Investigating the adoption and application of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) at a South African bank

Abstract

The future is agile. The business landscape is dynamic. The success of an organisation depends heavily on its ability to adapt quickly. As digital technologies reshape the competitive landscape, organisations are drawing on digital transformations and the increasing need for business agility. A growing number of organisations, particularly in the financial services sector, are embracing and adopting large-scale agile transformations. Despite this growing popularity, there is still a paucity of peer-reviewed academic literature examining how such frameworks are implemented and benefit organisations, more especially in an African context. The Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) is one of the most popular frameworks for scaling agile methods within large organisations. This study aimed to investigate the adoption, application, and impact of SAFe in a South African bank corporate division using a qualitative single case study method. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with agile team members, senior managers, and executives. Through the examination of three business units, findings show that continuous coaching and training, transparency, customisation of practices, and strong leadership are crucial for the successful adoption of SAFe in large organisations. Additionally, the most significant success factor identified was organisations' need to continuously evolve and improve after implementing SAFe or any large-scale agile transformation.