Managing Dependencies and Coordinating Work Across Teams with SAFe

Introduction

Effective management of dependencies and coordination across multiple teams are crucial for achieving business success with the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). This blog post delves into how a strong SAFe system helps organizations visualize problems, act on signals, and organize around value delivery to minimize dependencies and improve coordination.

Visualizing Problems and Acting on Signals

Identifying Dependencies

• Visualize Dependencies: Recognize dependencies as a problem that needs attention.
• Signal to Management: Ensure that the signal of too many dependencies is communicated to management and all teams involved.

Taking Action

• Act on Information: Once dependencies are identified, it’s crucial to act on the information.
• Avoid Wishful Thinking: Merely acknowledging the problem without action leads to no improvement.

Organizing Around Value Delivery

Reorganize Teams

• Assess Team Configuration: Examine current team configurations to identify where dependencies and handoffs occur.
• Minimize Handoffs: Reconfigure teams to minimize handoffs and delays, aiming for direct value delivery.

Implementing SAFe Patterns

• Utilize SAFe Tools: Leverage SAFe’s workshops and tools to guide reorganization.
• Flexible Approach: Be open to using other effective methods if they suit your organization better.

Conducting Dry Runs

Testing New Configurations

• Simulate Scenarios: Perform dry runs using past projects or upcoming tasks to test the new team configurations.
• Identify Issues: Note any ongoing dependencies or delays that occur during the dry run.

Adjusting Teams

• Specialist Teams: If certain teams have specialized knowledge, consider forming specialist sub-teams.
• Service Availability: Recognize that specialist teams may not always be instantly available to other teams.

Coordinating Work Across Teams

Aligning Priorities

• Set Clear Priorities: Ensure alignment on priorities across all teams to avoid confusion.
• Unified Priority List: Develop a unified priority list that all teams adhere to, especially when requesting services from specialist teams.

Effective Coordination

• Focus on Priority One: All teams should focus on enabling the completion of the highest priority task before moving on to the next.
• Support and Collaboration: Teams must collaborate to support the highest priority tasks to ensure timely delivery.

Utilizing SAFe Systems and Events

Data-Driven Decisions

• Leverage SAFe Events: Use SAFe events to gather data and information about system performance.
• Informed Decision Making: Make informed decisions based on data to continuously improve the system.

Continuous Improvement

• Act on Signals: Leaders and team members must act on the signals provided by the system to enhance work processes.
• Create Better Environments: Focus on creating better working environments for all teams to achieve superior results.

Conclusion

Recap: Managing Dependencies with SAFe

• Visualize Problems: Identify and visualize dependencies to highlight areas for improvement.
• Organize Around Value: Reconfigure teams to minimize dependencies and optimize value delivery.
• Conduct Dry Runs: Test new configurations to identify and resolve ongoing issues.
• Align and Coordinate: Ensure alignment on priorities and coordinate effectively across teams.
• Leverage Data: Use data from SAFe events to make informed decisions and continuously improve.

By following these strategies and leveraging the strengths of a SAFe system, organizations can manage dependencies effectively, coordinate work across multiple teams, and achieve their business goals. 🌟