Measure and Grow: SAFe Business Agility Self‑Assessment Guide

Measure and Grow is the method SAFe portfolios use to evaluate their progress toward business agility and to determine the next improvement steps.

The SAFe Business Agility Self‑Assessment is built around seven core competencies, each split into three dimensions, resulting in 21 measurable statements.

The process consists of six steps:

Facilitate effective self‑assessment of Business Agility.

Analyze the results, identifying variances and problematic dimensions.

Identify growth opportunities, using recommended actions such as training, coaching, learning opportunities, and toolkits.

Prioritize and take action, applying WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First) to select high‑value opportunities.

Integrate learning by re‑evaluating progress each Program Increment or twice a year.

Celebrate successes to motivate further improvement.

Two facilitation patterns are possible: (1) participants fill the assessment individually then discuss results, or (2) participants discuss each statement together to reach consensus. The facilitator should choose the pattern based on group dynamics and time constraints.

Prioritization uses economic ranking (WSJF) to compare opportunities, as illustrated in a sample spreadsheet (Figure 2). Selected opportunities are placed in the appropriate backlog (LACE, Portfolio, or Program) for implementation.

Celebrating milestones—such as moving from one level to the next in any dimension—helps inspire teams and can be gamified to further drive engagement and continuous improvement.

References: Heath & Heath, *The Power of Moments*; Dunning‑Kruger effect (Wikipedia).