Scaling Agile

Agility is built upon the Agile Manifesto 1 and Scrum 2 is the preferred framework at CCSQ for practicing Agility. While Scrum provides guidance for a single team, most programs are made up of multiple teams. In this case, the Scrum framework does not explicitly address how to coordinate multiple teams that have dependencies and impediments with other teams. It does not address the overall Vision 9 and alignment of the teams to work on the most valuable items in the backlog. The Scaled Agile Framework 3 takes the principles and practices of Agile and Scrum and applies them to a larger program that is a Team of Teams. This Team of Teams is called an Agile Release Train (ART) 5.

Before a program makes a decision to scale beyond a single team, it must be certain that the scaling is absolutely critical to success. Scaling Agility is based on the Manifesto for Scaling Agility 4. This is an extension of the Agile Manifesto, with a similar structure of values and principles.

If, and when, the Program scales, the Scaled Agile Framework 3 is used as the framework for organizing people and managing the work. Key positions such as the Release Train Engineer (RTE) 6, and an Agile Coach 7 should be filled. The Implementation Roadmap 8 provides a step-by-step guide to transform a Program to Scaled Agility.

References

1 - Agile Manifesto https://agilemanifesto.org

2 - Scrum Guide https://scrumguides.org/scrum-guide.html

3 - Scaled Agile Framework https://www.scaledagileframework.com/

4 - Manifesto for Scaling Agility https://scalingmanifesto.org/

5 - Scaled Agile Framework - Agile Release Train (ART) https://www.scaledagileframework.com/agile-release-train/

6 - Scaled Agile Framework - Release Train Engineer https://www.scaledagileframework.com/release-train-engineer-and-solution-train-engineer/

7 - Scaled Agile Framework - SAFe Program Consultant https://www.scaledagileframework.com/safe-program-consultant/

8 - Scaled Agile Framework - Implementation Roadmap https://www.scaledagileframework.com/implementation-roadmap/

9 - Scaled Agile Framework - Vision https://www.scaledagileframework.com/vision/