What is the primary objective of **SAFe**?

**The primary objective of SAFe is to enable Business Agility by scaling Lean-Agile practices across large enterprises.** SAFe achieves this through 10 immutable Lean-Agile principles, such as taking an economic view and organizing around value, integrated with seven core competencies including Lean-Agile Leadership and Continuous Learning Culture. It structures workflows around Agile Release Trains (ARTs) of 50-125 people delivering value in 8-12 week Program Increments (PIs).

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **SAFe**?

**No organizations are legally required to comply with SAFe, as it is a voluntary framework for enterprise agility.** Professionally, large enterprises scaling Agile beyond single teams—particularly in software, IT operations, and regulated sectors like finance or healthcare—adopt SAFe to align hundreds of teams, with over 20,000 enterprises and 1 million certified practitioners using its configurations from Essential to Full SAFe.

Does **SAFe** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**SAFe does not require external audits or third-party certification.** Implementation relies on internal training and certifications like SAFe Agilist, RTE, or SPC through Scaled Agile Academy programs (2-4 days per module), with success measured via PI metrics, Inspect & Adapt workshops, and maturity assessments rather than mandatory external validation.

How often should an assessment for **SAFe** be performed?

**SAFe assessments should be performed continuously through Inspect & Adapt workshops at the end of each 8-12 week Program Increment.** Additional maturity assessments occur pre-implementation via value stream mapping and during rollouts, with ongoing metrics like ART flow, velocity, and competency evaluations supporting relentless improvement.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **SAFe**?

**Non-compliance with SAFe carries no legal penalties, as it is not a regulatory standard.** Internally, failure to follow its roadmap risks misaligned execution, dependency chaos, reduced velocity, and 30-70% transformation failure rates, potentially leading to prolonged time-to-market and lost productivity gains of 30-75%.

Can **SAFe** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, SAFe can be mapped to other international frameworks through its flexible configurations and shared Lean-Agile principles.** Its structures like ARTs and PIs integrate with DevOps pipelines, while competencies align with practices in Scrum, Kanban, LeSS, or DAD, enabling hybrid adaptations for enterprise-scale delivery.

What is the first step to begin implementing **SAFe**?

**The first step to implement SAFe is to train executives in Lean-Agile Leadership via Leading SAFe or SAFe Agilist certification.** This is followed by forming a Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE), conducting value stream assessments, and launching Essential SAFe with an initial ART per the official Implementation Roadmap.

What is the primary objective of **AS9110C**?

**AS9110C's primary objective is to enable aviation maintenance organizations to consistently provide products and services meeting customer and statutory/regulatory requirements while enhancing customer satisfaction through effective QMS application and continual improvement.** It incorporates ISO 9001:2015's Annex SL structure (Clauses 4–10) with aviation-specific additions like configuration management, product safety, counterfeit parts prevention, identification/traceability, preservation, and human factors controls, ensuring continuing airworthiness in MRO environments.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **AS9110C**?

**AS9110C applies to maintenance organizations, repair stations, and continuing airworthiness providers regardless of size, including OEMs with autonomous MRO operations.** It targets entities performing maintenance on commercial, private, and military aircraft/components, where customer contracts, OEM requirements, or regulatory alignments (e.g., FAA/EASA Part-145) mandate it for OASIS listing, supply-chain access, and demonstrable QMS conformity.

Does **AS9110C** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**Yes, AS9110C requires third-party certification through accredited bodies, with initial Stage 1/2 audits followed by surveillance and recertification every three years.** The QMS must be fully operational for at least three months, including a full internal audit cycle and management review, before Stage 2; certification lists organizations in the IAQG OASIS database.

How often should an assessment for **AS9110C** be performed?

**Internal audits for AS9110C must be performed at planned intervals based on process risk, status, and results, with full cycles completed before certification and ongoing thereafter.** Management reviews occur regularly (e.g., annually or per business cycles), using performance data; surveillance audits by certification bodies are typically annual post-certification, with recertification every three years.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **AS9110C**?

**Non-compliance with AS9110C risks loss of certification, exclusion from contracts, regulatory sanctions, and operational shutdowns.** It can lead to OASIS delisting, customer contract termination, FAA/EASA approval revocation, safety incidents from poor traceability/configuration, increased rework/AOG costs, and legal/reputational damage in safety-critical MRO.

An **AS9110C** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, AS9110C aligns directly with ISO 9001:2015 via its Annex SL high-level structure and shares terminology like "documented information" and "external providers."** IAQG correlation matrices facilitate mapping, enabling integrated systems while preserving AS9110C's maintenance-specific controls like counterfeit prevention and configuration management.

What is the first step to begin implementing **AS9110C**?

**The first step is to define the QMS scope, determine internal/external issues (Clause 4), and conduct a gap analysis against Clauses 4–10 using IAQG checklists.** Justify any non-applicable requirements, map regulatory approvals/customer needs, and prioritize high-risk areas like operational planning (Clause 8) for a risk-based implementation roadmap.

SAFe vs AS9110C

Standards Comparison

SAFe

Voluntary

2023

Framework for scaling Lean-Agile in enterprises

AS9110C

Mandatory

2016

International standard for aviation maintenance quality management systems

Quick Verdict

SAFe scales Agile for enterprise software delivery, enabling business agility in IT. AS9110C mandates QMS for aviation maintenance, ensuring airworthiness compliance. Enterprises adopt SAFe for speed; MROs use AS9110C for safety and certification.

Agile Scaling

SAFe

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe 6.0)

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Synchronizes 50-125 teams via Agile Release Trains
Delivers value in 8-12 week Program Increments
Guides with 10 immutable Lean-Agile principles
Scales via 4 configurable levels Essential to Full
Builds agility through 7 interconnected competencies

Quality Management

AS9110C

AS9110C: Quality Management Systems for Aviation Maintenance

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

High

Implementation Time

6-12 months

Key Features

Risk-based thinking in planning and operations
Configuration management and traceability controls
Counterfeit and suspect parts prevention
Product safety and human factors integration
Maintenance release and external provider oversight

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

SAFe Details

What It Is

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe 6.0) is a comprehensive framework for scaling Lean-Agile practices across large enterprises. It integrates Agile, Lean, and systems thinking to enable Business Agility, coordinating hundreds of teams in software and IT operations via structured patterns from team to portfolio levels.

Key Components

Agile Release Trains (ARTs) (50-125 people) and Solution Trains for complex systems.
10 immutable Lean-Agile principles (e.g., economic view, organize around value).
7 core competencies (e.g., Lean-Agile Leadership, Continuous Learning Culture).
**4 configurationsEssential, Large Solution, Portfolio, Full.
Cadence-based Program Increments (PIs) (8-12 weeks), PI Planning, artifacts like roadmaps. No formal certification for framework, but role-based training (e.g., RTE, SPC).

Why Organizations Use It

Drives faster time-to-market (20-50%), productivity gains (30-75%), quality improvements. Aligns strategy-execution, embeds compliance (GDPR, SOC 2). Builds employee engagement, competitive edge in regulated industries via flow and governance.

Implementation Overview

Phased roadmap: value stream mapping, leadership training (SAFe Agilist), ART launches. Applies to large enterprises in IT/software; tools like Jira Align, Vanta. SPC-led, metrics-driven via Inspect & Adapt. (178 words)

AS9110C Details

What It Is

AS9110C (AS9110:2016 Rev C) is an international quality management system (QMS) standard for aviation maintenance organizations (MROs), such as repair stations. It builds on ISO 9001:2015 with aerospace-specific requirements for continuing airworthiness, using a risk-based thinking approach via Annex SL structure and PDCA cycle.

Key Components

Core clauses 4–10 covering context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement.
Aviation additions: configuration management, counterfeit parts prevention, product safety, traceability, human factors.
Based on ISO 9001:2015 HLS; no fixed control count, emphasizes documented information.
Certification via accredited bodies, listed in IAQG OASIS.

Why Organizations Use It

Meets customer/OEM contracts, regulatory alignment (FAA/EASA).
Mitigates safety risks, ensures traceability for airworthiness.
Boosts market access, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction.
Builds trust with regulators, insurers, stakeholders.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, process design, training, audits (6-12 months typical).
Applies to MROs globally; requires internal audits, management review.
Certification demands operational evidence post-3 months.

Key Differences

Aspect	SAFe	AS9110C
Scope	Scaling Agile for enterprise software/IT	QMS for aviation maintenance/repair
Industry	Software, IT operations, enterprises	Aerospace MRO, repair stations
Nature	Voluntary scaling framework	Certification quality standard
Testing	PI planning, Inspect & Adapt workshops	Internal audits, certification audits
Penalties	No legal penalties, lost agility	Loss of certification, regulatory sanctions

Scope

SAFe

Scaling Agile for enterprise software/IT

AS9110C

QMS for aviation maintenance/repair

Industry

SAFe

Software, IT operations, enterprises

AS9110C

Aerospace MRO, repair stations

Nature

SAFe

Voluntary scaling framework

AS9110C

Certification quality standard

Testing

SAFe

PI planning, Inspect & Adapt workshops

AS9110C

Internal audits, certification audits

Penalties

SAFe

No legal penalties, lost agility

AS9110C

Loss of certification, regulatory sanctions

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SAFe and AS9110C

SAFe FAQ

AS9110C FAQ

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SAFe

AS9110C

Quick Verdict

SAFe

Key Features

AS9110C

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

SAFe Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

AS9110C Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

SAFe FAQ

What is the primary objective of SAFe?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with SAFe?

Does SAFe require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for SAFe be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with SAFe?

Can SAFe be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing SAFe?

AS9110C FAQ

What is the primary objective of AS9110C?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with AS9110C?

Does AS9110C require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for AS9110C be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with AS9110C?

An AS9110C be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing AS9110C?

You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

SEC Cybersecurity Rules Materiality Determination Framework: Step-by-Step Guide with Checklists and Real-World Examples

SOC 2 Audit Survival Guide: 10 Red Flags Auditors Flag and Model Answers for Walkthroughs

Top 10 NIST CSF 2.0 Myths Busted: Separating Hype from Reality for Smarter Adoption

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

ISO 27001 vs C-TPAT

ISO 37001 vs ISO 56002

CSL (Cyber Security Law of China) vs RoHS