Teams, programs, large solutions, and portfolios

The Scaled Agile Framework aims to make the essential advantages of the team-oriented agile approach scalable to larger undertakings. Scrum is the most widely used agile approach, but because it necessarily requires a very limited team size it is only suitable for smaller undertakings. With SAFe, the advantages of agile methods are made usable for larger projects as well. To this end, further levels are added above the Scrum team level. Four models are distinguished here:

• Essential SAFe

• Large Solutions SAFe

• Portfolio SAFe

• Full SAFe

These models differ essentially in the type and number of layers above the team level. Essential SAFe consists of the hierarchy levels

• Program

• Team

Large Solutions SAFe consists of the hierarchy levels

• Large Solution

• Program

• Team

Portfolio SAFe consists of the hierarchy levels

• Portfolio

• Program

• Team

Full SAFe consists of the hierarchy levels

• Portfolio

• Large Solution

• Program

• Team

This is represented in Allegra through corresponding workspace types (Team, Program, Large Solution, Portfolio) and a corresponding workspace structure. Each workspace type is configured once according to the artifact types to be managed within it.

Creating SAFe project types

The current workspaces are then created with their respective workspace types. In the example here, a Portfolio SAFe has been set up, with the portfolio at the top hierarchy level, beneath it two programs with two and three teams respectively.

Creating SAFe projects