Choosing between SAFe and Scrum has always been a constant debate among users. Both seem similar on the ground, as they work based on Agile and Lean ideas, but have a few standard differences. Understanding these differences and similarities is crucial to making the right decision and attaining effective project management goals through effective SAFe and Scrum Training.
Continue reading through this blog to explore the trending debate on SAFe vs Scrum and understand which suits your business success.
What is SAFe?
SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) is a comprehensive framework for scaling agile and lean principles. It is framed to address the challenges of applying agile practices and help businesses meet organisational and customer demands through efficient software creation.
The fundamental agile principles of SAFe include lean thinking and DevOps, which drive alignment, collaboration, and scalable deliveries. These principles enable the development of complex and sophisticated solutions that may not be achievable with other frameworks.
What is Scrum?
Scrum is a widely adopted agile framework for a smaller, self-organised team working together to deliver high-quality software more quickly. This framework allows for simplicity by breaking down complex projects into smaller steps (known as sprints), where a team chooses tasks from the product backlogs and functions toward a common, well-defined goal.
The team regularly holds meetings during those sprints to assess development progress and identify crucial backdrops for making real-time changes. This allows for quick responses to change and periodic progress improvement, fostering enhanced productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Similarities Between SAFe and Scrum
SAFe and Scrum are both agile frameworks and share some similarities. These similarities are intended to provide a better overview of the debate between SAFe vs Scrum:
- Both frameworks involve inspecting and adapting strategies. In Scrum, inspection occurs at the end of each sprint, while in the case of SAFe, inspection takes place at release trains for continuous improvements.
- Both frameworks follow an iterative approach to software development with shorter development cycles.
- Both emphasise delivering high-quality software development in incremental stages.
- Both share similar artefacts, such as Program Backlog, Product Backlog, and Sprint Backlog.
- Both Scrum and SAFe convey similar transparency levels for stakeholders and customers through regular artefacts and meetings.
Differences between SAFe and Scrum
Besides the similarities, SAFe and Scrum possess a few significant differences as follows:
Organisational Structure
Scrum aligns well with smaller and independent teams, while SAFe is more suited for an organisation. The benefit of smaller teams is they emphasise autonomy, unlike SAFe, which is more suited for synchronous efforts across interconnected teams.
Process
Scrum follows a streamlined process of large projects broken into smaller steps. Regular assessments are done in between to avoid any significant problems. While, SAFe relies on a well-defined role process that guarantees business quality and cooperation.
Overall Development Approach
SAFe adheres to a formal approach due to its suitability for organisations, while Scrum prioritises a more cost-effective, continuous development strategy.
Team Roles
Ideally, a team of twelve individuals with well-defined roles can efficiently structure an entire startup or small business, in the case of Scrum. These roles can include Product Owner, Scrum Master, and the Scrum team. In SAFe, multiple teams work coherently for the organisation, and roles vary according to the hierarchy levels, ranging from ground-level employees to managers and CEOs.
Timeframe
Scrum typically operates on a one- to four-week cycle, fostering agility, adaptability, and more flexibility. Conversely, SAFe teams commonly stick to a two-week cycle, striking a structural approach within them.
SAFe and Scrum: Which One Is Better?
Both project management frameworks have their own sets of advantages, limitations, similarities, and differences, which tends to remain confusing for users.
The choice between the SAFe vs Scrum largely depends on the organisational goals, quantity of workforce, involvement levels, framework philosophy, and nature of project management.
If you are working on large-scale projects for multiple teams with a defined time frame, SAFe would be more suitable. However, if you prioritise more focused projects cost-effectively and involve a smaller team, Scrum is the better choice.
Conclusion
SAFe and Scrum are the two widely implemented project management frameworks commonly used in today’s corporate market. Understanding the similarities and differences between the two will help you decide which framework best suits your needs and suitability. Consider The Knowledge Academy when you need to enhance your knowledge of SAFe and Scrum with the help of courses and free resources offered by The Knowledge Academy.
