Overview
One of the key construct of the SAFe® is the Architectural Runway, where ART Backlogs are broken down in Big Room Plannings (BRP) lasting from 8 to 12 weeks. To extend the architectural runway, enablers are used to support the activities needed to provide the future business/functional functionalities. Enablers can be of type - Exploratory, Infrastructure, Compliance, and Architectural. Enablers are intended for creating the platform & relevant technology landscape for the upcoming/future BRPs and ensure that business epics developed in this next increment will work as expected.
Enablers
Therefore, the term “runway” like a plane landing on a runway. To accelerate functionality implementations, the architectural runway, architect community (Enterprise, Principal, Solution, System, etc) create these enabler that contain information on application architecture, infrastructure, technology recommendations or regulatory requirements.
Driving the Architectural Runway
To drive the Architectural Runway, SAFe® recommends a specific approach for Solution Architecture & Design. Agile development avoids big design up-front (BDUF) with a simple belief that “the best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams. To accomplish this concept, below Architectural best practice are followed in creating and maintaining the runway.
Emergent Design: defining and extending the architecture only as necessary to deliver the next increment of functionality.
Intentional Architecture: Intentional architecture accounts for the systemic design considerations and provides purposeful, planned architectural guidelines that enable the independent work of Agile teams to be integrated into a cohesive, sustainable solution.
