Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.
Search
Close this search box.

Uncertainty & the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe™)

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
WhatsApp

What is the connection between Uncertainty and the Scaled Agile Framework?

Uncertainty is one of the core reasons we need to be agile. Different modes of Business/Requirements/Technology uncertainties impact our economic costs in product development – especially the potential impact of risk. The first principle of SAFe™ is “Take an economic view”. I frequently use my “uncertainty filter glasses” to take an alternative economic view. I find it helps Scaled Agile/SAFe™ practitioners/leaders understand both the need for Agility as well as examine various work system design considerations. In this article, I introduce the Stacey Matrix which is one of my favorite models for understanding the uncertainty landscape as well as the implications of uncertainty on various specific SAFe™ design decisions.

Making it Concrete – The Stacey Uncertainty Matrix and its relation to the Scaled Agile Framework

stacey1

As I wrote about at some length in Risk-Aware Product Development (a.k.a Agile) explaining the concept of Requirement/Business/Technology uncertainty is one of the first things I do with most audiences I meet for the first time. In a Leading SAFe/SPC class this typically takes place in the first module when we go over the need for SAFe. This is not a core part of the materials but I take the time to explain it anyhow and then find myself referring back to it throughout the workshop.

The first layer of realization is that our problem with the classic approaches to product development is that they were built for complicated endeavors but not complex ones.

Then we layer on more interesting realizations like the fact that for some endeavors like those approaching the “Anarchy”/”Chaos” domains probably the best approach would be a “Skunkworks” style cross-functional co-located fully empowered small team. As you grow a bit farther from Anarchy you can scale agility using an approach like the Scaled Agile Framework. At these levels of uncertainty/risk the trade-off of distributed teams, distributed PI Planning, system team, component teams, and shared architects/UX MIGHT make sense and are worth considering.

As you approach the simpler domain sometimes even the alignment rationale for “whole train” PI Planning can be reconsidered. Is that SAFe™ heresy? maybe. But I find that telling people “Whole ART PI Planning” is mandatory is less effective than showing them WHEN it has a better economic impact. (BTW as you grow in complexity/uncertainty you also need better people that are more engaged – which the Whole ART PI Planning helps with as well)

In general, this thinking helps leaders at these workshops grasp the various economic levers that go into tailoring a SAFe™ implementation. I find this disarms some of the resistance you get when people feel something is “a must”. Using this approach they typically go out with a stronger conviction to avoid some compromises and a better feeling about the compromises that do make sense.

To take another example of how I use the uncertainty matrix during SAFe™ training/implementation discussions – SAFe™ talks about a hierarchy between ART Product Management and the Product Owners working with the teams. A typical and sensible question people have is “Who should wear the Product Owner hat?”. Using the uncertainty matrix, we realize that in some cases the Product Owner should be a Product Manager (probably the top two quadrants of the matrix) and in some other cases, he can also be a more technical leader (Especially on the far right side of the matrix). As the typical organization, I work with is struggling to fill those Product Owner roles, this realization helps them deploy their people more effectively in a way that minimizes the risk of ineffective feedback loops due to the wrong individuals being in the tight Product Owner loop.

 

In summary

Understanding uncertainty and its attributes and implications is in my view and experience a critical step of buying into the need for agile as well as gaining the ability to design an effective agile approach for your context. Presenting the Stacey Matrix and trying to map it to your reality is one technique I used to help people gain this understanding. Using it as a decision filter/design criteria for further SAFe™ tailoring questions complements this initial presentation/exposure and grounds it. If you are teaching Leading SAFe™/SPC classes, explaining the need for agile to leaders/executives, or working with an organization to implement a scaled agile approach, I believe you will see improved results if you add this technique to your toolbox. I know I have.

Subscribe for Email Updates:

Categories:

Tags:

LAB
Continuous Integration
Coaching Agile Teams
Agile Risk Management
PI Objectives
Program Increment
The Kanban Method
Lean Agile Basics
Story Slicing
Built-In Quality
Risk-aware Product Development
Applying Agile Methodology
System Team
BDD
Introduction to Test Driven Development
Product Management
Agile Marketing
Atlassian
Release Train Engineer
Slides
Kaizen
speed at scale
AgileSparks
Nexus and Kanban
Scrum Primer
PI Planning
Agile Project Management
Quality Assurance
Implementation of Lean and Agile
POPM
Agile Development
ATDD vs. BDD
Perfection Game
Scrum Guide
RTE Role
Agile Release Planning
System Integration Environments
Rapid RTC
SAFe DevOps
Agile India
Self-organization
Lean Startup
Agile Games
Jira admin
ATDD
System Archetypes
Kanban Kickstart Example
Agility
Acceptance Test-Driven Development
Agile Release Management
Scrum Master Role
Scaled Agile Framework
Development Value Streams
Risk Management on Agile Projects
lean agile change management
Lean-Agile Budgeting
WIP
Elastic Leadership
A Kanban System for Software Engineering
The Agile Coach
Webinar
Systems Thinking
Pomodoro Technique
SAFe Release Planning
Change Management
Sprint Planning
Lean and Agile Principles and Practices
Agile Outsourcing
Planning
Agile Product Ownership
Video
RSA
Spotify
SPC
Continuous Planning
Amdocs
ARTs
Engineering Practices
Scrum With Kanban
Lean Budgeting
SA
Nexus vs SAFe
User stories
Professional Scrum Master
Games and Exercises
LPM
Agile Mindset
Lean Software Development
Professional Scrum Product Owner
Advanced Roadmaps
Daily Scrum
Agile Techniques
IT Operations
Agile Israel Events
Software Development Estimation
Effective Agile Retrospectives
Value Streams
Kanban Game
Business Agility
Kanban 101
Lean Agile Organization
Accelerate Value Delivery At Scale
Lean Risk Management
Continuous Delivery
Agile Israel
Covid19
Jira Plans
Agile and DevOps Journey
NIT
Legacy Enterprise
ROI
Agile Exercises
Atlaassian
Certification
ScrumMaster Tales
Agile Basics
EOS®
SAFe
Jira Cloud
Operational Value Stream
Code
Scrum
Agile Project
Legacy Code
Software Development
Managing Risk on Agile Projects
Nexus
Limiting Work in Progress
Portfolio for Jira
Agile Community
Implementing SAFe
ALM Tools
chatgpt
Presentation
Agile Games and Exercises
Scrum Master
Professional Scrum with Kanban
Agile Product Development
Sprint Iteration
Risk Management in Kanban
Agile Testing Practices
Manage Budget Creation
An Appreciative Retrospective
Agile Delivery
Agile Assembly Architecture
Nexus Integration Team
Reading List
Managing Projects
Continuous Deployment
Tips
Agile Program
Lean and Agile Techniques
Tools
AI Artificial Intelligence
GanttBan
DevOps
Principles of Lean-Agile Leadership
speed @ scale
Agile for Embedded Systems
Certified SAFe
RTE
Nexus and SAFe
Agile Contracts Best Practices
Hybrid Work
Achieve Business Agility
TDD
Kanban
Scrum.org
Iterative Incremental Development
QA
Product Ownership
Releases Using Lean
Frameworks
Lean-Agile Software Development
Lean Agile
Large Scale Scrum
Kaizen Workshop
What Is Kanban
ART Success
Scrum Values
Jira
Continuous Improvement
Process Improvement
Introduction to ATDD
Sprint Retrospectives
LeSS
AI
predictability
Entrepreneurial Operating System®
Kanban Basics
Agile
Agile in the Enterprise
agileisrael
Lean Agile Leadership
Artificial Intelligence
Enterprise DevOps
Scrum and XP
Test Driven Development
AgileSparks
Logo
Enable registration in settings - general

Contact Us

Request for additional information and prices

AgileSparks Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter, and stay updated on the latest Agile news and events

This website uses Cookies to provide a better experience
Shopping cart