Hi everyone. I recently visited China and Japan to support our partners with SAFe for Hardware. In this blog post, I want to share my experiences and observations around SAFe activity in those countries. There is a section describing each visit followed by a summary. I hope you enjoy the observations. SAFe for Hardware Activity in Japan My recent trip to Japan focused on supporting the launch of the Japanese version of the SAFe for Hardware course and delivering the
SAFe Blog
SAFe Blog
Scaling Agile Requirements: Your Key to Achieving Flow
In traditional environments, requirements often rely on lengthy, fixed, up-front documentation based on unvalidated assumptions. By the time development finishes, the market has moved on, leaving frustrated teams, ambiguity, and massive rework. To solve this, organizations must apply agility to how they define work. The Scaling Agile Requirements SAFe competency offers a strategic approach to aligning what we build with why we build it. It provides methods for ensuring that requirements evolve in tandem with system development as we learn.
The SAFe & AI Summit Amsterdam 2026
If you joined us in Sorrento last year, you know the vibes were high, the limoncello was strong, and the success stories were inspiring. But as we head to the vibrant, bike-filled streets of Amsterdam for the 2026 SAFe & AI Summit (March 23–27), we’re turning the intensity up a notch. We’re bringing that same high-energy spirit to an easy-to-reach location: the Beurs van Berlage, a stunning historic landmark in the heart of Amsterdam, just a short scenic walk from
Guest Blog: Customizing SAFe to Establish a QMS
We’re excited to share our latest blog post featuring a deep-dive discussion on Customizing SAFe! This post brings together Andrew Sales, SAFe Chief Methodologist, and Peter Pedross, CEO of PEDCO, for an illuminating conversation about adapting, improving, removing, and extending elements of the SAFe Framework in highly regulated organizations. We celebrate Peter Pedross’s extensive experience, particularly his work developing PEDCO’s Applied SAFe. Peter shares invaluable insights, including case studies from global organizations that have used Applied SAFe as an enterprise
How to Transition from Project to Value Stream Funding
A Shift From Project to Value For years, many organizations have wrestled with a conflict at the very heart of their operations: the struggle between the rigid, annual processes of traditional budgeting and the dynamic, iterative nature of Agile development. Every Agile Release Train (ART) knows the pain. Being asked to pivot based on a critical market signal, but your budget is locked into a project that was defined a year or more ago. You have the people, the skills,
Announcing a new book on Agile hardware development: Engineering Agility
This month, we are excited to share another valuable new book from our SAFe community: Engineering Agility – A Pragmatic Approach to Adapting Agile Practices for Hardware Product Development, authored by Ali Hajou and Marina Voropaeva. This book is a valuable addition to our community as it provides practical guidance on applying SAFe, Scrum, and other Agile methods in a hardware development context. In this blog post, the authors describe the book and summarize some of its key topics. Thank
New Whitepaper: Leading Change Beyond Kotter in an Agile Transformation
This month, we are excited to share another valuable addition from our SAFe community. The brand new whitepaper: Leading Change Beyond Kotter in an Agile Transformation, authored by Julia Herborn, Stephan Kahl, Bernd Rumscheid, Odile Moreau, Caroline Schaefer, Yannick Penz, and Cansu Eldemgil. This whitepaper is an important addition to the SAFe knowledge base, providing specific guidance on navigating organizational change to pursue Lean-Agile ways of working. In this blog post, Julia, Stephan, and Bernd summarize some of the critical
Updated AI-Empowered SAFe Assessment Workshop Now Live
Today, we’re excited to announce the release of the updated AI-Empowered SAFe Assessment Workshop, designed to help organizations measure what truly matters and accelerate meaningful progress in their SAFe transformations. The latest updates reflect the evolution of the Framework, including refreshed imagery and alignment to the five SAFe Disciplines. The workshop materials and assessments are available to all certified SAFe Studio members. The workshop can be downloaded here, and a spreadsheet version of the assessments is available in the Measure
The Role of the RTE: From Facilitator to Flow Champion
by Glenn Smith, Tim Jackson and Gez Smith This month, we are excited to share another valuable addition from our SAFe community. The Release Train Engineer Handbook is a book that was not only created by 3 experts in SAFe who are sharing their valuable experiences insights. The authors also interviewed RTEs from across the globe, sharing their experiences too. Check out what Glenn, Tim, and Gez have to share below. Thank you to all those who participated in bringing
New Executive Guide: Modernizing Hardware Product Development with SAFe
Organizations that develop physical products—from automobiles and aerospace platforms to medical devices—operate in an era of extreme complexity and accelerating change. With trillions of dollars in revenue tied to hardware-based innovation, the pressure on engineering leaders is immense: deliver faster, reduce costs, and make customers happier. But traditional hardware product development is often a long, document-driven process. Months or years can pass before concepts are verified and validated by customers, often resulting in expensive rework and missed market opportunities. That’s