Scaled Agile Framework: The 4 levels explained with Examples
Your company is planning an an agile transformation It plans to scale agile methods beyond individual teams - or has it already done so? Everyone is talking about the different levels and configuration options within, for example, scaled agile frameworks such as SAFe® Yes, these terms are not that easy to understand.
This article sheds some light on the levels and configurations of Scaled Agile Frameworks with simple explanations and examples ( SAFe® )! It should be noted in advance that the configurations do not Large scale scrum framework (short: LeSS ).
What are the three levels of the scaled agile framework?
In order to be able to scale agile methods, the (SAFe®) has different so-called levels.
To make it short, the 3 levels of scaled agile framework are team level, program level and portfolio level.
So within the scaled agile framework the level above team is program level, then comes portfolio level.
Before we get to that, one more thing is important. Since the latest version of the Scaled Agile Framework, SAFe® 5.0, 3 levels of the scaled agile framework are no longer enough - another, fourth level has been added.
Before we go any deeper, a quick note. We recently had 11 international senior agile practitioners as guests in one of our webinars, asking one question: How do you scale agile methods the right way?
The result of this is the following fantastic video recording that answers some of the key questions when scaling agile, for example:
- Should you start your agile transformation rather bottom-up or top-down?
- How do you align leadership on a common goal and vision?
- How do you choose the right agile framework – and why is that actually not that important?
My recommendation: take a look! The video is rather long, but every single minute is worth it.
What are the four levels of the scaled agile framework?
SAFe® 5.0 also includes the so-called Large Solution Level. Let’s dive a little deeper - here are the explanations of the different Scaled agile Framework Levels:
- Scaled Agile Framework Level 1: Team Level
One or a few teams working on something. Within the scaled agile framework the level above team level is… - Scaled Agile Framework Level 2: Program level
The Program Level contains many teams that deliver solutions via a so-called “Agile Release Train” (ART). An ART is typically a number of 50 to 130 people - organized in sub-teams - who work together to ultimately deliver value to the customer. An Agile Release Train is organized via so-called “team-of-teams”. - Scaled Agile Framework Level 3: Large Solution Level
In this case, two or more Agile Release Trains are necessary to deliver value to the customer. To organize these, you need a “team-of-teams-of-teams”. All Agile Release Trains together are referred to as a Solution Train. - Scaled Agile Framework Level 4: Portfolio Level
In this case, the entire business (or business area) implemented the agile methodology. Therefore, you do not only have to organize IT-teams - you also have to organize your management practices through agile methodologies. Lean budgeting and strategic governance processes come into play.
The four levels of the scaled agile framework and their configuration options in SAFe® - An illustration
To have a clear name for how you implement SAFe®, there are four more terms we should know: Essential SAFe®, Large solution SAFe®, Portfolio SAFe® and Full SAFe®.
These four do not explain the “level” SAFe® is implemented at, but in what configuration.
Phew, seems complicated. The following graphic tries to help you further understand how the terms play together.
Large Solution SAFe® builds on Essential SAFe®, but excludes portfolio management - because not the entire company (or the entire business unit) uses SAFe®.
If you are implementing SAFe® throughout a large company with hundreds of employees, multiple teams and lots of integrations, you are using Full SAFe®.
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What are the four levels of the scaled agile framework? An example!
To make this model even clearer, I will use an example I found in a great video by Angelo Kalevela.
You probably know Google Drive? Google Drive has many sub-apps: Google Docs, Google Spreadsheets, Google Slides… Similar to Microsoft Office.
Let’s imagine that each of these sub-apps - for example, Google Slides - is developed by a team in our example (even if it is very likely many teams). In this case, all these sub-teams or sub-apps together form an Agile Release Train that works on a “program”. In other words, Google Drive alone is an Agile Release Train that has implemented the scaled agile framework at the program level.
If only the “Google Drive department” in Google were to use the scaled agile framework, then we would say that they are using Essential SAFe®.
Important to understand: Let’s imagine that Google Drive was a standalone company and the management team and processes were also organized according to agile methods (Lean Budgeting etc.). In this case - because the entire company uses agile methods - Google Drive would use Portfolio SAFe®.
The four levels of SAFe® - Large solution & Full SAFe®
As we know, the company Google is much larger and Google Drive is not the only “program” that Google is working on. There is also “Google Workspace” (formerly “G Suite”), which includes Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Contacts, for example.
If the latter 3 sub-areas were individual teams (Level 1), we could say that with “Google Workspace” we have another Agile Release Train (Level 2) working on another “program”.
And if these two programs (and Agile Release Trains) in turn work closely together - within the much larger Google company - they work according to a Large Solution SAFe® configuration.
However, now let us imagine Google Drive and Google Daily would be a company on its own and the management team and processes would be organized by agile methodologies (lean budgeting etc.).
In this case, probably the entire company (consisting of more than one program and an agile release train) would use agile methods - which means that Google Drive would use the so-called Full SAFe®.
The four levels of the Scaled Agile Framework - Conclusion
Just to be clear - I don’t know how Google is organised. This is just an example to better understand the Scaled Agile Frameworks Levels!
And to make this also clear: The given explanation is simplicizing a lot of things. A lot of aspects of the scaled agile framework are missing and sometimes maybe even not 100% precise - this is simply to make it easier for you to get a basic understanding of the four levels of the scaled agile framework.
One question you might ask yourself is how to actually measure the success of agile methods in appropriately scaled levels. In short, take a look at our article “ Agility Health Radar: The 13 Most Popular Models ” instead.
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