Implementing SAFe in Jira and handling with problems?

[Erdogan Yildiz]

Dear all!

We're now give the start for SAFe and will use the full SAFe Configuration.

Portfolio -> Capabilities -> Features -> (Enabler)Story

We are developing multiple products with multiple teams. Most of our teams are not really cross-functional, which means one teams is not able to develop a "User Story". We will use instead of "User Story" an "Enabler Story". There also teams who could finish a single "User Story". So will use both of them.

Which means our "Deliverable packages" will be "Features" due to SAFe.

We created a project for Portfolio Issues.

We created a project for Capabilities.

We created one project per product. (The Stories will have a team field.)

We are using Structure (ALMWorks).

I have multiple questions we are now confronting.

1. Shall we use the system "Epic" Issue or create a "custom"-Epic for Features?

The Features should be delivered with releases, printed out in release notes, and so on.
As i mentioned before Features can only finish by multiple teams. One Feature is implemented in one product.

2. If multiple teams working on multiple products, so we will use a "Team"-Field in Stories. The Team Scrum Boards will only show the Stories with the right Team. 

If a user creates a Story in their Board (which is an orphan due to SAFe), the Story disappears from that Board, because the Users are not filling the Team Field.

How can we handle this?

An alternative way implementing SAFe in Jira will like this, but we are not sure how limited we will be if we are using the system "Epic"-Issue.

Portfolio (PORT Project) -> Capability (CAP Project) -> Epic (In Product Projects) -> Story

Thank you in advance for any help.

[Danny]

Hello @Erdogan Yildiz

Hopefully I can make a few suggestions to help with your SAFe configuration:

1. I would suggest you use Epics in Jira, it is why they are there as an issue type. Why "reinvent the wheel", as the saying goes, use what Jira has out-of-the-box as what is there will have the most support within Jira and your teams will get the most value from it. 
2. You mentioned you were using ALMWorks' Structure app. What was the decision to use this instead of Atlassian's Portfolio for Jira? Portfolio for Jira has a Teams field and more to achieve SAFe.
3.  If a user creates a Story in their Board (which is an orphan due to SAFe), the Story disappears from that Board, because the Users are not filling the Team Field. In Jira's Administration setting you could alter the field configuration scheme for an Issue type or all issues within a project to make the Team field a required field to fill out during the initial creation process. 

Some overall thoughts and questions I had:

• Your alternative method at the end of your post sounds simpler, and if you are just starting with SAFe I would suggest starting simple and increase complexity if there is value in it. 
• You mention your current teams cannot deliver a Story as they are not cross-functional. Could you clarify on this? 
• You seem to be making a great effort to achieve SAFe and I wish you and your teams the best of luck. 

Hope this helps,

Danny