name: Scaled Agile
description: >-
  Vocabulary for the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and enterprise agile transformation
  at scale, covering methodologies, ceremonies, roles, and tools in the SAFe ecosystem.
created: '2026-05-02'
modified: '2026-05-02'
terms:
  - term: SAFe
    definition: >-
      Scaled Agile Framework - the world's leading framework for applying Lean-Agile
      principles at enterprise scale. Provides structured guidance for aligning development
      teams, programs, and portfolios around common missions and objectives.
    tags:
      - Agile
      - Framework

  - term: ART
    definition: >-
      Agile Release Train - the primary value delivery mechanism in SAFe. A long-lived
      team of 5-12 Agile teams (50-125 people) that plans, commits, develops, and deploys
      together. ARTs use PI Planning to align on program-level objectives and dependencies.
    tags:
      - Teams
      - Value Delivery

  - term: PI Planning
    definition: >-
      Program Increment Planning - a face-to-face (or remote) event that brings all ART
      teams together to plan the next Program Increment (typically 8-12 weeks). Produces
      team PI objectives, program PI objectives, and an ART plan.
    tags:
      - Ceremony
      - Planning

  - term: Program Increment
    definition: >-
      A timebox of 8-12 weeks during which the ART delivers incremental value in the form
      of working, tested software and systems. Each PI typically consists of 4 development
      Iterations and 1 Innovation and Planning (IP) Iteration.
    tags:
      - Planning
      - Timebox

  - term: Epic
    definition: >-
      A large initiative in SAFe spanning multiple Program Increments. Portfolio Epics
      require a Lean Business Case and Lightweight Business Case. Feature Epics are
      broken down into Features for ART implementation.
    tags:
      - Portfolio
      - Work Items

  - term: Feature
    definition: >-
      A service or capability that delivers value to users and fulfills a stakeholder need.
      Features are the primary unit of work planned at the ART level during PI Planning
      and are delivered within a single Program Increment.
    tags:
      - Value Delivery
      - Work Items

  - term: Story
    definition: >-
      A short description of a small piece of desired functionality, written from the
      perspective of the user. Stories are the primary work unit at the team level and
      are sized to fit within a single Sprint/Iteration.
    tags:
      - Teams
      - Work Items

  - term: Lean-Agile Mindset
    definition: >-
      The combination of Lean and Agile thinking that forms the foundation of SAFe. Emphasizes
      continuous flow, eliminating waste, Agile development practices, and building quality into
      every step of the development process.
    tags:
      - Culture
      - Foundation

  - term: Business Agility
    definition: >-
      The ability of an entire organization—not just IT—to respond quickly and proactively
      to market opportunities and changes. SAFe 6.0 defines Business Agility as the ultimate
      goal of enterprise-scale agile transformation.
    tags:
      - Strategy
      - Transformation

  - term: Value Stream
    definition: >-
      The sequence of activities an organization uses to implement Solutions that provide
      value to the Customer. SAFe distinguishes between Development Value Streams and
      Operational Value Streams.
    tags:
      - Portfolio
      - Value Delivery

  - term: SAFe Studio
    definition: >-
      Scaled Agile's online learning and collaboration platform providing SAFe courses,
      certifications, agile planning tools, and community access for SAFe practitioners
      and enterprise transformation teams.
    tags:
      - Platform
      - Training

  - term: RTE
    definition: >-
      Release Train Engineer - a servant leader and coach who facilitates ART events and
      processes, assists teams in delivering value, and removes impediments. The RTE is the
      chief Scrum Master for the ART.
    tags:
      - Roles
      - Teams

  - term: LACE
    definition: >-
      Lean-Agile Center of Excellence - a small group of change agents who champion the
      transformation, help implement SAFe, and build Lean-Agile capability across the
      enterprise.
    tags:
      - Transformation
      - Organization

  - term: DevSecOps
    definition: >-
      A SAFe technical practice that integrates security into the DevOps pipeline and
      CI/CD process. Ensures security is built in throughout development rather than added
      at deployment time.
    tags:
      - DevOps
      - Security

  - term: Jira Align
    definition: >-
      Atlassian's enterprise agile planning tool designed specifically for SAFe implementations.
      Connects team-level Jira work to program and portfolio planning in SAFe constructs.
    tags:
      - Tools
      - Integration

  - term: OKR
    definition: >-
      Objectives and Key Results - a goal-setting framework used in conjunction with SAFe
      to align Strategic Themes and Portfolio Epics with measurable outcomes at all
      organizational levels.
    tags:
      - Strategy
      - Measurement