Adopting SAFe to Scale Agile in a Globally Distributed Organization

Large software development organizations adopting agile methods need solutions and models to help scale agile to fit their needs. During recent years, several frameworks for scaling agile have been created by consultants, including the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), Large-scale Scrum (LeSS) and Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD). However, research on how these frameworks are adopted in practice is seriously lacking. In this paper we describe how Comptel, a globally distributed software development company, adopted the SAFe framework in two business lines. Based on eleven interviews we present why and how the organization adopted SAFe, and discuss related challenges and success factors. The comparison of the two adoptions showed that investing in SAFe trainings, engaging people and change agents, hiring a coach, investing in a full-time release train engineer, preparing well for the first planning event and continuously improving and customizing SAFe led to good results.