SAFe or Scaled Agile Framework is one of the most commonly used Agile scaling framework. It is a set of tools, workflow patterns and techniques used to implement Lean-Agile principles in an organization. It addresses the challenges faced while scaling Agile beyond a team for product development. It is iterative, systematic, and flexible in nature that makes it easier to deliver customer-satisfactory products. The latest version i.e. SAFe 6.0 has seven core competencies that also form the foundation of the framework:
Lean-Agile Leadership
Team and Technical Agility
Agile Product Delivery
Enterprise Solution Delivery
Lean Portfolio Management
Organizational Agility
Continuous Learning Culture
What is SAFe POPM?
There are many different roles and responsibilities involved in the process of software development and project management. POPM is an abbreviation for Product Owner & Product Manager that is two important roles involved in the process. A SAFe POPM is a certification course that teaches professionals to adopt a customer-centric approach for product building. It trains to handle the responsibilities of these roles in ART. This course gives the necessary guidance to work in a team as well as remotely to deliver effective results.
Product Owner
A Product Owner is a role in a development team who is responsible to deliver maximum value of the product. Their main responsibility is preparation and management of the Product Backlog that prioritizes tasks to be executed by the team. They are the mediators between the customers and the team so they are responsible to understand the needs and plan the process accordingly. To sum up their responsibilities can be divided in three major tasks:
Carry out Product Vision
Create Project’s criteria
Create and manage Product Backlog
Some skills that a Product Owner should own are:
Analytical Skills like Critical Thinking, Logical Reasoning, Data Analysis and Research
Decision Making
Technical Skills like Coding, UX Design, Software Development, etc.
Communication
Collaboration
Resolving issues
Project Management
Product Manager
Product Manager is a role in the development team responsible for designing the product strategy. A Product Manager is responsible to identify the customer needs and the business objectives and align them with process to deliver valuable product. They are usually degree holders in the technical fields such as computer sciences, engineering, MBA or a certification for product management but skilled professionals from non-technical background can also be hired for the role.
Responsibilities of a Product Manager are as follows:
Analysis of customer needs and thorough market research
Examination of the product/service/competition
Collaborating and communicating with different teams involved in the project
Managing the Product Management Lifecycle
Coordinating between the stakeholders and the team
Comparison between Product Owner and Product Manager
Point of Difference | Product Owner | Product Manager |
| Product’s vision, company objectives and market | Functionality of the teams |
| Strategic | Tactical |
| Developing the business map and Product Backlog for the product | Cross-team alignment |
| Technical skills including coding, communication, collaboration, issue resolving skills, etc. | Technical skills, communication, critical thinking, etc. Does not require the expertise of Coding |
| Backlog, Epics, User stories | MVPs , Product Roadmap |
| Completed stories Other metrics related to development team | NPS Conversions Churn Revenue |
Conclusion
SAFe POPM is a certification course that gives a detailed training for two important roles in ART. This is one of the most popular certification courses and is offered on many digital platforms. Acekube is one such platform that provides training of this course and many more that can help you boost your career.
FAQs
1. How does the SAFe POPM certification benefit organizations?
SAFe POPM is one of the most demanded courses as it covers two important roles in the ART that can lead to successful implementation. Here are some of the benefits that the organizations reap from this certification:
It improves the quality of production as there is better understanding of resource usage.
Having deep knowledge about the process and tools increases the efficiency and productivity of the employees.
The tactical knowledge helps to take tough decisions correctly.
Improves communication and collaboration hence removing unwanted blockages from the process.
2. What topics are covered in the POPM certification course?
The topics covered in the SAFe POPM certification course are as follows:
Delivering responsibilities as a Po and PM on a daily basis.
Collaborating with the teams and stakeholders.
Writing Epics, Stories and Features.
Designing, building and testing customer-centric products.
3. How can I get SAFe POPM certified?
SAFe POPM is a course that covers guidance about the two responsibilities and is gaining popularity across the globe. To get certified you can enroll on the official website of Acekube which is a digital platform that offers SAFe courses. There are expert trainers and coaches that provide training at flexible timings. For more details about this course or any other SAFe courses you can contact them through their website.