What is an SPC – SAFe® Program Consultant?

Do you want to become an experienced agent in Agile transformations? Would you like to join a company as an agent in their transformation team? In this article, we explain the role and functions of a SAFe® Program Consultant (SPC), the training and the competencies that must acquire.

There are no two organizations alike. Therefore, every transformation is unique. Nowadays, there are many methods and practices that organizations can adopt in their transformation, although the values and principles they should rely on are universal. A transformation agent must be knowledgeable in numerous tools, including SAFe which is a toolbox in the form of a knowledge base that covers from the strategic-organizational to the execution dimensions. In SAFe you will find Lean-Agile values and principles, as well as its own tools and many of the best-known Agile techniques and tools, well linked and applicable in the appropriate fields.

The SPC is an essential role in the implementation process of an agile transformation based on scaling agile with SAFe.

An organization that begins its Agile Transformation must have the support of a SAFe SPC team with solid knowledge of the SAFe framework, extensive experience in SAFe implementations and training in the different roles that SAFe requires for its consolidation.

It is customary and effective for these organizations to hire SPC teams from companies specialized and dedicated to supporting the SAFe implementation processes. These SPC demonstrate a multi-year specialization in SAFe certified training and SAFe transformation consulting. The mentioned SPC teams help to launch the first trains, mentor the people that will carry out these roles in the organization such as the RTE, SPC, PO, PM, ARCH, SM, and help to avoid common mistakes in the transformation process, accelerating the organizational learning and continuous improvement.

After the crucial initial period of adaptation supported by the SAFe SPCs, this fit for purpose introduction of SAFe allows the company to obtain the following improvements reported by the organizations themselves:

• 10 – 50% increase in intrinsic motivation and employee commitment
• 20 – 50% increase in team productivity
• 30 – 75% reduction in service/product delivery times
• 25 – 75% improvement in the quality of the service/product delivered

SAFe suggests a team of 3 to 5 SPCs, a hybrid one with internal and external employees, to support a mid-term transformation.

The main functions of a SAFe SPC are:

• Training executives, managers and leaders of the organization delivering official and certified Leading SAFe courses.
• Based on his/her personal experience, facilitating the definition of a SAFe Implementation Plan: deployment, communications, and metrics.
• Facilitating the establishment of the LACE team (Lean-Agile Center of Excellence) that generates and executes the processes of the organization transformation and supporting this team.
• Supporting the identification of value chains and the corresponding train structures that the organization needs.
• Facilitating the launch of the trains that received the training for the key roles such as Product Owner, Product Manager, Scrum Master and Release Train Manager (RTE) and facilitating the PI Planning, and Team and Train Backlogs, as well as supporting the required preparations.
• Supporting the trains in their execution, mentoring people according to their roles and team, and reviewing the results and process to improve them.

To become a SAFe transformation consultant/agent, it is necessary to attend an official SAFe course and become certified by passing the official exam. For this purpose, by taking the 32-hour “Implementing SAFe” course, you will acquire the fundamental knowledge and understanding based on your trainer’s previous experiences in agile and SAFe implementations.
Estratecno offers periodically Implementing SAFe courses with a high level of attendee satisfaction.