Scrum vs. SAFe®: A different challenge and scale.
"Scrum vs. SAFe®" debate. It's a common point of confusion, with many people and organizations trying to figure out which framework is definitely "better." This question is a frequent topic in Scrum Master and Product Owner training sessions, and for good reason, the relationship between the two isn't immediately obvious.Experts argue it's mistaken to see Scrum and SAFe® as competitors. Scrum operates at the team level; SAFe® works at the enterprise level. True insight comes from understanding how their design goals shape their structure and use.
1. They Don't Compete, They Operate on Different Levels
The most common mistake is to compare Scrum and SAFe® directly, as if they were interchangeable. They are not. One is a team framework, while the other is an enterprise framework.
- Scrum is a lightweight framework that helps a single team tackle complex problems by delivering high-value products. It includes three specific roles (Scrum Master, Product Owner, and Developers), three artifacts (Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog, and Increment), and five events (Sprint, Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective). These elements are designed to optimize how a single development team works together. Scrum takes an "inside out" approach, focusing on the team and their immediate processes.
- SAFe® (Scaled Agile Framework) is a scaling framework that guides organizations in applying lean (streamlined value delivery) and agile (adaptive planning) practices across many teams. It provides patterns and workflows to coordinate large numbers of people. This is more of an "outside in" approach, focusing on optimizing the whole organizational system, rather than just one team.
2. The "Scrum" in SAFe® Isn't What You Think
While SAFe® is built on a foundation of agile principles and incorporates Scrum at the team level, it's crucial to understand that it's not the pure version described in the Scrum Guide. SAFe® uses a modified version of Scrum, known as Scrum XP. Outwardly similar to standard Scrum, its mechanics are changed to align with the Agile Release Train's cadence and goals. This trade-off of team-level purity for enterprise synchronization defines SAFe®. Notably, SAFe® teams can choose Kanban instead of Scrum XP.
3. They Speak a (Slightly) Different Language
Part of the confusion between Scrum and SAFe® comes from subtle but important differences in terminology. While many concepts are parallel, the names are changed to fit the SAFe® context. This can trip up practitioners who are familiar with one framework but not the other.
Here are some key terminology differences:
- Scrum's Sprint, an iteration or short cycle of work to deliver value, is called an Iteration in SAFe®.
- Consequently, event names change: Sprint Planning becomes Iteration Planning, and Sprint Review becomes Iteration Review.
- The Daily Scrum is also called the Daily Stand-up.
4. SAFe®'s Secret Sauce: The ART and the PI
SAFe®'s true power for scaling comes from structures and events that operate above the individual teams. These higher-level constructs enable multiple teams to stay aligned and integrated.Two of the most fundamental building blocks are:
- The Agile Release Train (ART): a long-term group made up of several agile teams that collaborate to deliver products or services. The ART helps coordinate and guide these teams toward achieving a shared mission or goal.
- The Program Increment (PI) is a larger timebox, usually four to six iterations, during which an ART delivers value. Each PI includes development iterations and ends with an Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration, a buffer for planning, innovation, or infrastructure work without new features.
Key events in SAFe® include
PI Planning, where teams plan the work for an upcoming Program Increment; the System Demo, which follows each iteration and shows integrated progress from all teams; and a final PI System Demo at the end, which showcases all completed features. Teams also use regular Scrum of Scrums (coordination meetings for representatives of multiple teams) and Product Owner (PO) Sync (meetings for Product Owners to coordinate) to manage dependencies and alignment during the PI.
5. The Real Winner is a Pragmatic Mindset
Ultimately, the goal isn't to declare a winner. The best approach is to focus pragmatically on your specific organizational challenges, borrowing concepts from different frameworks as needed.For example, the concept of a "release planning" event has been around for a while, but SAFe® has improved upon it with PI Planning. This event can be a highly effective tool for coordination, even for organizations not fully implementing SAFe®. The key is to understand the principles and adapt the practices.The best advice is that if "Scrum XP doesn't sound good, then don't use and adopt Scrum as per the Scrum Guide." The same logic applies to other constructs: if the Agile Release Train or its roles don't make sense for your context, don't implement them blindly.
Understanding the purpose behind Scrum and SAFe® is far more valuable than picking a side. Scrum perfects the team; SAFe® orchestrates the enterprise. Each framework targets a different challenge and scale.The real question isn't which framework is better, but what problem you need to solve.