Scaled Agile

Scaled Agile, scaled Scrum, Scaled Agile frameworks, SAFe Scaled Agile Framework, LeSS Large-scale Scrum, Nexus, SoS, Spotify, agile at scale

Scaled Agile frameworks

Large-scale scrum – LeSS

  • Applies the principles and practices of Scrum in a large scale enterprise as simply as possible
  • Maintains many of the practices and ideas of one team Scrum
  • Fosters collaboration and coordination through Just Talk, Communicate in Code, Travelers, Open Space and Communities
  • 2 configurations: Basic LeSS and LeSS Huge
  • Agile practices – Scrum
  • Roles:
    • Scrum roles – Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development team
    • LeSS Huge Product Owner Team – Area Product Owner, Product Managers
    • Travelers for cross team interaction
    • Guild Coordinator for Guilds and Chapter Lead for Chapters
  • team volume – Basic LeSS 10-50 up to 8 teams, LeSS Huge >50 for more than 8 teams
  • team of teams – Area
  • events – one product level Sprint, Sprint Planning 1 and 2, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, Overall Retrospective, Product Backlog Refinement, Overall Product Backlog Refinement
  • https://less.works/less/framework

Scaled Agile Framework – SAFe

  • complex but complete and very well documented framework
  • combines elements from Agile, DevOps and Lean
  • 4 Agile scaling configurations – Essential, Large Solution, Portfolio and Full
  • 4 Agile scaling levels – team, program, large solution and portfolio
  • Roles:
    • Team level – Agile team, Scrum Master, Product Owner
    • Program level – Product Manager, Release Train Engineer RTE, Business Owner, System Architect
    • Large solution level – Solution Manager, Solution Architect, Solution Train Engineer
    • Portfolio level – Enterprise Architect, Epic Owner, Lean Portfolio Manager
  • Agile practices – Scrum, Kanban, Extreme Programming
  • team volume – agile team 5-11, Agile Release Train 50-150
  • team of teams – ART (Agile Release Train)
  • events – PI Planning, Scrum of Scrums, PO Synch, System Demo, Inspect and Adapt workshop
  • https://www.scaledagileframework.com

Spotify model

  • people driven autonomous approach
  • emphasizes the importance of culture and networking through Squads, Tribes and Guilds
  • Focuses on organizing around work rather than following specific practices
  • the foundation of the model is the Squad that resembles a Scrum team
  • Agile practices – Squads can choose Scrum, Kanban, XP or hybrids
  • Roles – Squads include Product Owner and Agile Coach, System wide roles like System Owner and Chief Architect
  • team volume – Squad 6-12, Tribe <100, Chapter no limit, Guild no limit, Trio tribe lead, product lead and design lead, Alliance 2 or 3 tribe trios
  • team of teams – Tribes
  • events – optional ceremonies like Sprint Planning and Retrospective
  • https://blog.crisp.se/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SpotifyScaling.pdf

Scrum @ Scale – SoS

  • Natural extension from a singe Scrum team to a structure with a network of teams
  • Builds a healthy organizational culture through the pillars of empirical process control and the Scrum values
  • Introduces Scrum Master and Product Owner cycles to assist teams in coordinating efforts
  • Agile practices – teams can choose Scrum, Kanban, XP or hybrids
  • Roles:
    • Scrum roles – Scrum Master, Product Owner, Development team
    • SoS roles – Chief Product Owner, Scrum of Scrums Master
    • Product Owner cycle role Executive MetaScrum
    • Scrum Master cycle role Executive Action Team
  • team volume – Scrum team 5-9, SoS team 4-5 Scrum teams
  • team of teams – SoS
  • events – Scrum events, Scaled Daily Scrum, Scaled Retrospective, Executive MetaScrum EMS
  • https://www.scrumatscale.com/scrum-at-scale-guide-online

Nexus

  • minimally extends the Scrum framework only when necessary to enable multiple teams to work on a single Product Backlog
  • scales the value that a group of Scrum teams is able to deliver
  • reduces complexity encountered by multiple Scrum teams working together
  • Agile practices – Scrum
  • Roles – Scrum roles, a single Product Owner managing a single Product Backlog
  • team volume – 3-9 scrum teams
  • team of teams – Nexus team
  • events – Sprint, Cross-team Refinement, Nexus Sprint Planning, Nexus Daily Scrum, Nexus Sprint Review, Nexus Sprint Retrospective
  • https://www.scrum.org/resources/nexus-guide

Disciplined Agile – DA

  • hybrid lean oriented Agile approach focused on people first
  • 6 lifecycles – Scrum, Agile, Lean, Agile continuous delivery, exploratory and program
  • Development portion of DevOps strategy for the full delivery lifecycle
  • Straightforward process-decision toolkit guiding teams to select their Ways of Working
  • Agile practices – teams can choose Scrum, Kanban, XP or hybrids
  • Roles:
    • Primary roles – Stakeholder, Product Owner, Team member, Team lead, Architecture owner
    • Secondary roles – Specialist, Domain expert, Technical expert, Independent tester, Integrator
  • team volume – Small 2-15, Medium 25-30, Large/Program >36, Team of teams 12-50
  • team of teams – Large team/Program
  • events – Daily coordination meeting, Planning session, Retrospective
  • https://www.pmi.org/disciplined-agile/

Agile frameworks