Just as in life, business organizations must adapt to changes as soon as possible to maintain their competitive advantage. In short, organizations need to be Agile, which means ‘being able to move quickly and easily.’ Hence, attaining Agility is the new normal for our lives and organizations.
While change is the only constant factor, it is essential to make the systems and processes of an organization Agile so that even the slightest change in the environment can be accommodated and adopted as soon as possible to maintain and sustain the competitive edge in the market. The development of Agile frameworks such as SAFe and Scrum helps organizations gain that competitive edge over their competitors. However, it is crucial to understand the salient benefits of various frameworks such as SAFe and Scrum in order to make an appropriate choice.
Agile Frameworks – The need of the hour
Changes are constant. However, not always does a change require drastic modifications or overhauls. Sometimes, minor changes within the system and processes can help the organization’s system gain a competitive edge and lead in the market. What is critical is that processes and systems are Agile enough to incorporate the required changes quickly. Agile frameworks include creating and developing Agile software that enables the division of tasks (processes) into smaller phases of work (smaller processes). The work can be reassessed soon, and changes can be incorporated to make it all successful. Deploying a non-agile system or software would require a complete overhaul of the process, even with the slightest change.
Agile framework is an umbrella term that includes various software developmental approaches that help target, develop, and incorporate iterative and incremental changes within the systems. Scrum, Crystal, SAFe, and Dynamic Systems Development Method are popularly used Agile frameworks. Each of these Agile Frameworks has the following salient features:
- They are unique in their way.
- They encourage continuous feedback and enable development based on such feedback.
- They enable the process to develop iteratively and incrementally.
- They are lightweight regarding rules and procedures and require the users to follow minimum regulations and practices against conventional development processes such as waterfall.
- They are designed to adapt to changes and adopt them in the least possible time frame.
- Rather than the system, the focus is on empowering developers to make turnaround decisions and implement the changes as soon as possible.
They believe in creating small (incremental) applications and testing each such application, process, and intermediate product before proceeding, thus creating a “built-in” quality platform rather than a “final inspection” quality platform.
Scrum
A prevalent and popular Agile Framework, Scrum is accepted and applied across organizations from various business sectors. Scrum has been the popular choice among all Agile frameworks for the following reasons:
- It helps business organizations address various situations, especially complex adaptive problems.
- It is primarily focused on project management.
- It ensures the productive and creative delivery of products that too while creating the highest possible value across the value chain
- It is lightweight and helps solve complex adaptive problems, thus helping individuals, teams, and the business organization.
- It has a grave emphasis on
- Accountability
- Teamwork
- Iterative progress
Scaled Agile Framework(SAFe)
Scaled Agile Framework, or SAFe, is an Agile framework that helps implement Agile practices within the organization’s workflow but at the enterprise level. SAFe provides structured guidelines regarding the roles and responsibilities of people and teams. It further helps plan teams' work and successfully manage the organization efficiently.
Organizations must carefully decide between Scrum and SAFe, depending on their requirements and the type of business they are involved in.
SAFe Vs. Scrum: The Salient Points to Consider
Understanding the salient differences between Scrum and SAFe is important before deciding on the Agile framework. The organization must analyze many factors when deciding between a Scaled Agile Framework and Scrum.
Some factors that deserve due consideration before deciding upon SAFe vs. Scrum include:
- Type and Level of Management required
- Number of necessary people to be managed
Differences between Scrum and SAFe
Deciding Parameter | Scrum | SAFe |
Type of organization | Scrum should be the choice for organizations that wish to apply the Agile framework at a small scale, say within a project team or at most at a cross-functional team level. Scrum is operational at a small, cross-functional team level. | An organization chooses SAFe because it is effective at the enterprise level. A multinational corporation with multi-geography operations needs to choose SAFe. |
Classification | Implementation of Scrum does not involve all levels of management. At most, the team working on the Agile methodology and top management have a role to play in it. The middle management may not have a say in such implementation in most cases. | SAFe is classified as a two-tier system: managing programs and managing portfolios. The entire organization and all levels of management have essential and crucial roles to play in implementing SAFe. |
Who manages the implementation? | Scrum Team manages the implementation of the Scrum-based Agility framework at the team level. | Agile Release Train manages the implementation of the SAFe framework and the activities in the organization where SAFe is implemented. |
The level of operation | Scrum is implemented at a small cross-functional level. Therefore, Scrum is neither responsible nor capable of managing all the organization’s nitty-gritty or even the team it is applying for. Scrum can consequently miss out on several essential aspects of the organization and its activities. | SAFe is implemented at the enterprise level. Therefore, SAFe is enabled and responsible for managing all the organization's activities. SAFe cannot only miss out on any activity of the organization. Organizations can gain Agility in all processes of the organizations by applying SAFe |
The above salient differences highlight that organizations that wish to implement Agility within small teams should choose Scrum. Organizations that require applying Agility across their value chain need to choose a framework like SAFe. Thus, the decision between SAFe and Scrum becomes easy. Management merely needs to decide the level of organization needed within its enterprise. Scrum can manage a team-level organization, while an enterprise-level organization requires implementing the SAFe framework.
Conclusion:
Organizations need to gain a competitive edge to sustain themselves in competitive scenarios. Time becomes an essential resource for this. Organizations that can adopt changes in the environment in a timely manner gain such an edge. Adopting the right Agile Framework—SAFe vs. Scrum—would help organizations adopt changes effectively and efficiently. Simpliaxis offers a comprehensive approach to Agile frameworks, empowering organizations to navigate the dynamic landscape of business with ease. By understanding the nuances of frameworks like SAFe and Scrum, businesses can make informed decisions tailored to their unique needs and goals. Whether Scrum's flexibility for smaller teams or the scalability of SAFe for enterprise-level operations, Simpliaxis provides the tools and guidance necessary to thrive in today's competitive environment. With Simpliaxis at their side, organizations can embrace change confidently, ensuring they remain agile and adaptable in an ever-evolving market.
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