The heat map showed us relentlessly where we were just having rituals and where real impact was happening. On this basis, we were finally able to make the right adjustments.
Head of IT Unit
Approximately two years after implementing SAFe® in the business unit, roles and events existed in accordance with the framework (e.g., ARTs, PI Planning, RTE, Product Management, System Architect), but the hoped-for improvements did not materialize.
Initial Situation & Pain Points
Lack of consistency in the workflow process
Unclear role responsibilities
No consistent feature quality in the backlog
Insufficient customer focus
External factors such as traditional purchasing and HR processes further complicated the agile cycle.
Our Approach
Support in setting up a scalable team structure with clear responsibilities
An interdisciplinary team of SAFe and organizational coaches worked in close cooperation with the customer's Lean Agile Center of Excellence (LACE).
Joint implementation of a structured reality check using the SAFe Heatmap developed by CALADE:
Diagnosis through: structured interviews with the relevant roles (RTE, PM, SM, BO), heat map visualizations, artifact reviews, process observations.
Tools and methodologies used.
The results were made transparent in decision-making workshops and translated into a 90-day action plan with clear responsibilities for implementation.
Supporting other teams in the introduction and implementation of agile methods (Scrum & SAFe®)
Results
Time-to-market reduced by approx. 20% through clearer backlog cuts, active dependency management, and consistent system demos.
Rollover rate per PI significantly reduced; forecast accuracy (achieved targets) significantly increased.
Business owners regularly present in Inspect & Adapt routines and system demos led to faster decisions
LACE and RTE collaboration improved: operating model established with few, measurable goals.
Team satisfaction noticeably improved (mood barometer, qualitative feedback).