Contact

The ART of Avoiding a Train Wreck with SAFe

scroll-2
scroll

A repeat of Em & Adrienne’s session at the European SAFe Summit in 2020 for the Wellington Scaled Agile (SAFe) Practitioners Meetup.

It is hard to believe it has been over a year since the Pretty Agile team was at Agile 2019 in Washington D.C. where I had the pleasure of presenting  "Learning from the Books You Said You Read…" with Melissa Hay as well as "Is There a Place for Individuals and Interactions in Enterprise Agility?" with Adrienne Wilson. We also had took time out for some evening site seeing on a warm August night, including a quick visit to the Lincoln Memorial.

A few weeks ago the team at InfoQ provided a blast from the past when they published my interview with Shane Hastie at Agile 2019.  We discussed cultural change, the Scaled Agile Framework, Tribal Unity and my role as a SAFe Fellow. Check out it out below.:

Updated February 2024 to reflect SAFe 6.0 updates.

It may not feel like it, but SAFe Certification exams are not designed to trick you! That said, they certainly can be tricky, so I thought I would share some advice to help you maximise the likelihood of you passing the first time.

Before the class

Do the pre-work

Your instructors should send you the recommended pre-reading before the start of the class. We usually send this out 2 to 3 weeks before the first day of class. If you didn’t receive this from your instructor - ask for it! It is important that you do the reading, especially if you are new to SAFe (or Agile). 

Reading material before a training class is an example of “priming”. According to Training From the Back of the Room thought leader Sharon Bowman: “Neuroscientific studies have shown that the human brain will accept new information more readily when it has been “primed” beforehand, that is, when it has been introduced to some of the information in informal, non-threatening ways before the more formal instruction takes place.”

If you are new to SAFe (or Agile), we also recommend completing the online eLearning models in SAFe Studio. Your instructors should provide you with access to this ahead of the class.

Get a good night’s sleep 

Contrary to popular belief, the brain does not rest when we sleep, well, not much, anyway. Instead, it processes information, i.e., learning. While scientists are still learning how sleep works, the data is clear - there is a hard link between sufficient sleep and retaining learning. 

During the class

Remove distractions

There are innumerable studies that illustrate how distractions impede learning. While there are always exceptions, try to minimise distractions while in class. Close all of your email apps, turn off your phone, and if you are working from home, close the office door if you can. As much as you might think it can, your brain cannot multitask. Not convinced? Just think about the studies on using your cell phone when driving - it is the equivalent of driving when drunk.

Move around on breaks

In Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School, Jon Medina says, “Physical activity is cognitive candy.”  The instructor for your class should tell you how breaks will be managed, what the frequency will be, how long, etc.  Take advantage of them!  Movement increases oxygen to the brain. The more you sit, the lower the level of oxygen in your brain and the more difficult it will be to learn.

Participate in class activities

Many years ago, I went on a Coaching Agile Teams course led by Lyssa Adkins and Michael Spayd. In that class, Michael shared the 10-24-7 rule. The rule says “that in order to get information to go from short-term memory to long-term memory, a new concept must be practised within 10 minutes of learning, again within 24 hours and then again within 7 days.”  In a classroom setting, the activities we use when explaining a concept are an application of the “10 minutes” part of the rule. 

Confucius quote

After the class

The SAFe Certification Rules

You have 30 days to take the exam after the class. The exam is online and multiple choice. The exam is time-boxed to 90 or 120 minutes, depending on the certification. Most exams require a score between 70 and 80% to pass. You should check the specific study guide for your course at https://support.scaledagile.com/s/topic/0TO6T000001OQd9WAG/certification-exams?language=en_US

One attempt is included in the course fee, which means there will be a fee payable to Scaled Agile, Inc. if you need to retake the exam.

Apply what you have learnt

Practising what you have learned is an excellent way to improve retention and understanding. To quote Scaled Agile, Inc. “It’s more than being book smart. Scaled Agile exams test specific knowledge, skill, experience, and attitudes related to each SAFe job role.”

Study for the exam

Most Scaled Agile exams are deliberately designed in such a way that you need to both take the class and read a number of articles on www.scaledagileframework.com, therefore not doing the reading is a recipe for failure. Your study regime should include reviewing the course materials, the suggested readings included at the end of each lesson and taking the practice exam. A student in one of our Implementing SAFe classes found that reading SAFe 5.0 Distilled was “great for revision and some of that "not in the manual" stuff.”

The practice exams are designed to be indicative of the actual exam with respect to the balance of questions across subject areas. They also provide results to help you focus your study efforts to improve. Some folks find the practice exams easier than the actual exams, and others find the real exams easier than the practice exams. Either way, we recommend taking the practice exam until such time as you pass materially. 

Studying for the exam within 7 days of the class will increase your retention of the material, as per the 10-24-7 rule mentioned above.

Ask yourself - “What would Dean do?”

Be cognizant of the differences between the courseware and the conversation in the classroom. Good SAFe instructors will provide you with a multitude of examples, illustrations and stories from their experiences. It is likely that you will also hear stories from other members of the class about how SAFe is applied in their organisation.  While this will certainly aid you in the practicalities of applying SAFe, the exams are based on the material in the course workbooks and the Scaled Agile website. If all else fails, just ask yourself - What would Dean Leffingwell do?

Take the exam within 10 days

Scaled Agile, Inc. have indicated that their internal data shows that if you take the exam within 10 days of the class, you are more likely to pass. 

Focus while sitting the certification exam

All Scaled Agile certification exams are time-boxed. Once the timebox begins, you cannot stop or pause it. So find yourself a quiet space to sit, away from family, pets and housemates and make sure you have a good strong internet connection. Then focus. Read the question carefully. It is easy to make silly mistakes when you skim-read specific terms like “portfolio” and “product”.

________

However you choose to prepare, best of luck on your exam. When you pass, remember to claim your digital badge and update your LinkedIn profile. You may also like to drop your instructor a note, as Scaled Agile does not share specific student results with instructors. I know that we enjoy hearing from students when they pass their exams so that we can help them celebrate their success. 

The most common enquiry we get - both prior to and during courses - is how to choose a SAFe training course? Those who are yet to take any Scaled Agile certifications want to know which one is right for them and those who have taken one want advice on which SAFe agile training course they should take next. Given there are currently 13 SAFe certifications provided by Scaled Agile, Inc. I can appreciate their confusion! 

List of  SAFe Courses and Certifications
SAFe Implementation Roadmap
The SAFe Implementation Roadmap, © Scaled Agile, Inc.

How do the Scaled Agile Certifications Differ?

Implementing SAFe with SAFe Practice Consultant (SPC) Certification (4-days)

The most complete class is the 4-day Implementing SAFe class with SPC certification. This is the only class that covers all Seven Core Competencies of Business Agility and the full SAFe Implementation Roadmap. This means if you want to be on the front-line helping organisations implement SAFe this the course you want to take. This class is also taken by a lot of people who want to train others in SAFe. While the SPC certification is the first step on this journey, experience with applying SAFe and delivering training are also essential ingredients to becoming a successful SAFe Trainer. 

There are a couple of myths about this course that I would like to dispel. Firstly, the inclusion of Leading SAFe as part of the content creates a misconception that attending this class is equivalent to attending a Leading SAFe class. In my experience this is not true. When we teach a two-day Leading SAFe class we are focused on introducing participants to SAFe. When we teach the Leading SAFe content in the context of Implementing SAFe we are focused on helping participants become effective SAFe Practice Consultants, so it is a much deeper and detailed conversation. This can be overwhelming for those new to SAFe.

The second myth is that Implementing SAFe is only useful for people who want to train others in SAFe. This could not be further from the truth. This class is primarily for those leading and supporting an organisation's journey to implementing SAFe and launching successful Agile Release Trains.

Seven Core Competencies of Business Agility
The Seven Core Competencies of Business Agility, © Scaled Agile, Inc.

Leading SAFe with SAFe Agilist (SA) Certification (2-days)

Technically, the target audience for Leading SAFe is people in leadership and management roles. This is the class that is taught to leaders at all levels from front line leaders to CEOs in organisations that are already using SAFe and/or exploring adopting SAFe. When launching Agile Release Trains (ARTs) we like every people manager for every person on or impact by the ART  to take this class, along with the ART leadership (RTE, Product Management and System Architect) and Shared Services. 

However, the Leading SAFe class is also the best class to take to get an introduction to SAFe.  I like to think of Leading SAFe as a “crash course” in the Scaled Agile Framework. It provides an overview of the big picture and covers four of the Seven Core Competencies of Business Agility: Lean-Agile Leadership, Team and Technical Agility, Agile Product Delivery and Lean Portfolio Management.  This class has the most comprehensive content on the SAFe Principles and includes a PI Planning Simulation.  Participants should obtain a solid understanding of Portfolio SAFe and the “Ten Critical ART Success Factors”. The SAFe Agilist certification is also the most popular of all the SAFe certifications. 

Portfolio SAFe
Portfolio SAFe, © Scaled Agile, Inc.

SAFe for Government with SAFe Government Practitioner (SGP) Certification (2-days)

Content-wise, SAFe for Government is very similar to Leading SAFe. For those working in the context of the US Federal Government, there is some specific guidance on working with FAR. The class also covers Solutions Trains and working with suppliers, which is content that was removed from Leading SAFe in version 5.0. Like the other introductory level classes, this course also includes the  PI Planning simulation, in which it adds the complexity of multiple Government contractors needing to collaborate on building a solution. 

Unlike Leading SAFe, there are only a couple of slides on Customer Centricity and Design Thinking. Instead, the course dives into areas like lean-agile contracting, compliance and governance in a government context. We see this as an alternative Leading SAFe for those working in the Government space. This class is not widely available in Australia.

Lean Portfolio Management with SAFe Lean Portfolio Manager (LPM) Certification (3-days)

The Lean Portfolio Management course provides a deep dive into the Lean Portfolio Management competency that is one of the Seven Core Competencies of Business Agility in SAFe. This class is primarily attended by PMO leaders and their team members. It is recommended that participants have attended either Leading SAFe or SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager before attending this class.  Participants in this course experience using the full LPM toolset in a simulated context then build a plan to start or improve the LPM competency within their own organisation. 

SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager with SAFe POPM Certification (2-days)

SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager is for people doing, or planning to be doing, the Product Owner or Product Manager role on an Agile Release Train within an organisation that is using SAFe. This course is 70% Producer Owner focused, 30% Product Manager focused. The course covers the role of the Product Owner and Product Manager in planning and executing a Program Increment and Iterations. Participants experience writing epics, features, stories and acceptance criteria. 

Leading SAFe is a highly recommended prerequisite for the SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager course. While it is not mandatory, it is important to understand that the POPM class does not include a deep dive on the Lean Mindset, SAFe Principles or PI Planning. If you are looking for this knowledge you should consider taking Leading SAFe.

SAFe Scrum Master with SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) Certification (2-days)

The SAFe Scrum Master course is intended to help new, existing and aspiring Scrum Masters prepare for the role of Scrum Master on an Agile Release Train within an organisation using SAFe. It provides an introduction to Scrum and Agile and how Scrum fits into SAFe, then deep dives into the coaching role of the SAFe Scrum Scrum Master. Participants get to experience PI Planning, as well as planning and executing an iteration. The class also covers all the Scrum and SAFe events that a SAFe Scrum Master facilitates. 


I am a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) do I still need to do SAFe Scrum Master?

This class is not the same as the Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification or at least is very different from the CSM I took from Mike Cohn back in 2014! The focus of a CSM course is how to do scrum well, the focus of the SAFe Scrum Master class is how to be a servant leader and support a team executing Scrum in the context of SAFe. I do not see these certifications as competing and, in fact, we see having both as valuable. We often refer clients to Certified Scrum Trainers like Ilan and Colin at AxisAgile, who are both excellent Scrum Trainers and not anti-SAFe. 


SAFe for Architects with SAFe Architect (ARCH) Certification (3-days)

SAFe for Architects is for people doing, or planning to be doing, any of the SAFe architect roles - System Architect, Solution Architect or Enterprise Architect. It is recommended that participants have attended at least one SAFe course prior to attending this class. We recommend Leading SAFe. The SAFe for Architects course explores the SAFe architect role within every facet of the framework from steering the portfolio to working with agile teams. 

SAFe for Teams with SAFe Practitioner (SP) Certification (2-days)

SAFe for Teams, which leads to the SAFe Practitioner certification, is intended to prepare members of an Agile Release Train for their role in a team on an Agile Release Train. This class is primarily used as part of launching an Agile Release Train. Once the ART is up and running, new team members that are also new to SAFe should take this class. We also see developers, testers and business analysts taking this class as part of preparing to join an organisation that practices SAFe.

This course provides an introduction to SAFe and Agile and an understanding of the roles on an agile team and an Agile Release Train. Students get to experience breaking down features into user stories with acceptance criteria, estimating backlogs and participating in PI Planning.  The class also teaches participants about the Scrum and SAFe events that SAFe Agile Teams participate in.

Agile Product Management with SAFe Agile Product Manager (APM) Certification (3-days)

Agile Product Manager is for people doing, or planning to be doing, the role of Product Manager on an Agile Release Train (or Solution Manager for a Solution Train).  It is recommended that participants have attended at least one SAFe course. We recommend Leading SAFe and SAFe Product Manager/Product Owner. This course is 70% focused on the role of the Product Manager and 30% focused on the role of the Product Owner. 

This class has a large focus on the Customer Centricity and Design Thinking dimension of the Agile Product Delivery competency, as well as the Continuous Exploration component of the Continuous Delivery Pipeline. The SAFe POPM certification has a greater focus on the Develop on Cadence, Release on Demand dimension.

APM vs POPM
How APM and POPM cover the Agile Product Deliver Competency © Scaled Agile, Inc.

SAFe DevOps with SAFe DevOps Practitioner (SDP) Certification (2-days)

The SAFe DevOps course is almost more workshop than training. It works best when a group of people from the same organisation attend together. Participants start by value stream mapping their current development process and then over the course of the rest of the two-days identify opportunities to improve both cycle time and quality. This class is suitable for all members of an Agile Release Train and works best when attended by cross functional teams. It is a great follow-on class for those with existing SAFe training that want to bring focus to their relentless improvement efforts.

Agile Software Engineering with SAFe Agile Software Engineer (ASE) Certifications (3-days)

Agile Software Engineering is designed for members of an agile team to improve their application of technical agility and techniques for building quality into their solutions. It is tool and language agnostic. This class assumes participants has some basic SAFe knowledge and therefore best taken after one of the more introductory courses like SAFe for Teams or Leading SAFe.

SAFe Advanced Scrum Masters with SASM Certification (2-days)

The SAFe Advanced Scrum Master course is designed for people with an existing Scrum Master certification to "level up". We recommend attendees have either taken SAFe Scrum Master or have experience with SAFe before taking this class. For more information on the difference between this class and the SAFe Scrum Master class check out: Demystifying SAFe Scrum Master Certifications.

SAFe Release Train Engineer with RTE Certification (3-days)

SAFe Release Train Engineer is designed for existing RTEs and existing SAFe Scrum Masters to “level up”. The class assumes the participants have been working in a SAFe environment for at least one Program Increment and have completed at least one SAFe certification.  The class explores the role of the RTE in every aspect of operating an Agile Release Train. 

We are often asked why this class is not earlier on the Implementation Roadmap. While I cannot speak for Scaled Agile, Inc., when we launch Agile Release Trains, the RTE attends - Leading SAFe, SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager, SAFe Scrum Master and SAFe for Teams - in the circa 8 weeks leading up to the ART launch. This in addition to coaching before and during the first couple of Program Increments feels like enough upfront education.

Where should I start with SAFe Training?

If you are still wondering where to start - there are six SAFe certifications training that do not have SAFe experience or prior SAFe training as a recommended prerequisite: Leading SAFe, SAFe for Government, SAFe Scrum Master, SAFe for Teams, SAFe DevOps and Implementing SAFe. Choosing the right one for you is very much a matter of context, specifically your current role and what you aspire to do.

Of course for those who “just want to learn about SAFe” or “just want a SAFe certification” to improve their job prospects, the answer is easy - do Leading SAFe.. This is the most popular and widely recognised of all the SAFe certifications.  We also recommend Leading SAFe to anyone in a leadership or management role, including project managers, program managers, program directors, portfolio managers, architects, development managers, product managers, test managers etc.

As you may have already gleaned from the above the SAFe Scrum Master class is a great place for existing or aspiring Scrum Masters to start and SAFe for Teams is designed to help agile team members new to SAFe get started.  

As for SAFe DevOps, if you have no prior SAFe experience or training, then the learning curve is steeper, as the class is definitely set in the context of SAFe. However, this class is a good starting point for those looking to build a business case for SAFe. 

What about Implementing SAFe, can I start there?

While Implementing SAFe does not have SAFe experience or training as a prerequisite, many SAFe Practice Consultant Trainers (the SPCTs that teach the Implementing SAFe class) believe that Leading SAFe should be a prerequisite and I happen to agree! While the two-day Leading SAFe course content is included in the Implementing SAFe class, most people struggle to absorb 4-days of brand new knowledge. Taking Leading SAFe, or in fact, almost any SAFe training class, prior to Implementing SAFe is a way of priming the brain for this intense learning experience.  Bottom line - we don’t recommend Implementing SAFe for beginners to agile or SAFe.  

I already have one (or more) SAFe certifications, what class should I take next?

What sort of consultant would I be if I didn’t answer that one with - it depends! 😉 While it is impossible to provide an answer for every possible scenario, there are some patterns that we recommend. You can download a free copy of our SAFe Certification Pathways below.

No matter which class you choose to start or continue your SAFe learning journey, I hope you have found this little guide useful. ‘Til next time #StaySAFe.

Mark presented an overview of the journey Fred IT Group took from traditional business structure to a customer and product focussed, agile organisation of the future. He provided the context on the need to change, the journey itself and what went right and what didn’t work so well. A pragmatic and practical presentation that will provide you with insights on how you might transition to the new way of working or gain insights to improve the transformation you are currently undertaking. This is a real-world story as Mark has led the transformation from within the organisation and seen the value that can be realised.

Mark Bain is accountable for the strategy, structure and process changes that enabled the transformation to SAFe. Additionally, he manages security, procurement, architecture and technical strategy for the organisation. Fred IT Group specialises in the development and support of solutions in the Pharmacy and eHealth space. They are best known for the development of SafeScript which assists in the prevention of members of the public becoming addicted to and dying from prescription drug overdoses.

Download the slides here

With the recent emergence of remote SAFe training, the number of SAFe certification providers appears to have exploded. In many cities across the world you will find multiple Scaled Agile training classes being offered by different providers every week. The choice is simply overwhelming. With so many providers; how do you distinguish between them? Assuming it's not practical for everyone to attend SAFe training by Pretty Agile, I thought I would share some thoughts on factors to consider when choosing a SAFe agile training provider.

The Provider

The first consideration is the company providing the training,

Is the provider a Scaled Agile Partner?

Scaled Agile Inc. the certifying body for the Scaled Agile Framework has a large partner network. While taking a SAFe certification class from Scaled Agile Partner is not a guarantee of quality, it is an indicator that the provider is committed enough that they are prepared to pay a fee to be part of the Scaled Agile Partner program. With the exception of the Gold SPCT partner level, the levels are indication of level of investment rather than level of expertise.

You can find a partner or check if a provider is a partner by going to: https://www.scaledagile.com/find-a-partner/ From the partner listing page you can find out a heap of information about the partner, including some data that may indicative of the partner's depth of experience . For illustrative purposes a screenshot of the Pretty Agile listing is provided below. 

Scaled Agile Partner Finder

What is a Gold SPCT Partner?

This is a partner that has a SAFe Practice Consultant Trainer (SPCT) on their team. According to Scaled Agile Inc. the SPCT certification is the most advanced certification you can achieve with SAFe. Partners with SPCTs will have the Scaled Agile Partner Gold SPCT badge. While this is not a guarantee of quality it can be an indicator. If the instructor is an SPCT they should have a reasonable depth of experience with SAFe. 

Scaled Agile Gold SPCT Partner

“As is the case with any certification, you should carefully evaluate SAFe instructors and consultants, and make sure that they have demonstrated experience that is relevant to the role you are asking them to take on. Do not rely on certifications alone as a measure of the skills of a consultant or prospective employee. A notable exception to this is the SAFe Practice Consultant Trainer (SPCT) certification, which does require demonstrated experience with agile, software development or product management, training and consulting. If you’re hiring someone who has [an] SPCT certification, you can be confident that they do have experience in these areas, as well as experience with SAFe implementation at multiple organizations. However, SPCTs are in short supply. As of February 2020, there are fewer than 100 people worldwide holding this certification.”

- Gartner, “A Technical Professional’s Guide to Successful Adoption of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe),” Kevin Matheny, Bill Holz, 13 April 2020

Of course, even if the partner has an SPCT this is not a guarantee that the SPCT is mentoring the SAFe instructors employed by that partner. Eg. A large partner with a single SPCT based in Europe, is probably not an indicator of the quality of the partner's teams in other geographies like Australia, as the time overlap is not friendly.

How long has the partner been a partner?

The Scaled Agile Partner program was initiated in 2013. The Scaled Agile partner finder provides the partner commencement date for all partners except those who have joined recently. For the more recent partners the "Partners since" field is not displayed. It seems reasonable to assume the longer the partner has been a partner the more experienced they are with SAFe.

How many classes has the provider run?

Another data point the Scaled Agile Partner finder provides is the number of people who have attended SAFe training delivered by the partner. While there are close to 400 partners in the network, only about 20 have delivered over 4,00 classes. You can further contextualise this data by looking at the size of the organisation as theses counts likely include the providers own staff. 

Is this provider charging a fair market price?

You might think that the cheapest price is the best price but remember you get what you pay for! Scaled Agile Inc. provides pricing guidance for all SAFe certification classes. For the most part providers tend to follow this guidance for the 3 and 4-day classes but less so on the more popular 2-day classes.

If someone is offering the same SAFe certification class at a significant discount you might want to consider what is driving this. Questions to consider:

  • How many instructors does the class have?
  • Is the provider licensing the courseware and providing the exam for the course?
  • Do they provide printed workbooks in addition to digital workbooks? 
  • Do they work full time and spend their weekends training for “pocket money”?
  • Are they collecting the appropriate taxes for the region that they are operating in? 

How many instructors does the class have?

Scaled Agile Inc. requires two trainers for remote delivery of Implementing SAFe and Leading SAFe. From my understanding the rationale for this is twofold: (1) class feedback indicated that classes with two trainers are higher quality and (2) classes that include the PI Planning simulation benefit from a second trainer. While the Scaled Agile policy applies to only two specific remote SAFe classes, our experience indicates that any class delivered by two instructors is a better quality class. It is also worth noting that the SAFe Scrum Master and SAFe for Government courses also include the PI Planning simulation.

Are all classes guaranteed to run? 

Guaranteed to run SAFe training is an interesting phenomenon that emerged when the Scaled Agile training market started flooding a few years back. My best guess is that many providers were cancelling classes, resulting in some providers starting to use  “guaranteed to run” as a marketing strategy. Here is the thing with a “guaranteed to run” class, the class may well run, but be prepared to be the only student!

While this might seem like a win, it is not. All certified Scaled Agile training classes included numerous group exercises, so the quality of the learning experience in a very small class is likely to be suboptimal. Scaled Agile recommends a minimum of 12 participants for all classes. This guidance is based on in person training. Given our experience with remote SAFe training over the past 5 months, slightly smaller classes are workable for online SAFe classes.  So when choosing a provider you might like to ask about average class sizes. 

On the other hand, if you are worried about the provider you choose cancelling, do some research. How many classes does the provider have on offer in the region? Anecdotally we hear that the partners that are listing the most classes (what we call calendar flooding) are cancelling 9 out of 10 classes. There are plenty of solid providers in the market who very rarely cancel classes, however they probably list each type once a month or once a quarter depending on popularity.

The Instructor

The provider isn’t the only factor you should consider. You should also give serious consideration to the specific individual instructor(s) that will be delivering the class.

Is the name of the instructor for the class listed on the providers website?

Personally, I think it is a red flag if the training provider has not listed the specific instructor(s) for each class on their website. Without this information you have no way to gauge the instructors experience. This could also be an indication the provider does even have an instructor for the class! For example, from time to time we get calls from providers asking us if we have instructors available for a class they have sold and don't actually have qualified instructors to deliver. 

Does the instructor have any practical experience with SAFe?

It is important to understand that not all instructors are equal. The qualifications required to teach any SAFe class (except Implementing SAFe and SAFe Release Train Engineer) is as follows:

  • Attend an Implementing SAFe class.
  • Pass an online multiple choice exam.
  • Watch the online enablement videos for the specific course you want to teach and pass the online class exam.

So, in case it is not clear - no practical experience with SAFe is required to teach any SAFe class (except Implementing SAFe and SAFe Release Train Engineer).

So do some research! Check our the bios of the instructors. You should be able to find these on the Scaled Agile website, the providers website or you can even check out LinkedIn.

How long has the instructor been a SAFe Practice Consultant?

SPCs that qualified prior to 2020 will have an SPC4 badge and should have completed their upgrade to receive their  SPC5 badge if they are teaching a 5.0 class.  There is no digital badge for SAFe 3.0 but you can always check out their LinkedIn profile and see when they got their SPC.

SPC4

SAFe Practice Consultant SPC5 Digital Badge

Where is the instructor located?

In our new “working from home” world, providers are starting to offer classes in new geographies. At the same time, the opportunity to attend a remote SAFe training class from a provider in another geography has become an option for the first time. This may open up opportunities for you. We certainly have had a handful of folks from the US, Canada and even Europe who are happy to work some odd hours to attend one our classes (even though they are delivered on Australian time). But I’m not sure I would be so interested in taking a class being delivered by someone who is working from midnight to 8am in the UK to deliver a class in Australia! I also think in these uncertain economic times I would factor in how I can support the providers I respect in my local economy.

Another consideration, if you are looking to start to implementing SAFe after attending a class, is that ability of the partner to support you in the geographical regions your organisation operates in.

Who are your friends, colleagues and LinkedIn connections recommending?

Perhaps the most reliable way to choose an instructor is to ask your friends and colleagues about their experiences. They will be able to talk to the quality of the training set up and the instructors. 


Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to ask questions. At a minimum all SAFe agile training providers should be able to answer questions about tools and timing for the class you are interested in. 

Whoever you choose to use for your next SAFe class, I hope you have a truly awesome learning experience. ‘Till next time, #StaySAFe. 

Many organisations have been on legacy, business critical platforms far longer than they would have liked or want to be. Many organisations faced with the massive transition are tempted to revert to a waterfall approach to accomplish the mission. This talk will outline ways to move from the existing platform to the new architecture in an incremental way.

Download the slides here

Those who know me, would be aware that I am not much of a fan of digital tools as a substitute for post-it notes, index cards and flip charts and up until recently this had never been a problem. So you can imagine the state of sheer panic I was in, when due to the COVID-19 restrictions I was going to need to start delivering SAFe training remotely!

My first call was to my long time friend, and remote agile expert, Mark Kilby. The message from Mark could not have been clearer - build in redundancy! In particular, he suggested having a chat app that is separate from the video conferencing tool. Before I spoke to Mark I don’t think I had even thought about a chat app! This turned out to be brilliant advice!

Chat

At Pretty Agile we use Whatsapp for messaging but I didn't think this was going to be a good fit for the training room. As a self proclaimed introvert, I had always found Slack rather “noisy”, but  it did seem like the obvious choice, so we gave it a shot and so far it really has been a blessing! (And I have learnt how to control the notification preferences which has been a blessing for my sanity!)

In addition to providing a backup for our video conferencing tool, Slack was perfect for sharing information during and outside of classes. We created separate channels for class links, resources that folks might like to check out after class and a parking lot for questions that could be answered later. One of the nice things about each class having a Slack group is that they can, and do, continue to stay in touch with us and each other once the class is complete.

Video Conferencing

When it came to video conferencing, it was important to find a tool that supported break out rooms. While I would not call our research extensive, after exploring some options it seemed like Zoom was going to be the easiest choice (and easy was high on my list of priorities!). 

Like any tool, Zoom has its limitations. Some of our lessons learnt:

  • Have your participants download and install the Zoom client. While Zoom is accessible through a web browser we have found the client to be more stable
  • We have had some students not be able to enter  into a breakout room.  When we have experienced this issue we have asked the participant to run all the updates for their device and restart. This usually solves the problem. It doesn’t suggest we they try another device and this has worked every time,
  • At first we thought participants could not move freely between breakout rooms, which really sucked for the PI Planning simulation in Leading SAFe. We tried a couple of hacks - having people come back to the main room so they could be moved to another room and people using Slack to communicate across rooms and/or request moves. This was ok-ish. As it turns out there is a much smarter option - make everyone a co-host and they can move themselves between breakout rooms  just like in the physical world! Just make sure to disable the record function if you don't want to empower all your new co-hosts to record the call!

With the puzzle of enabling people to move now solved we have found the breakout room functionality in Zoom to be the perfect fit for delivering SAFe classes online.  As a host (or co-host) you can even drop in on rooms, in the same way you might walk around the physical classroom to support the breakout activities. In some respects this is better as “dropping in” isn’t as announced as walking up to a team workspace.  Sometimes we just want to listen to see if things are progressing.  Many times, teams don’t even know were in their room. It’s like ninja coaching.  

Zooming with the Implementing SAFe class of June 2020
Zooming with the Implementing SAFe class of June 2020

Collaboration Tools

This was probably the thing that had me the most puzzled until I learnt of Mural from the SPCT community. While I am sure there are dozens of equally capable alternatives, I instantly fell in love with how well Mural could help us emulate the post it note and flip chart classroom experience. Of course there is significant effort involved in creating Mural workspaces for each class.

Mural workspace for SAFe Lean Portfolio Managment class
Mural workspace for SAFe Lean Portfolio Managment class

In many ways teaching remotely using Mural has been superior to teaching in a physical classroom. Being able to actually read people’s post-it notes is simply awesome! (Especially given I often co-facilitate classes with Adrienne who has self professed to have serial-killer handwriting!) This is particularly powerful for Implementing SAFe, SAFe Release Train Engineer, SAFe DevOps, SAFe Lean Portfolio Management and SAFe Advanced Scrum Master classes that all have heavy workshop components. An added bonus is that people seem to be much better at using the right colour post-it notes in an online environment! 

The other collaboration tool that has been a bit of fun is Kahoot. I know a number of SAFe trainers were already using this fun quiz tool in their in person classes and I have to say I think I will be too; assuming we eventually return to in person teaching. 

Facilitation

Of course, it is not really the tools that define the online training experience, it is the facilitation. Whether online or in person, facilitation is facilitation and the lessons I learnt from Jean Tabaka still apply: “Here is a good rule of thumb: You’ll need to apply two days of planning for every day of a highly effective meeting. That means that to plan a highly collaborative two-hour meeting, you should set aside four hours of planning time.”

Moving training online is not a matter of simply live streaming yourself standing at the front of a classroom. Your students expect more. They deserve more. Preparing to deliver remote training is not dissimilar to preparing for remote PI Planning. You need to step through every activity and determine how you are going to facilitate it online. Some activities will work as is and many will need re-work.  There are a lot of “gotchas” in the remote world. Even activities that we thought would not need any additional help did. As it turns out when you move participants into breakout rooms, they can no longer see your screen share which means they won't see the activity instructions unless they have the course workbook open. You will also need to reconsider activity timing and breaks. Everything takes just a little bit longer in a remote world. 

From day one we have chosen to use a minimum of two facilitators for all our online classes regardless of size.  While this does cost us more, the feedback has been crystal clear, people appreciate having two instructors. This also means Pretty Agile can do its bit to keep more people employed through this economic downturn. 

Working Agreements

As with any event working agreements are key. In the virtual world, it is very easy to get distracted by email and chat apps. Some of our favorite working agreements for online classes include:

  • Video on
  • Close all apps expect Slack, Zoom and Kahoot
  • Close all browser tabs expect for Mural
  • Use ELMO cards  (Enough! Let’s Move On)
  • Ask questions - either in the call or in the #questions Slack channel
  • If you have an off topic question add it to #parkinglot Slack channel
  • Have fun
  • Make connections
  • Vegas Rules - What happens in the class, stays in class.

Participant Technology Set-up

One of the challenges of delivering remote training is that not everyone is going to be familiar with the technology you have chosen. We address this by sending a detailed set of instructions for setting up Zoom, Slack etc. to all attendees a week or two before the class. We also schedule a mandatory 1-hour tech check call a day or two before the class. In this session we test every participant's ability to interact with all our tools. While this creates extra effort on both sides, it is well worth it.

One one occasion we had a private class where the client booked 30 minutes for the call and did not insist that everyone attend. We spent 90 minutes on the call with people constantly joining and dropping off. The end result was that some participants had technical issues during the class that were not found in the tech check due to the chaotic nature of the “30 minute” call. This impacts everyone’s learning experience. 

Timing

The initial guidance we received from Scaled Agile Inc. was to break classes up over a number of shorter days. The goal being to try and address “Zoom exhaustion”. This meant spreading two day classes over 3 or 4 days. This seemed like good advice and we did try it. 

We learnt that when the class is spread over more days attendees end up doing more context switching as they are still doing their day jobs. We also found that many participants were not actually getting a break from video conferencing as when they were not in class they were on video calls with their work colleagues. While we still offer this option for private classes all our public classes have reverted to the standard in person timing. 

The other timing change we made was to how we manage breaks. We have a 10-minute break every hour and a 45-minute lunch break. This makes a huge difference and participants in our classes really appreciate it.

“Thank you both so much. This was a fantastic learning experience. I could not believe how fast the time went by. Your delivery and preparation was exceptional. Having a break every hour made a huge difference.  I cannot understand why more facilitators don't do this!”

Feedback from a participant in Pretty Agile’s Implementing SAFe class of July 2020. 

Materials

In the physical classroom we give people physical workbooks and other class materials. Just because the course delivery is online, it doesn’t mean people won't want physical course materials. So in addition to the digital workbook provided by Scaled Agile Inc. we post out physical workbooks for the attendees along with any other swag they would receive in a regular in person class.  After the class we export all the online classroom activities from Mural and email them out to all the participants. 

Course materials for Leading SAFe
Course materials for Leading SAFe

If you are looking at running your own online classes, I hope the above guidance is useful. While we have shared the tooling choices we have made, we believe that you can accomplish the same outcomes with any number of tools. We shared our choices in order to inform yours rather than endorsements of specific tools.  If you are looking to attend a Pretty Agile online class, I hope this post provides you with some insights into how our online classes work.

Whatever your situation remember to #StaySAFe out there and we hope to catch you online some time soon. 

Culture is the shared attitudes, behavioural patterns, and values of human groups, teams and tribes. If we want our organisations to create sustainable products and services underpinned by integrity, trust and value, then we will need to build the culture to support this. In this session Em explores how you can sow the seeds of a culture that supports responsible tech in your organisation.

arrow-up
Back to Top

Subscribe to Newsletter

    cross