SAFe vs. Scrum

Attribute	SAFe	Scrum
Framework	Scalable Agile Framework	Scrum
Roles	Multiple roles including Product Owner, Scrum Master, Release Train Engineer	Three main roles: Product Owner, Scrum Master, Development Team
Scale	Designed for large enterprises	Primarily used for small to medium-sized teams
Ceremonies	Includes PI Planning, Inspect and Adapt, Scrum of Scrums	Includes Sprint Planning, Daily Standups, Sprint Review, Sprint Retrospective
Artifacts	Includes Program Backlog, Features, Stories, PI Objectives	Includes Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, Increment

Overview

SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) and Scrum are two popular frameworks used in the Agile methodology for software development. While both aim to improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction, they have distinct differences in their approach and implementation.

Roles and Responsibilities

In SAFe, there are defined roles such as Release Train Engineer, Product Owner, Scrum Master, and System Architect, each with specific responsibilities. These roles are designed to ensure alignment and coordination across multiple teams within an organization. On the other hand, Scrum has three primary roles - Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Development Team. The Scrum Master is responsible for facilitating the Scrum process, the Product Owner prioritizes the product backlog, and the Development Team delivers the product increment.

Team Structure

SAFe emphasizes the concept of Agile Release Trains (ARTs), which are cross-functional teams that work together to deliver value to the customer. These teams are organized around a specific program or product and are responsible for planning, executing, and delivering features. In contrast, Scrum teams are self-organizing and cross-functional, with no predefined roles or titles. The team members collaborate closely to achieve the sprint goal and deliver a potentially shippable product increment.

Planning and Execution

SAFe incorporates a variety of planning levels, including Portfolio, Program, and Team levels. This allows for alignment and synchronization across different levels of the organization. Planning is done in Program Increment (PI) cycles, typically lasting 8-12 weeks. Scrum, on the other hand, operates on shorter time frames called sprints, usually lasting 2-4 weeks. During sprint planning, the Scrum Team selects items from the product backlog to work on and commits to delivering them by the end of the sprint.

Artifacts

SAFe introduces several artifacts to support its framework, such as the Program Backlog, Solution Backlog, and Continuous Exploration (CE) Kanban. These artifacts help in visualizing and managing work at different levels of the organization. In Scrum, the primary artifacts are the Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment. The Product Backlog contains all the work that needs to be done, the Sprint Backlog contains the work for the current sprint, and the Increment is the sum of all the completed work at the end of the sprint.

Ceremonies

SAFe includes various ceremonies to facilitate communication and collaboration, such as PI Planning, Inspect and Adapt, and System Demo. These ceremonies provide opportunities for teams to review progress, identify challenges, and plan for the next iteration. In Scrum, the main ceremonies are Sprint Planning, Daily Standup, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective. These ceremonies help the team stay focused, communicate effectively, and continuously improve their process.

Conclusion

While SAFe and Scrum both aim to improve agility and efficiency in software development, they have distinct differences in terms of roles, team structure, planning, artifacts, and ceremonies. SAFe is more suitable for large organizations with multiple teams and complex projects, while Scrum is ideal for smaller teams working on shorter iterations. Ultimately, the choice between SAFe and Scrum depends on the specific needs and context of the organization.