1. Take an economic view: Organizations implementing SAFe need to base their decisions on data that supports economic considerations. SAFe processes require the application of Cost of Delay (CoD) analysis to rank features while considering both their business value and time sensitivity.
Example: The product owner faces a decisive decision between two available product features. Feature A offers high business benefits yet needs an extended period for development. The delivery time for Feature B remains short even though its value stands lower than Feature A. Using Cost of Delay calculations, the Product Owner chooses to implement Feature B first since it provides quicker value while Feature A offers greater future benefits.

2. Apply systems thinking: Systems thinking should be applied because SAFe requires viewing the system as a whole rather than focusing on individual components. The framework requires users to comprehend system dependencies while optimizing the complete value delivery process and evaluating change effects throughout the system.
Example: The management system of the company distributions information at a slow pace. Organizations dedicate their resources to studying the entire process that leads concepts through development until products reach users instead of placing responsibility on developers. SAFe methodology enables teams to identify testing and deployment challenges in their value stream. The solution of resolving these bottlenecks leads to improved system performance with faster release speed.

3. Assume variability; preserve options: In the framework SAFe management recognizes that changing requirements remain a fact of life therefore it preserves multiple solution options. The approach enables continual assessment for necessary corrections to occur throughout the development process while providing the SAFe tools in Agile to the practitioners. This business concept involves postponing exclusive commitment to particular solution choices.
Example: Visualization of new application user interfaces does not occur during early stages of development. The teams construct prototypes which they use to collect user feedback. The team can modify their design through actual user feedback and prevent the creation of unwanted products.

4. Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles: SAFe demands teams to construct their work by small functional sections which require speedy integrated feedback loops. Organizations can prove their concepts as well as lower development risks by validating initial ideas without delay.
Example: The team follows an approach of releasing primary features to minor user groups instead of developing the entire app first. Organizations use received feedback to develop additional features that match user requirements perfectly.

5. Base milestones on objective evaluation of working systems: SAFe monitors progress by utilizing system demos along with multiple objective tracking methods. Subjective assessments along with status reports are prevented by using objective measurements.
Example: During each Product Integration period the ART organizes a system demonstration that demonstrates operational functionality integration. Stakeholders view actual advancements which permits them to make informed assessments thus achieving objective results.

6. Make value flow without interruptions: The optimization process of value delivery to customers requires SAFe to identify and eliminate all blockages which disrupt continuous flow. The process improvement includes both the process optimization and delay reduction initiatives.
Example: A design change approval process within the team currently requires weeks to complete. The organization adopts an efficient approval system which speeds up progress and creates improved workflow efficiency.

7. Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning: SAFe implements Sprints together with Program Increments (PIs) as established sequences to build predictable work patterns. The planning method for multiple teams is called cross-domain planning and functions similarly to PI Planning.
Example: All teams in an ART plan their work together during PI Planning. This approach conducts work needed to coordinate teams while controlling dependencies and developing common project objectives.

8. Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers: Knowledge workers respond to motivation through purpose-driven work with self-governance and masterful achievement according to SAFe principles. The framework develops a workplace which enables fully empowered teams to tackle clear objectives while effectively upgrading their capabilities.
Example: Within the provided framework teams exercise their freedom to self-organize their approach for delivering features. Teams get access to both learning choices and expert development opportunities.

9. Decentralize decision-making: The SAFe framework distributes management power to teams who work directly with the work in order to speed up their decision-making process. The quick decision-making capability and higher responsiveness toward change are due to this approach.
Example: Development teams receive authority to select optimal technical implementations for features without requiring authorization from various management levels.

10. Organize around value: SAFe arranges value streams and ARTs to follow how value reaches customers throughout the organization. The organizational structure allows teams to work on the initiatives maintaining the highest value.
Example: An organization determines its major value-streams eg; "new customer onboarding". The organization uses value streams as a framework for creating ARTs to maximize the delivery of value to exclusive customer requirements.

Case Studies:

The following scenarios demonstrate hypothetical case studies which implement SAFe principles in practice. The presented examples stem from everyday business situations which demonstrate how SAFe resolves typical issues.

Case Study 1: "Acme Retail - Streamlining Online Ordering" to resolve their online ordering system problems.
Challenge: The large retail organization Acme Retail faced difficulties to sustain online ordering demand because its current system struggled with speed and reliability issues. The company operated with a slow unreliable framework and update management proved challenging. The product updates were released at long intervals with frequent unstable bugs discovered during those periods. Multiple departments separated their work from one another which produced communication problems and process delays.

SAFe Solution: Acme Retail adopted SAFe as a solution by establishing Agile Release Trains (ARTs) among their development teams who operated on distinct areas of the online ordering functionality (product catalog, shopping cart and payment gateway included). They deployed system thinking to create a full visualization of the online ordering value chain which helped locate testing and deployment constraints. Under the new system they granted each team authority to handle technical decision-making responsibilities. The organization introduced PI Planning to synchronize the vision and strategic route across every ART.

SAFe Principles in Action:

Apply systems thinking: Systems thinking applications became possible when they mapped the value stream to locate bottlenecks.
Decentralize decision-making: The organization shifted decision authority to units at various levels to directly handle technology-related responsibilities.
Organize around value: The adoption of value-based organization structure distributed ART elements throughout different stages of the ordering procedure.
Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning: Through PI Planning the teams achieved project synchronization alongside their cross-domain planning.

Results: Acme Retail achieved a notable enhancement of their online ordering platform. The shortened release schedules made the system more steady and enabled them to develop new features faster. Customer satisfaction with online ordering also increased.

Case Study 2: “Global Manufacturing” which accelerated its product development activities.

Challenge: Global Manufacturing faced mounting competition which required them to decrease their product development time to market. The company operated under a waterfall development method which proved slow and rigid throughout its operations. The company experienced numerous requirements changes which produced expensive rework activities throughout the project.

SAFe Solution: The adoption of SAFe by Global Manufacturing served as their solution to speed up product development. Global Manufacturing adopted SAFe to accelerate product development. The organization divided their engineering support into multiple ARTs which specialized in different product categories. The organization chose the method of short iterations together with regular feedback rounds to handle fluctuating requirements while keeping their alternatives protected. The company established continuous integration and continuous delivery features for their automated build and deployment protocols.

SAFe Principles in Action:

Assume variability; preserve options: Through short iterations the team followed the principle of assuming variability while maintaining multiple options.
Build incrementally with fast, integrated learning cycles: The implementation of continuous integration/delivery through fast integrated learning cycles helped speed up feedback processes.
Apply cadence, synchronize with cross-domain planning: The team maintained cadenced schedules while the PI Planning process brought together team plans.

Results: The implementation led Global Manufacturing to successfully decrease the time needed for new products to reach the market. SAFe implementation led to higher product quality standards and decreased costs of software development.

Case Study 3: "City Government - Modernizing Citizen Services"

Challenge: The city government experienced difficulty while working to update its service delivery to citizens. The organization lacked modern system infrastructure that proved difficult to sustain. The organization faced issues when departmental units needed to work together.

SAFe Solution: The implementation of SAFe methodology by the city government served to enhance their citizen service delivery system. The organization distributed its IT personnel between ARTs that managed individual service domains such as tax filing and online permitting. The city used "value as the main light" to structure ARTs according to community requirements. The solution aimed to release the natural work drive of professionals within organizations by giving teams autonomy and training opportunities for professional growth.

SAFe Principles in Action:

Organize around value: The information technology units organized into separate ARTs which handled various citizen-oriented service areas.
Unlock the intrinsic motivation of knowledge workers: SAFe principles enabled the organization to liberate knowledge workers' intrinsic motivation by bestowing workforce teams with both autonomy and development resources.
Apply systems thinking: Systems thinking applications led to better interdepartmental collaboration among organizational units.

Results: Through the implementation of these SAFe principles the city government achieved faster production times for its new online citizen services. The improvement in governmental service quality led to an enhancement in citizen satisfaction.

SAFe Principles: Foundation Guide to Agile Scaling