What is the difference between a capability and a feature in SAFe?
The difference between a Feature and a Capability, in SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) is that one work item (feature) can be delivered to a customer via a single agile release train, whilst the other work item (capability) requires the coordination of several different agile release trains to be delivered to a customer.
Let me walk you through that.
In SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) the work item model goes by epics and features that flow through an agile release train – a team of agile teams that are aligned with a customer purpose – to create a product, feature or service that delights customers.
SAFe Epics
Epics are the inspiring, aspirational initiatives that the organization are committed to producing, creating, or achieving. They are large, bold visions for the product or service that will help the organization achieve a goal or objective, such as, competitive advantage for example.
SAFe Features
It is helpful to think of ‘features’ as something which you can have a conversation with a customer about and understand how this feature creates, captures, or delivers value to the customer in terms of the jobs they are trying to do and the problems they are trying to solve.
Work Items Coordination
Sometimes, the work that we are doing requires coordination between several different agile release trains and departments.
A good way to think of this is a manufacturing environment that is building an autonomous car.
We have a combination of hardware, software, and firmware.
In this example, we would have different agile release trains focused on a specific part of the autonomous car, but we need those agile release trains to coordinate work and efforts to deliver working elements of the autonomous car.
One such part of that work items coordination is known as capabilities.
Capabilities
Capabilities are units of work that need more than one agile release trains to coordinate their work and efforts to get that unit of work over the line and into the hands of a customer.
Feature and Capability Delivery Schedule
Both a capability and a feature are sized to easily fit within one PI (program increment) cycle.
In SAFe, we have two cadences for producing and delivering work.
A PI (program increment) which could be between eight (8) and twelve (12) weeks, and an iteration which is typically two (2) weeks.
So, a capability is sized to be delivered to customers, by several agile release trains, within a single program increment cycle of approximately twelve (12) weeks. A feature is sized to be delivered to customer, by a single agile release train, within a single program increment cycle of approximately twelve (12) weeks.
About Value Glide
Value Glide are a SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) consultancy, coaching practice, and training specialist who work with organizations to align business objectives with customer needs and wants.
As deeply experienced agile coaches and practitioners, our team are invested in continuous learning through each client engagement and use the data and evidence we gather from each implementation to inform our training, coaching, and consulting services.
In a nutshell, empirical process control or empiricism.
If you are thinking of adopting agile within your organization and have identified SAFe as a great agile framework to adopt, implement and improve your business agility, visit our SAFe Quickstart ART Launch program page or view our SAFe Consulting Services page.
If you have identified a need for an agile coach and SAFe coach to help your organization adopt and implement SAFe, visit our SAFe Coaching Services page.
If you want to know more about SAFe and how to lead SAFe, visit our SAFE Training page for a host of options, from Leading SAFe to a SAFe Release Train Engineer course.
#SAFe #scaledagileframework #scalingagile #agile #agileframework #agilecoach
