What will I learn:
Participants will learn the importance of mastering Business Agility in order to thrive in the digital age and gain insights they can use to lead a Lean-Agile enterprise and/or a transformation by leveraging the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®).
The course begins by exploring the SAFe principles, derived from Lean product development, Agile development, DevOps and systems thinking. Following this, the attendees will discuss how to establish Team and Technical Agility and organize around the flow of value. The course then focuses on the importance of adopting a customer-centric mind-set and applying Design Thinking as part of the Agile Product Delivery core competency, and provides an opportunity to experience a simulated PI Planning event.
Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to; communicate their vision, strategy and goals, align delivery across the wider organisation to these goals, improve business agility with the ability to respond to market demand and deliver innovative products and services faster, improve the flow of value to customers, identify prioritise and fund the highest value initiatives, how to coordinate these activities at scales across the whole organisation, and the leadership skills and the Lean-Agile mind-set necessary to effect the necessary cultural changes to achieve this.
The course covers key topics such as:
- How to thrive in the digital age with business agility
- Applying a Lean-Agile mind-set, values and principles
- Establishing team and technical agility
- Agile product delivery
- Plan and successfully execute Program Increments
- Lean Portfolio Management & Lean Budgeting
- Leading a Lean-Agile change or transformation
Who will benefit from this course
SA is typically designed for executives, managers, and change agents involved in leading agile transformations at scale, as well as those looking to develop their foundational skills in Scaled Agile.
C-Suite Executives (CEO, CFO, COO, CIO), Directors, VPs & Managers
- Understanding Agile at Scale: Executives gain insights into how agile principles can be applied at scale across the entire organization.
- Lean-Agile mind-set: Learn how to adopt a lean agile mind-set to nurture Business Agility.
- Strategic Alignment: Learn how to align strategy and execution, ensuring that teams work on the most valuable and strategic initiatives.
Programme or Project & Portfolio Managers
- Program Execution: Learn techniques for effective program execution, including Program Increment (PI) planning and execution.
- Lean Portfolio Management: Understand and apply principles and practices for lean portfolio management within the SAFe framework.
- Risk Management: Gain insights into managing risks in a large-scale agile environment.
Product Managers, Product Owners, Innovators & Strategists
- Product Management Foundations: Learn about the Lean-Agile values, principles and practices such as economic prioritization, Customer centricity, Design thinking, and understand how to operate within a Scaled Agile transformation.
- Leading SAFe provides the fundamentals and acts as a stepping stone to subsequent modules such as Agile Product Management and Product Owner/Product Manager Training.
Team Leads, Business Analysts, Consultants, Engineers and Solution or Systems Architects
- Learn about the Lean-Agile values, principles, behaviours, and understand how to operate within an Agile Release Train or a Scaled Agile transformation.
- Leading SAFe provides the fundamentals and acts as a stepping stone to subsequent training modules such as DevOps, Agile Software Engineering and SAFe for Architects.
Individuals aspiring to become Change Agents, Agile Coaches, Release Train Engineers, Scrum Masters & SAFe Practice Consultants
Learn the fundamentals of SAFe / Lean-Agile principles, practices core competencies, mind-sets, and the SAFe framework as a stepping stone on the way to become a Scrum Master, Release Train Engineer, or a SAFe program Consultant.
Prerequisites and Prep required
We recommend that participants have ~5 years’ experience in; business management, people management, project or programme management, product management, business change, business analysis or technology change or software development.
Depending on your circumstances, some degree of pre-reading could be advisable. We will assess this on a case by case basis and advice you as a part of our pre-course engagement
For remote learning / virtual classroom sessions, you are required to ensure you have the necessary connectivity, bandwidth, hardware and software (Including but not limited to: PC or laptop, webcam, headset, internet connectivity, ability to access conferencing and collaboration tools etc…) required to join the session. Accelerators will facilitate a pre-course session to ensure you can join the virtual session and can access the necessary collaboration tools.
What course Material and support will I get?
All of our students will receive a digital workbook for the course. We will provide a printed workbook for all classroom based sessions.
At our discretion, we may provide additional; notes, summaries, quick reference guides and examples as applicable to the specific training course.
The success of our training participants is of vital important to us. During our pre-course engagement we aim to get to know you, understand your drivers and objectives, and recommend pre and/or post training activities to ensure your successful certification.
Post training, you will have access to a group channel where you and the rest of your training cohort can discuss, exchange ideas and ask questions from our SPCs.
We will also offer each training cohort a 1-2 hour Q&A and refresher session prior to the SAFe examination date. The date and time will be agreed during the training event. Should you require even further support, this could be arranged at preferential rates.
Topics covered / Course Syllabus
Lesson 1: Thriving in the Digital Age with Business Agility
- Thriving in the digital age
- SAFe as an operating system for Business Agility
Lesson 2: Building a Foundation with Mind-set, Values, and Principles
- The Lean-Agile Mind-set
- Lean thinking
- Agile development
- SAFe Core Values
- Apply SAFe Principle
Lesson 3: Establishing Team and Technical Agility
- Forming cross functional Agile Teams
- Built-in Quality
- Organizing Agile Release Trains around the flow of value
Lesson 4: Building Solutions with Agile Product Delivery
- Customer Centricity and Design Thinking
- Prioritizing the ART Backlog
- PI Planning
- Develop on cadence; release on demand
- Building a Continuous Delivery Pipeline with DevOps
Lesson 5: Exploring Lean Portfolio Management
- Defining a SAFe portfolio
- Connecting the portfolio to the Enterprise strategy
- Maintaining the Portfolio Vision
- Realizing the Portfolio Vision through Epics
- Establishing Lean Budgets and Guardrails
- Establishing portfolio flow
Lesson 6: Leading the Change
- Leading by example
- Leading the change
Lesson 7: Practicing SAFe
- Learning Plan
- Use of the SAFe Studio
Examination Details and Annual Renewals
Duration: | 90 minutes |
Number of Questions: | 45 |
Passing Score: | 80% |
Course Delivery: | Web-based, closed book, no outside assistance |
Access to Learning Plan: | (after course completion) |
Exam Cost: | The First attempt is included in the course registration fee if taken within 30 days of course completion. |
Retake Fee: | $50 Payable directly to Scaled Agile Inc. |
Retake Policy: | First retake – May be taken immediately after the first failed attempt.
Second retake – May be taken 10 days after the first retake.
Third retake – May be taken 30 days after the second retake.
All subsequent retakes require a 30-day wait. |
Annual renewal Fee: | US $ 100 Payable directly to Scaled Agile Inc. |
Professional Development Units (PDUs)
PMI Certification | Technical | Leadership | Strategic | Total |
PMP® | 6.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 15.00 |
PgMP® | 6.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 15.00 |
PMI_RMP® | 0.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
PMI_SP® | 0.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
PMI_ACP® | 0.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
PfMP® | 0.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
PMI_PBAsm | 0.00 | 6.00 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
Addition al Services
- Access to the Accelerators community forum and networking opportunities
- Optional access to our trainers and delivery specialists for:
- One to one coaching
- Q&A
- Consultancy
- Change delivery support
- SAFe transformation support
- Discounted rates for subsequent SAFe training events run by Accelerators
