Course Overview
TOPThe Scaled Agile Framework (or SAFe) is a guide to aligning Agile development throughout an organization. Most organizations focus their Agile development efforts at the team level, first starting with a pilot team and later transitioning individual teams one at a time. Unfortunately, this method fails to fully integrate each team's efforts with the larger stakeholder need. The Scaled Agile Framework gives you proven techniques to align these teams to work at the larger program level, and ultimately how to align multiple programs into a portfolio that maximizes shareholder value.
This two-day SAFe Agilist certification course will show you how to successfully scale Agile principals across your organization by utilizing Lean thinking practices and Product Development Flow techniques. Through Lean Software Development and Product Development Flow, you'll learn how to create longer programs, called Agile Release Trains, where groups of Agile teams work together to optimize quality and velocity to deliver even greater value for their stakeholders.
The Leading SAFe 5.0.1 (SA) course is your first step towards earning your Scaled Agile Framework Agilist (SA) certification. Other pre-requisites include more than five years of experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product or project management as well as experience in Scrum. After completing this class, you are eligible to take the exam to earn your SAFe Agilist (SA) certification. The cost of the exam is included in your course tuition.
Scheduled Classes
TOPWhat You'll Learn
TOP- How to lead an enterprise Agile transformation
- To apply Lean thinking techniques at the Team, Program and Portfolio levels
- To apply Lean, Agile and Product Development Flow principles to improve productivity, employee engagement, time to market and quality
- How to infuse Agile into your entire organization not just your IT department
- How to create Agile Release Trains that align the efforts of Agile and non-Agile teams to create greater stakeholder value
- To encourage collaboration across all the layers of your organization to enable teams to deliver complex cross-functional features in 10-12 week increment
- To improve the communication and focus of your organizations Agile implementation
- Prepare to take the SAFe Agilist Certification Exam
Outline
TOPPart 1: What is SAFe?
An introduction to the Scaled Agile Framework
- SAFe Implementation Strategy
- History of SAFe
- SAFe Core Values
Part 2: Lean Thinking
An overview of Lean Software Development and Product Development Flow
- Lean Tools
- House of Quality
- Optimal Batch Size
- Product Development Flow
- Controlling Flow Under Uncertainty
- Decentralized Control
- Value Stream Mapping
Part 3: Agile Development
How to apply Agile development principles and practices across the enterprise. An overview of Business Benefits that can be realized from such enterprise transformation.
- Accelerating Value Delivery
- Brief Agile Overview
- Business Benefits
Case Studies
Part 4: SAFe at the Team Level
An experiential walkthrough of SAFe practices for teams including the utilization of Scrum and XP methods. Focus is on the technical, project management and economic prioritization practices that will enable scaling across teams and up to the program and portfolio levels.
- Overview of Scrum plus XP in SAFe
- Roles in ScrumXP
- The Power of "Ba"
- Backlog Sizing and Estimating
- Estimating and Planning
- Code Quality and Continuous Integration
Part 5: SAFe at the Program Level
How to identify, implement and execute an Agile Release Train (ART) in your organization. An ART is a long-lived program whereby teams-of-agile-teams optimize quality and velocity delivery for the enterprises larger value streams.
- What is an ART?
- What are the Rules of an ART?
- What new Roles are added?
- Identifying ART opportunities
- Program Vision and Roadmap
- Optimal ROI and the Economics of the Cost of Delay
- ART Duration Estimating
- Release Planning and Managing the Train
Part 6: SAFe at the Portfolio Level
Defining Agile Portfolio Management and the associated Agile transformational patterns. Topics covered include Strategy and Investment Funding, Program Management and Governance.
- What is Portfolio Program Management (PPM)?
- What is PPM's role in Strategy and Investment Funding?
- What is PPM's role in Governance?
- Dealing with Legacy Mindsets
- What is PPM's role in Governance?
- 8 Transformational Patterns for Agile PPM
Part 7: Agile Architecture
The principles of Agile Architecture, the role of Enterprise and System Architects within SAFe, and how to architect in an evolutionary, continual-flow model of development.
- Architecture in SAFe
- ART and System Architecture
- 7 Principles of Agile Architecture
- SAFe's Architectural Runway
Part 8: Scaling Leadership
How to scale Lean and Agile leadership across the enterprise.
- Becoming a Lean|Agile Leader
- Managing your Knowledge Workers
- Creating Purpose and Articulating
- Product Vision
- Analyzing the Value Stream
- Assessing Agile Teams
- Coaching with Powerful Questions
Prerequisites
TOPAlthough it is not mandatory, students who have completed the self-paced Foundations of Agile eLearning course have found it very helpful when completing this course.
Who Should Attend
TOPThis SAFe Agilist certification course is beneficial to all members on an Agile team, but it is primarily oriented towards those leading the efforts to adopt and scale Lean and Agile principles and practices via the Scaled Agile Framework. This course is ideally suited for:
- Executives
- Managers
- Change Agents
- Program Managers
- Coaches
- Anyone helping lead the SAFe implementation
