Teams, Programs, Large Solutions and Portfolios

The Scaled Agile Framework aims to make the essential advantages of the team-oriented agile approach scalable for larger projects.

Scrum is the most widespread agile approach, but it is only suitable for smaller projects due to its very limited team size. With SAFe, the advantages of agile methods can also be used for larger projects. For this purpose, additional levels are added above the Scrum team level.

A distinction is made between the following four models:

  • 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

The mapping in Allegra is done via 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 in it.

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The current workspaces are then created with the respective workspace types. In the example below, a Portfolio SAFe has been created with the Portfolio at the top level of the hierarchy, with two programs below, each having two or three teams assigned.

../_images/safe-portfolio.png