The SAFe 6.0 core values have been updated, and they now include Alignment, Transparency, Respect, and Relentless Improvement. Let's dive into each one in detail:

1. Alignment

• What it is: Alignment ensures that all teams, programs, and portfolios are working toward the same set of goals and objectives. It is about ensuring that everyone, regardless of their role or location, understands the strategic direction and what needs to be done to achieve those goals.

• Why it matters: Without alignment, teams might work on tasks that don't add value or may be misaligned with the broader business strategy. In a scaled agile environment, alignment creates a shared understanding across all levels of the organization, fostering efficiency and effectiveness in delivering customer value.

• How SAFe implements alignment: Through practices like PI Planning (Program Increment Planning) and Portfolio Management, SAFe ensures that teams align with business goals, objectives, and deliverables. Regular check-ins and planning cycles help ensure that alignment is continuously maintained.

2. Transparency

• What it is: Transparency in SAFe means that all aspects of the development process are visible to everyone involved. This includes work progress, decisions made, issues encountered, and performance metrics.

• Why it matters: Transparency fosters trust, empowers teams to make informed decisions, and enables faster identification of problems. It encourages open communication and shared ownership of outcomes, allowing teams to adapt quickly and efficiently.

• How SAFe implements transparency: SAFe promotes the use of visible metrics, regular retrospectives, and continuous feedback loops. Teams use visual boards (like Kanban boards or Scrum boards), dashboards, and other artifacts that make progress and challenges clear to everyone. This transparency is critical for both the execution of work and the strategic alignment of the organization.

3. Respect

• What it is: Respect is about valuing individuals, teams, and their contributions. It emphasizes the importance of a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture. In SAFe, respect fosters collaboration, trust, and a focus on empowering people.

• Why it matters: Respect drives a healthy work environment where team members feel valued and are motivated to contribute their best work. It helps build stronger relationships, encourages constructive feedback, and supports the creation of high-performing teams.

• How SAFe implements respect: SAFe encourages servant leadership, where leaders support and enable their teams to do their best work. It also fosters a culture of trust and inclusivity by ensuring that diverse perspectives are heard and that team members are empowered to contribute and grow.

4. Relentless Improvement

• What it is: Relentless improvement is the continuous pursuit of better ways to work, deliver value, and serve customers. It's about embracing a mindset of constant learning, experimentation, and innovation.

• Why it matters: In the fast-paced, ever-changing world of software development and business, relentless improvement ensures that organizations can adapt to new challenges, continuously enhance their processes, and maintain a competitive edge. It drives long-term success and helps teams stay relevant.

• How SAFe implements relentless improvement: SAFe integrates relentless improvement into every aspect of its framework. It encourages regular inspect and adapt cycles, retrospectives, and Kaizen (continuous improvement) at all levels of the organization. Teams are encouraged to experiment with new techniques, learn from failures, and iterate to improve their practices. This helps organizations refine their processes and increase their effectiveness over time.

Together, these four core values—Alignment, Transparency, Respect, and Relentless Improvement—create a foundation for organizations to scale Agile effectively. They promote a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and goal-oriented work, ultimately ensuring that teams are aligned with business needs and are always striving for better ways of working and delivering value.