top down is always aware of the progress being made. In addition, artefacts, documents, objectives, and measurements of progress are transparently shared so that all members of the organization can see how quickly teams are working and trust one another. With SAFe®, gaining transparency has never been easier.
- Achieving Built-in Quality
For organizations to achieve built-in Quality, they must ensure that the five topics of flow, architecture and design Quality, code quality, system quality, and release quality all work together. Establishing quality-focused practices and principles across these areas helps organizations improve their overall Quality, leading to increased customer satisfaction and success.
- Achieving Program Execution
Reaching dependable program execution largely depends on having the right protocols in place. When quality controls are established and working as intended, it makes it simpler to detect, diagnose and fix any issues before they become a major problem and guarantee smooth system performance.
In conclusion, SAFe® is a framework that can help organizations become more Agile, collaborative and successful. To benefit from the framework, companies should strive to adhere to its core values, which include Alignment, Transparency, Built-in Quality, and Program Execution. With the right combination of Lean-Agile Leadership, Continuous Learning Culture, and the core mentioned above values, teams can deliver value and produce quality products that customers love.
Reference Link:
- https://www.scaledAgileframework.com/safe-core-values/
- https://www.plutora.com/blog/scaled-Agile-framework-understand-safe-and-4-core-values
