SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) organizes work at different levels to ensure smooth execution from strategic initiatives to team-level tasks. The hierarchy follows this structure:

1. Epics (Portfolio Level)

2. Capabilities (Optional - Large Solution Level)

3. Features (Program Level)

4. User Stories (Team Level)

1. Epics (Portfolio Level)

📌 Definition:
Epics are large, strategic initiatives that require significant investment and coordination across multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs).

📌 Key Characteristics:
✔ Span multiple PIs (Program Increments)
✔ Require a Lean Business Case and approval through Lean Portfolio Management (LPM)
✔ Prioritized using WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First)
✔ Broken down into Features for implementation

📌 Example of an Epic:
🔹 Business Epic: "Expand mobile banking services to new international markets"
🔹 Enabler Epic: "Migrate core banking infrastructure to the cloud"

Epic Hypothesis Statement in SAFe 6.0

An Epic Hypothesis Statement in SAFe 6.0 helps define and validate large-scale initiatives before committing significant investment. It follows a structured format to ensure alignment with business objectives and measurable outcomes.

📌 Epic Hypothesis Statement Template

🔹 [For] (target customers or users)
🔹 [Who] (have a specific problem or need)
🔹 [The] (proposed solution – the epic itself)
🔹 [Will] (deliver these benefits)
🔹 [We will know we are successful when] (measurable outcomes or leading indicators)

📌 Epic Hypothesis Statement Examples

1️⃣ AI-Powered Customer Support Epic

For companies with high customer support volume
Who struggle with slow response times and inconsistent service quality
The AI-powered chatbot solution
Will reduce response time, improve support efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction
We will know we are successful when customer response time decreases by 30%, customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores improve by 15%, and AI handles 50% of inbound queries without human intervention

2️⃣ Cloud Migration for Core Services Epic

For enterprises managing legacy on-premise infrastructure
Who face high maintenance costs and scalability issues
The migration of core services to a cloud-based infrastructure
Will reduce operational costs, improve system reliability, and enable rapid scalability
We will know we are successful when infrastructure costs decrease by 25%, uptime improves to 99.99%, and deployment cycles shorten by 40%

3️⃣ Automated DevOps Pipeline Epic

For development teams in large enterprises
Who experience slow deployment cycles and manual release processes
The implementation of an end-to-end automated CI/CD pipeline
Will accelerate deployments, reduce human errors, and enhance security compliance
We will know we are successful when deployment frequency increases by 50%, lead time for changes reduces by 60%, and rollback incidents decrease by 40%

🚀 Why Use an Epic Hypothesis Statement?

✅ Aligns with Lean-Agile principles by focusing on value-driven outcomes
✅ Validates assumptions before large-scale investment
✅ Provides measurable success criteria to track progress

2. Capabilities (Large Solution Level)

📌 Definition:
A Capability is a large solution-level functionality that spans multiple Agile Release Trains (ARTs) and needs to be broken down into Features. Capabilities exist only if the Large Solution Level is used.

📌 Key Characteristics:
✔ Larger than a Feature but smaller than an Epic
✔ Requires multiple ARTs to implement
✔ Defined in the Solution Backlog

📌 Example of a Capability:
🔹 "Enable AI-powered fraud detection across multiple banking platforms."
(This would later be broken into Features like "Develop fraud detection algorithm" and "Integrate fraud alerts into mobile banking apps.")

3. Features (Program Level)

📌 Definition:
Features represent a service, function, or component that delivers business value and can be delivered within a Program Increment (PI) by an Agile Release Train (ART).

📌 Key Characteristics:
✔ Fits within a PI (8–12 weeks)
✔ Defines Acceptance Criteria
✔ Broken into User Stories
✔ Exists in the Program Backlog

📌 Example of a Feature:
🔹 Business Feature: "Implement multi-language support in mobile banking app"
🔹 Enabler Feature: "Optimize API performance for real-time transaction updates"

Feature Hypothesis Statement in SAFe 6.0

A Feature Hypothesis Statement in SAFe 6.0 defines a specific capability that delivers value within a Program Increment (PI). It helps validate the business and technical benefits of a feature before development begins.

📌 Feature Hypothesis Statement Template

🔹 [For] (target user or persona)
🔹 [Who] (have a specific need or problem)
🔹 [The] (feature name)
🔹 [Will] (deliver these benefits)
🔹 [We will know we are successful when] (measurable outcomes or success criteria)

📌 Feature Hypothesis Statement Examples

1️⃣ AI Chatbot for Customer Support

For customers using the online support portal
Who struggle with long wait times and inconsistent service
The AI-powered chatbot feature
Will provide instant responses, reduce ticket resolution time, and improve self-service adoption
We will know we are successful when chatbot handles 50% of customer inquiries without human intervention, customer satisfaction (CSAT) improves by 15%, and support ticket volume reduces by 30%

2️⃣ Multi-Language Support in Mobile App

For international users of our mobile banking app
Who face difficulties using the app in a non-native language
The multi-language support feature
Will allow users to switch languages easily, improving accessibility and user experience
We will know we are successful when at least 80% of users in non-English regions use the feature, and app engagement time increases by 20%

3️⃣ Single Sign-On (SSO) Integration

For enterprise customers using multiple company applications
Who experience login fatigue and security concerns
The Single Sign-On (SSO) feature
Will streamline authentication, improve security, and reduce password-related issues
We will know we are successful when login-related support tickets decrease by 40%, user adoption of SSO reaches 90%, and security compliance scores improve

🚀 Why Use a Feature Hypothesis Statement?

✅ Ensures clarity on user needs and expected benefits
✅ Validates outcomes with measurable success criteria
✅ Aligns teams on business value before development starts

4. User Stories (Team Level)

📌 Definition:
User Stories are the smallest, executable work items that fit within a single iteration (Sprint). They are created by Agile Teams to implement Features.

📌 Key Characteristics:
✔ Written in "As a user, I want…" format
✔ Defined in the Team Backlog
✔ Must be completed within one iteration (2 weeks)
✔ Have Acceptance Criteria

📌 Example of a User Story:
🔹 "As a Spanish-speaking user, I want to select my preferred language so that I can use the app in Spanish."

How to Write a User Story in SAFe 6.0

A User Story in SAFe represents a small, valuable piece of work that can be completed within a single Iteration (Sprint). It follows the standard INVEST criteria:

• Independent

• Negotiable

• Valuable

• Estimable

• Small

• Testable

📌 User Story Template

🔹 As a (type of user)
🔹 I want to (perform an action or achieve a goal)
🔹 So that (benefit or value)

Acceptance Criteria (Given-When-Then format):
✅ Given (initial condition)
✅ When (action taken)
✅ Then (expected outcome)

📌 User Story Examples

1️⃣ AI Chatbot User Story

As a customer using the support portal,
I want to ask common questions to an AI chatbot,
So that I can get instant answers without waiting for a support agent.

Acceptance Criteria:
✅ Given that I am on the support page,
✅ When I type a common question into the chatbot,
✅ Then I receive a relevant response within 2 seconds.

2️⃣ Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) User Story

As a banking app user,
I want to enable multi-factor authentication,
So that I can enhance the security of my account.

Acceptance Criteria:
✅ Given that I have logged into my account settings,
✅ When I enable MFA and verify my phone number,
✅ Then I receive a confirmation message that MFA is activated.

3️⃣ File Upload Feature User Story

As a project manager,
I want to upload project documents to the team dashboard,
So that my team can access and collaborate on them easily.

Acceptance Criteria:
✅ Given I am on the team dashboard,
✅ When I click "Upload" and select a file,
✅ Then the file successfully uploads and appears in the shared folder.

🚀 Why Write User Stories?

✅ Keeps work user-focused
✅ Encourages collaboration between teams
✅ Ensures testability with clear acceptance criteria

How These Work Items Flow in SAFe

🔹 Epics are approved and prioritized by Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) and move into the Portfolio Backlog.
🔹 They are broken into Capabilities (only for Large Solutions) and Features
🔹 Features are prioritized in Program Backlogs for Agile Release Trains.
🔹 Features are decomposed into User Stories for Agile Teams to implement in Sprints.