Handbook

SAFe — roles

Purpose: Define SAFe role accountabilities at team and program levels, map them to blueprint archetypes, and clarify participation in SAFe events.

Normative source: Scaled Agile Framework — role definitions are SAFe's; this file maps them to the blueprint.

1. Team-level roles

These are identical to single-team Agile roles; SAFe does not redefine them.

Role Accountability Archetype emphasis
Product Owner Owns Team Backlog; defines, prioritizes, and accepts stories; collaborates with Product Management on feature decomposition. Sponsor proxy + Orchestrator
Scrum Master / Team Coach Facilitates team-level Agile practices; removes impediments; coaches on Scrum/Kanban/XP. Orchestrator + Quality advocate
Developers Cross-functional members who design, build, test, and deliver the iteration increment. Implementer + Quality advocate

2. Program-level roles (ART)

Role Accountability Archetype emphasis
Release Train Engineer (RTE) Servant leader for the ART. Facilitates PI Planning, I&A, ART Sync. Manages risks, escalates impediments, drives relentless improvement. Orchestrator (program-level) + Quality advocate (flow)
Product Management Owns the Program Backlog. Defines features, accepts features at System Demo, communicates vision and roadmap to teams. Works with Business Owners on priorities. Sponsor proxy + Orchestrator
System Architect / Engineer Defines and evolves architectural runway. Participates in PI Planning to guide enabler work. Reviews cross-team technical decisions. Implementer (architectural) + Quality advocate (NFRs)
Business Owners Key stakeholders accountable for business outcomes of the ART. Participate in PI Planning (assign business value to PI Objectives) and I&A. Sponsor

3. Large Solution and Portfolio roles (when applicable)

Role Accountability
Solution Train Engineer (STE) Facilitates Solution-level events; coordinates multiple ARTs.
Solution Management Owns the Solution Backlog; defines capabilities across ARTs.
Solution Architect System-of-systems architecture; cross-ART technical alignment.
Epic Owners Shepherd epics through the portfolio Kanban; develop Lean business cases.
Lean Portfolio Management (LPM) Strategic themes, Lean budgets, portfolio governance, value stream funding.

4. Event participation matrix

Event RTE Product Mgmt System Arch PO SM Developers Business Owners
PI Planning Facilitates Presents vision, prioritizes features Architecture briefing Participates with team Facilitates team breakout Plan and commit Assign business value
Iteration Planning Optional Optional Optional Facilitates Facilitates Plan and commit —
Daily Stand-up — — Optional Participates Facilitates Drive —
Iteration Review Optional Attends Optional Facilitates Facilitates Demo Optional
System Demo Facilitates Accepts features Reviews integration Supports — Demo Attends
I&A Facilitates Participates Participates Participates Participates Participates Participates
ART Sync Facilitates Participates Participates SM or PO delegate Participates Delegate —
Iteration Retro Optional — — Participates Facilitates Drive —

5. Role boundaries (prescriptive)

Boundary Guidance
PO ≠ Product Management PO owns team-level stories; Product Management owns program-level features. PO does not independently define features.
RTE ≠ project manager RTE facilitates and serves; does not assign work or dictate team plans.
System Architect ≠ ivory tower Participates in team work, writes code, pairs — not just diagrams and reviews.
Business Owners ≠ passive sponsors Active participants in PI Planning and I&A; not just quarterly status consumers.
SM ≠ RTE SM serves one team; RTE serves the ART. SM escalates ART-level impediments to RTE.

6. References