S A F e Demystified Breaking the Scaled

S. A. F. e Demystified Breaking the Scaled Agile Framework into simple parts DATE: October 10, 2016 PRESENTED BY: Robert Shaw PRESENTED TO: Agile Philly Group © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020

About Me • Robert Shaw – 21 + Years in Software Development – Strong Background in Test Automation and Performance Engineering – 5+ years Building and Leading Agile Teams – Current Role: Lead Agilest & QA Architect Certifications: – SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) – Certified Scrum Master (CSM) – Certified Lean Kanban Practitioner (CLKP) – Certified Scrum Professional (CSP – Pending Review) © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 rshaw@frontlineed. com Linked. In: https: //www. linkedin. com/in/qarobshaw Twitter: @Robert. Shaw. QA

Agenda © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 01 Quick Background 02 Frameworks vs. Rulebooks 03 Teams & Ceremonies at Scale 04 Cadence and Problem Solving at Scale 05 Questions? SAFe & Reasons for Scaling 4

Quick Background SAFe and Common Scaling Problems © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary

So… What is SAFe At First Glance • It Appears Messy • Confusing •

YUP! This was me the First Time I tried to figure our the Big

So then what is it? • Framework and Patterns to better align Strategy to Execution – Portfolio – Value Streams – Programs/Trains – Teams • Based on a combination of Lean and Agile principles – It is NOT A PURE Agile Framework -- GASP! (Oh the horror!) © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 8

Business Results over Method Debates Scaled Agile Discussion Ground Rules • There are other Frameworks available • Le. SS, Da. D, Nexus, Scaled Scrum etc. . • Any discussion about scaling agile is highly polarized. • Everyone HATES everyone else's scaling ideas.

Roots, Past, Present and Future Field Experience at Enterprise Scale Lean Thinking Lean Product Development 2012 2013 2014 2015 1. 0 Systems Engineering Agile 2. 0 3. 0 4. 0

So Then What is SAFE? For Profit Company – Strong Training and Certification Program – Well designed Support Materials – Well designed Rollout Materials Field Tested – Invests Heavily in Field Research – Publishes White Papers (Positive and Negative)

Reason for Scaling © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 12

Growth & Complexity

Growth & Complexity CO. Needs na i rd o Co n tio Dependency ? tio a n CO. Needs n io t na n di r o Co Dependency

Focus & Coordination {Patterns} • Planning Falling /Staying into SILO’s • Dependencies, Dependencies and More Dependencies • What about the bigger picture? • Out of Sync? • Teams are BUSY but Real Value slows

$Fractals A fractal is a never-ending pattern. They are created by repeating a simple$

Fractals A fractal is a never-ending pattern. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop. Driven by recursion, fractals are images of dynamic systems In SAFe once you see it, there are familiar patterns that work at the team level repeated at a larger scale. © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 16

Framework Fractal © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 17

Question… Why is Scrum considered a Framework and not a process? © 2016 Frontline

Frameworks • Def. – Described as the abstract, logical structure of meaning that guide the development of the study. • Scrum Guide is a framework that helps teams learn agile principals • What happens when team mature and need to adapt? © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 19

The Bigger Agile Picture • SAFe is a Framework not a Rule Book. • Based on Agile and Lean practices • It’s purpose is to align strategy and execution • Contains Extra Best Practices • Like scrum there areas you can adapt and areas better left alone. Frontline Education Architecture Alignment Execution Vision Strategy Goals 20

TEAM Fractal © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 21

Question… What are the attributes of an agile team? © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential

Agile Teams • Sticky Team • Has Ideal Size: 7 (+/- 2) • Contains the Right members to complete work • Teams are funded vs. projects • Teams delivers value from a prioritized backlog • Teams are empowered to Solve Problems • Teams owns how to deliver quality Working Software © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 • Teams often uses a framework (Scrum/Kanban) to estimate, plan and organize work. • Teams uses technical best practices to optimize the speed of deliver (XP, CI, CD, Automation etc. . ) • Teams work to limits technical debt • Keep W. I. P limits in check! 23

Value Stream And Trains • A Value Stream is aligned unit work or line of business – (Product, Suite, etc) • A Train is a “Team of Teams” aligned to deliver for a Value Stream • One or more trains can work together to deliver inside a Value Stream. • Value Streams are funded to deliver a stream of value. • Trains are long lived and sticky to value streams © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 24

Value Stream And Trains • A Train has an Ideal Size – (50— 125) • Trains pull work from a prioritized backlog. – Aligned to Organization Priorities • Teams on a Train use their framework for executing on work. – Scrum / Kanban • Trains invest in engineering practices to improve quality and delivery speed. • Trains keep W. I. P in check © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 25

Question… What are the classic Scrum Team roles? © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential &

Scrum Team Roles • Scrum Master – They help their team run Scrum • Product Owner – Responsible for the ROI on a teams efforts and prioritization. • Scrum Team – Cross Functions group that gets it done! © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 27

Train Roles • RTE – Release Train Engineer – They are like the scrum masters of the train. They help the teams on the train stay in sync. Coordinates train level ceremonies. • System Arch/Eng. – Help the teams on the train align to the Technical Vision. • Project Management - Help the teams on the train align to the Business Vision • Business Owners – A group of 3 -5 stakeholders that help support and steer the train. • In the same way that SM, PO & TM stay ahead of the current sprint • The RTE, SA, PM Look at the roadmap ahead of the train at the Value Stream Level. © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 28

Train Roles • At the Team level the Classic Scrum roles are still in Play with the Same responsibilities. • Systems Team – Chartered Teams that support the train with Integration and Deployment Activities • Lean Agile Leaders & Communities of Practice – These are philosophies & best practices (Not People) to develop within your train. What about shared services? • UX • Dev. Ops • Release Management © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 29

Ceremonies Fractal © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 30

Question… What are the ceremonies for a scrum team? © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential

Agile Teams • Sprint Planning – Team agrees on the Goals of the next sprint and pulls the right work to solve them. • Daily Scrum – Short daily meeting for teams to priorities and progress, making any adjustments as needed. • Team Retrospective – Team reviews team performance and adapts to get better • * Backlog Review & Prep – Best Practice – Not a Ceremony – Investing a % of time to ensure the upcoming work in ready for the team. • Sprint Demo – Team reviews the work completed in a sprint with stakeholders for approval and feedback. © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 32

Value Stream And Trains • Program Increment = Train Sprint • PI Planning- Multi Team planning event where team set Goals and coordinate work. • System Demo – Train Level demo for stakeholders where integrated work from all teams is shown working together. De mo s Re tro Pla nn ing • Inspect and Adapt – Train Level retrospective. Making the Train Better! • Scrum of Scrum / Art Syncs – Quick Team of Teams meeting, Check Progress, Priorities and Make Adjustments © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 33

Time Box Fractal © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 34

Question… What are the most common time boxes? Why are they important? © 2016

Scrum has a Cadence • Kicks Off with Sprint Planning • Every Day there is a Daily Scrum • At the end of Sprint we Demo • The Team conducts an inspect and adapt session Sprint Demo Team Retrospective Every Sprint – • The priority of the backlog can be evaluated • If work did not fit in this sprint – • The next one starts in 2 -4 weeks

SAFe has a Cadence PI Planning Systems Demo Inspect and Adapt Scrum has a Cadence • Kicks Off with PI Planning • Twice a Week there is a Scrum of Scrums. • Once a Week there is a Release Sync. • At the end of Sprints Integrate and Demo • At the end of a PI we Retro Every PI – • The priority of the backlog is evaluated and Adjusted • If work did not fit in this sprint – • The next one starts in 4 -6 Sprints

Release Management Release Program Increment Planning Management Release Management Sprint Planning Sprint Planning Sprint Demo Team Retrospective Sprint Demo Team Retrospective Sprint Planning Sprint Planning Sprint Demo Team Retrospective System Sprint Demo System Demo Team Retrospective Sprint Planning Sprint Planning Sprint Demo Team Retrospective Sprint Demo Team Retrospective Scrum of Scrums Scrum of Insect and Adapt Session Scrums Scrum of Scrums

PI Planning Event

PI Planning Event Activates • Business Vision • Feature Overview • Architecture Overview • Team Breakout Sessions • Dependency Wall (All Through the Event) • Risk Capture and Mitigation • Confidence Vote

Value Stream And Trains • Program Increment = Train Sprint Sp rin • PI is a Time Box of 4 -6 Sprints • The train’s calendar can be published well in advance • Work is planned to fit inside team or team’s capacity Pla n t Sp rin t S rin prin Plan t t Sp Sp rin t Sp rin o Retr • Work is re-prioritized at the Business Owner / Stakeholder level. • Frequent alignment of Execution to Strategy. © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 41 t

Agile Triangle • Time is Fixed – PI Cycle Length • Cost is Fixed – We fund the Team of Teams in a Value Stream • Scope – Manage the Team of Teams Capacity with commit and stretch goals. – Best Practice: Like Scrum teams should never commit to 100% capacity. • Do any of these patterns seem familiar? © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 42

Problem Solving Fractal © 2016 Frontline Education Confidential & Proprietary November 6, 2020 43

Question… All things scale! What types of problems would you expect when scaling up

Trick Question Silver Mirror Agile/Scrum wont solve problems on it’s own. It creates a level of transparency where problems are forced to the surface to be dealt with.

Problems Scale Too • Shifting from Product Planning to Organizational Value Planning • Lack of Modern Testing & Development Practices • Dev. Ops Weakness • Not Respecting W. I. P – Bag Stuffing • Dysfunctional Collaboration