In today’s fast-paced business landscape, being able to adapt and react to change is crucial. Agile approaches – specifically the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) – have become increasingly prevalent as successful methods for managing complex projects and driving ongoing improvement. But if you’re new to Agile and looking at SAFe training, you may be wondering what exactly that means.
What does SAFe training incorporate?
In this introduction, we will outline the main building blocks of SAFe training so you understand what’s involved, and how they facilitate your learning experience.
What is SAFe?
The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is a series of organisation and workflow patterns intended to help enterprises implement agile practices at scale. Practitioners would use development teams, programs and portfolios as their primary building blocks when visualising a company’s workflow, to produce large-scale product or solution increments in regular, predictably longer intervals.
Introduction to SAFe
The initial element of any SAFe training is a general, high-level view of the framework. This class, usually referred to as “Leading SAFe,” acquaints attendees with an understanding of the concepts, principles, and values that form the foundation of SAFe. Topics include understanding the Lean-Agile Mindset; exploring how adopting a Lean-Agile mindset supports changes in thinking and working; learning about SAFe’s Core Values; and understanding why they come into play during an Agile transformation driven by leaders’ support of it.
Role-Specific Training
Following the overview course, most SAFe training programs also include role-specific courses for various types of professionals in an organization, including:
- SAFe Scrum Master: Discusses the role of Scrum Masters in a SAFe context, as well as how to facilitate team events and coach Agile teams.
- SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager: Describes the roles of Product Owners and Product Managers and how to apply a customer-centric mindset to decision-making and prioritization.
- SAFe Agile Product Management: Designed for product managers and product owners, this course provides advanced techniques for working with Agile Teams, and stakeholders, and preparing to launch Agile Release Trains.
- SAFe Release Train Engineer: Facilitates and coaches ART processes and execution. This includes planning meetings, retrospectives, inspect and adapt workshops, and System Demos.
Advanced SAFe Training
If you’re looking to expand your knowledge further, there are also advanced SAFe training options available that cover more complex areas such as:
- SAFe Advanced Scrum Master: Designed for Scrum Masters who want to develop their skills and knowledge of the role in the context of SAFe. This course is particularly relevant for Scrum Masters working with other teams as part of an Agile Release Train (ART) in a program or enterprise context.
- SAFe DevOps: Learn how to create a culture of shared responsibility across a program or enterprise by implementing DevOps practices using SAFe. Examine the mindset, tools, and culture shift needed to optimize your organization’s performance.
Certification and Assessment
Many SAFe training courses end with a certification exam that determines how well participants have absorbed the content. Becoming certified shows that you have a solid grasp of SAFe principles and practices, which can help to build your credibility within the industry and as part of an Agile team. Certifications are available at several levels including SAFe Agilist (SA), SAFe Practitioner (SP) or SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) and training programs can be done using leading course websites such as Staragile.
The Learning Experience in SAFe Training Programs
Engaging and Interactive Learning
SAFe training programs are designed to be interactive and engaging! After all, we don’t want attendees to simply know the theory. We want them to be able to apply it. As such, many training sessions feature a combination of lectures, group discussion, hands-on exercises and relevant ‘real world’ case studies. This helps solidify learning while encouraging critical thinking about adopting SAFe within your organisation. One of the things I like most about SAFe training is that it is very ‘real world’ focused. Attendees are encouraged to bring their challenges and experiences with them, which makes for much more relevant learning, and lots of opportunities for everyone to learn from each other. Most courses also use case studies or exercises as a basis for discussion and exploration – again, this helps attendees to see how they can apply what they’ve learnt in practice.
Advantages of SAFe Certification for an Individual
- For an individual,
SAFe training brings a lot of advantages.
It helps you acquire new skills, improves your career opportunities and gives you the chance to achieve professional certifications acknowledged in the industry. When you become SAFe trained, you have the knowledge and tools to work as an effective professional, supporting Agile transformations and initiating improvements within your organization.
- Driving Organizational Transformation
For organizations, the investment in SAFe training can manifest as significant gains in project management, team cooperation, and value realization. When organizations ensure their staff deeply understand the SAFe framework, they foster an agile culture. They also orchestrate better team alignment and raise the bar on project management overall — all leading to greater customer satisfaction, higher quality products, and a more competitive market position.
Keep Your SAFe Education Rolling
Ongoing Professional Development
Becoming certified in SAFe is just the beginning. Agile practices and expectations continue to evolve and it’s important to keep pace with the latest trends, tools and techniques. After getting certified many practitioners take additional certifications, attend workshops or conferences or join online groups to stay on top of their game and continue learning.
Expanding Your Agile Expertise
While you master SAFe, you might want to study other Agile frameworks and methodologies as well. Knowledge of Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and DevOps will increase your overall view and help you adapt Agile practices for your organization more effectively. With that holistic understanding of Agile manifests you can be successful in any Agile transformation.
Conclusion
SAFe training programs provide an in-depth and hands-on learning experience of one of the most popular Agile frameworks. Knowing what these courses are all about will enable you to decide whether SAFe training is right for you. Whether it’s about upskilling, getting certified or becoming a catalyst for transformation in your organization, SAFe training equips you with everything needed for success. Start your journey of SAFe learning with reputed organizations such as StarAgile, and open up new avenues of career growth and success!