Introduction of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe): Agile Transformation at AGES

The Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) is a company of the Republic of Austria. For over 20 years, AGES has been committed to the health of humans, animals, and plants. In doing so, it performs a wide range of legally defined tasks – such as in the areas of food and drug safety or animal health.

The Challenge

AGES operates a number of IT systems to fulfill its tasks. In the area of software development, SCRUM methods had been used for some time. After successfully participating in a seminar by Spirit in Projects on the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), the management of AGES decided to implement methods for scaling agility in the company. With a company size of over 1750 employees and 10 locations, this presented a significant challenge for sustainable integration into the organization. In close cooperation with the client, Spirit in Projects developed a comprehensive coaching and mentoring program to effectively support the integration of SAFe elements into the organizational structure.

Our Approach

From the beginning, it was clear that a blind rollout of the ‘standard’ SAFe framework was not an option. Here, the comprehensive experience of Spirit in Projects with agile frameworks in different company and training contexts was useful. In the course of strategic consulting, suitable methods from SAFe were identified, which were then specifically tailored to the needs of AGES. For the entire project, Spirit in Projects planned an agile approach in close coordination with the client.

Spirit in Projects offered targeted hands-on support for the introduction and implementation of the SAFe framework, from initial conception to operational execution. Particular emphasis was placed on coaching and mentoring measures for individual employees and teams. These were supported in effectively taking on and filling the roles required for the SAFe framework. With their expertise, the Spirit consultants were available as sparring partners for technical and methodological questions – always with the goal of conveying an understanding of agile principles and practices in order to develop solutions for future challenges independently. Together with development teams, agile practices such as SCRUM, Kanban, and the Built-In Quality approach were further established to optimize the product development process.

Relevant KPIs were developed and implemented for the framework to enable organizational control. This was done in close coordination with the organizational core team (Lean-Agile Change Agents) to define objectives and next steps.

The Benefits

The year-long support by Spirit in Projects during the implementation of SAFe enabled AGES employees to effectively apply new methods and techniques and to critically reflect on their work processes. The support in selecting and applying methods as well as targeted feedback significantly contributed to the improvement of quality, structure, efficiency, and effectiveness.

The intensive support through planning workshops and retrospectives as well as individual coaching deepened the understanding and application of the SAFe methodology. Additionally, a practice-oriented guide for the methods was developed, and the communication structures as well as reporting within AGES were optimized.

The success is also confirmed by the head of AGES IT Services, Ing. Gottfried Scheck, BSc MSc: “The implementation and support of the transformation from SCRUM to the SAFe framework was carried out to our full satisfaction. In addition to methodological support, the necessary organizational adjustments were accompanied and supported.”

Would you also like to take the next step in your company and benefit from scaling agile methods? We offer specialized training courses on Scaled Agile and will be happy to advise you with our practical knowledge on choosing the right frameworks and implementing them for your business. Contact us – we will be happy to advise you!