How Agile Principles Evolved for the Enterprise

The Agile Manifesto (https://agilemanifesto.org) revolutionized software development with its focus on flexibility, collaboration, and delivering value to the customer. But what happens when those Agile principles need to scale to fit the complex needs of a large enterprise? That’s where the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) (https://scaledagileframework.com/) comes in.

SAFe borrows heavily from the Agile Manifesto but adds an extra layer of structure and principles inspired by Lean manufacturing and systems thinking. Let’s dive into how these two sets of principles compare.

Common Ground – Building on Shared Values

Both 12 Principles of Agile (https://agilemanifesto.org/principles.html) and 10 Principles of SAFe Lean-Agile (https://scaledagileframework.com/safe-lean-agile-principles/)  prioritize delivering value to the customer. They achieve this through:

• Close collaboration – Breaking down silos and fostering communication between developers and business teams.
• Empowered Individuals – Recognizing that motivated and skilled individuals are the backbone of successful software development.
• Sustainable Pace – Avoiding burnout and ensuring teams can maintain a consistent development speed.

Agile Manifesto’s Focus is on Flexibility and Responsiveness

The Agile Manifesto champions:

• Frequent Delivery – Releasing working software in short cycles (from 1 week to couple of months) to get quick feedback and adapt.
• Face-to-Face Communication – Encouraging direct interaction for clear and efficient collaboration.
• Keeping it Simple – Focusing on the core work and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
• Self-Organizing Teams – Empowering teams to manage their work and make decisions autonomously.

SAFe’s Additions – Scaling for Enterprise Agility

SAFe builds on Agile principles with a special focus on:

• Economic View – Considering the cost-effectiveness of development efforts and maximizing return on investment.
• Systems Thinking – Looking at the entire software development ecosystem, not just individual components.
• Adaptability – Acknowledging the inherent variability in software projects and building in options to respond to change.
• Fast Learning Cycles – Building software incrementally and incorporating feedback loops to continuously improve.
• Value Stream Optimization – Structuring teams and processes around the flow of value delivery.
• Decentralized Decision-Making – Empowering teams at all levels to make decisions quickly and efficiently.

Agile Manifesto principles are the foundation, while SAFe Lean-Agile Principles add essential layers for large-scale software development.

SAFe helps organizations scale Agile practices while maintaining the core values of flexibility, collaboration, and customer focus. This methodology provides a framework for managing dependencies across teams, optimizing workflow, and ensuring value is delivered efficiently.