You already know you need to scale your agile framework to help your growing teams to work together more efficiently – but what system should you implement? Many choices are available regarding choosing the proper framework for your team to collaborate. In this blog, we will talk about two different systems: Scrum@Scale and SAFe.

What is Scrum@Scale?

Scrum@Scale was developed by Dr. Jeff Sutherland and Alex Brown. It is a framework that lets businesses effectively manage large-scale agile implementations. Scrum@Scale is an extension of the familiar Scrum framework, which means that wherever Scrum is implemented, Scrum@Scale is a logical next step in scaling. Scrum@Scale uses a modular approach to help an organization align on shared goals. Since each organization is unique, Scrum@Scale identifies the mega-issues and nodes in your organization that are critical to addressing. This approach allows teams to tackle the mega-issues, adopt the modules that work for them, and exclude the ones that do not fit their needs. This makes Scrum@Scale an excellent solution for organizations of all sizes.

 What is SAFe?

The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) utilizes a highly structured framework to adopt a scaling framework. Unlike Scrum@Scale, SAFe is NOT based on Scrum and is harder to customizable from team to team. It’s best for large rigid organizations as it will help to retain a centralized organizational and process structure.

What are the Key Differences between Scrum@Scale and SAFe?

Essentially, SAFe is an out-of-the-box solution. There is not much customization you can do with this framework. Scrum@Scale is the opposite. The  Scrum@Scale framework can be custom crafted for your business. SAFe is not as easily customizable as Scrum@Scale.

How to Know the Right Choice for You:

If you are just getting started and your organization is simply looking for a place to start – where you can turn a key and have a prescriptive framework, SAFe is an excellent solution for you. It’s a great starting point because if you start by trying to custom-craft a framework, it can take more time to get started, which can be daunting for some organizations. As you grow and learn more about your customers’ needs and want to unlock your organization’s full business agility, you can keep parts of SAFe; however, by adding Scrum@Scale, you can graduate the system to meet your organization’s needs.

On the other hand, if your teams already utilize the power of Lean, Scrum, or Kanban and are ready to start with a lightweight framework that is less prescriptive and decentralizes decision-making, – Scrum@Scale is ideal. Scrum@Scale is a customizable empirical approach that can help spread Agility – FAST!

Scrum@Scale with One80

At One80, we have immense experience and believe in the power of the Scrum@Scale framework. We know it is an incredibly adaptive tool to enhance the Agility of teams in a scaled environment. We offer a full suite of training classes on using and implementing the Scrum@Scale Framework. Contact us to schedule a free training consultation.