ITIL vs SAFe: Definition, Benefits, Frameworks & Principles | StarAgile

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ITIL vs SAFe: Definition, Benefits, Frameworks & Principles | StarAgile

ITIL vs SAFe, there is so much difference between, lets Explore the principles, benefits Frameworks and Definitions of these two and find which is right fit.
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Mar 25, 2025
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Information technology is one of the largest industries worldwide. It provides a varied range of services to other industries, including software development, cybersecurity, cloud computing, network management, data backup and recovery, IT consulting, and help desk support. The IT industry is implementing new changes and new frameworks to improve the efficiency of its services. 

IT industries are looking for an efficient framework to enhance the quality of their services. Industries often find it difficult to select anyone from ITIL vs SAFe frameworks. I am an agile release train engineer and have worked under SAFe framework. I have seen the benefits of using SAFe framework, and I would like to share a comparison of ITIL and  SAFe framework. This blog will share all the ins and outs of the ITIL and SAFe framework.

What is ITIL?

ITIL, or Information Technology Infrastructure Library, is a framework that is used to guide processes and help to match services with business goals. ITIL implementation improves the quality and efficiency of service management and asset management. 

The framework works on a structured operation to manage the service. The structured operation includes processes like, 

  1. Service Strategy
  2. Service Design
  3. Service Transition
  4. Service Operation
  5. Continuous Service Improvement

ITIL evolves based on industrial needs, and the present version used is ITIL 4, which was first implemented in 2019. Thirty-four management practices are included for more effective management. These practices are divided into 3 major categories like

  1. General Management Practices
  2. Service Management Practices
  3. Technical Management Practices

Organisations adopting ITIL are experiencing noticeable positive outcomes in all their services. 

What is SAFe?

Agile implementation has revolutionised many organisations from different industries. For larger organisations, adopting agile practices requires a structured framework to help with successful agile transformation. Scaled Agile Framework has emerged as a mandatory approach to support this process. SAFe is an agile framework developed for improving the actions of teams. The foundation of the framework consists of 3 bases, namely Program, Portfolio, and Team.

Furthermore, SAFe gives flexibility to the product team. It helps to handle some challenges that larger organisations face when practising Agile. A SAFe framework is based on principles like economic view, iterative methods, and more.

Enroll for the SAFe Training in Delhi to master essential skills like PI planning, portfolio management, and continuous delivery. 

Major Principles of ITIL

The principles are more important to make framework as the best approach for any organisation. The organisation can choose ITIL framework if the principles match their business requirement   ITIL framework is based on 7 principles, such as:

1. Focus on value 

Nowadays, users and customers are considering the value of the product or service to evaluate the organisation. Improving the value of the product is an important principle in ITIL. Organisations must collect important feedback and requirements from users to improve the quality and value of the service or product. 

2. Start where you are

When an organisation plans for future upgradation, the decisions should be made without eliminating existing important features. All the important features involved in any process must be unchanged. 

3. Iterative Method

Iterative methods are helpful these days to quickly bring a product to market. The iterative approach involves developing a product with minimum features and upgrading it. User feedback must be collected, and changes must be made according to it.

4. Promote Collaboration 

Organisations require effective communication and collaboration, which will help in finding defects quicker than usual. Collaboration also helps with time management and reduces chances of deviations.

5. Work with Bigger Picture

Information technologies involve many interconnected processes. The organisation must take any action to the process after considering the existing process as the same and make a bigger picture of possible property and flow changes.

6. Keep it Easier

It is mandatory to consider every process, person or resource involved. It is better to maintain the process in simple and achievable terms. The members involved will find it easier to complete them quicker without any issues if it is simple. By finishing all simple parts of the product, it can reach the market earlier than usual timing. 

7. Automation

It is mandatory to use all principles in an organisation for effective outcomes. The processes must follow a streamlined approach. Including automation in possible ways to the process involved will increase quicker outcomes.

ITIL framework follows all the above 7 principles to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their product or service. 

Principles of SAFe

Agile transition has resulted in many effective outcomes for organisations from different industries. The SAFe framework guides larger organisations towards effective agile transformation. Here are the vital principles,

1. Economical View

The SAFe helps organisations to concentrate on providing products or services within the budget. The team works to reduce the risks, delays, or operational costs involved in a process. All these inspections help in maintaining the cost as per the budget plan. 

2. Apply Systems Thinking

The employees involved in the process must better understand the system's goals to produce a better output. Planning, operation, and workflow must be changed only after considering all involved actions.

3. Assume Variability

Team members must work together to find variations possible in a project. This will help to handle deviations or variations in a project. The main role of agile methodologies is to remain adaptive to unexpected changes to the scope. 

4. Incremental method

Agile follows the iterative type of implementation process. This iteration-type process helps in the adaptation of feedback and making changes. If any new requirements need to be added, the incremental method is best.

5. Fix Milestones for Evaluation

Establishing clear milestones will help eliminate working based on assumptions and enhance working techniques. Fixing milestones helps in evaluation on a regular basis, to look all checkboxes of the process are ticked.  

6. Make Continuous Value Flow

Organisations must understand the process and workflow involved, and decisions or new implementations made shouldn’t affect existing processes. The mandatory process and value flow must stay constant. 

7. Importance of Cadence

To improve quality of service or product, maintaining Cadence unaffected is important. Regular updates to the rhythm of organisation are made to keep it relevant. Cross-domain planning will help implement new processes without affecting the existing rhythm.  

8. Intrinsic Motivation

It is best to bring out team collaboration and motivation in larger organisations. Agile provides autonomy and power to team. This process helps provide creative ideas and take required actions.

9. Decentralized Decision Making

Instead of following a top-down decision system, it is better to create a decentralised approach. Since Agile follows continuous upgradation, it requires frequent decision-making. It will be much more effective when an employee involved in a particular situation makes the decision. 

10. Enhance Product Value

If the organisation needs to reach great heights and sustain the competition, it is important to concentrate on improving its values. Improving the values of service or product based on the feedback and customer satisfaction is required to sustain. 

Benefits of ITIL vs SAFe

If you are selecting between ITIL vs SAFe, knowing their benefits will be beneficial. Here are some major benefits of each framework. 

Benefits Of ITIL Framework 

1. Improved Quality of Service or Product

ITIL concentrates on providing quality services or products to sustain the competition. Regular feedback from the users is collected, and respective changes are made to the service or product. This continuous improvement process maintains the quality of services or products. 

2. Explore Customer Satisfaction 

ITIL framework helps collect feedback and observe the market to provide service through new processes and techniques. The framework helps match the business requirements with the user expectations to sustain the product in the market. The relevant methods will keep the customer satisfied with the product or service.

3. Maintain the Business Alignment

ITIL principles help the employees align requirements with the business goals. This avoids any deviation from business goals and expectations. Principles and decisions are made after considering the business goals. This process helps maintain the service or product within a business goal. 

4. Effective Resource Management

Human resources, cost involved, and other resources involved are managed using ITIL principles. Effective resource management helps improve productivity and reduce loss. 

5. Consistent

Keeping the process consistent helps organisations reduce the costs and errors involved. ITIL framework helps maintain consistency, which provides an advantage in a competitive environment.

Do you want to know more about IITL vs PMP Certification how they impact in your Career Path

Benefits of SAFe Framework 

1. Increase Productivity of Organisation

Scaled Agile Framework enhances planning and cross-team collaboration, increasing an organisation's productivity. Scaled Agile has reported that organisations with the SAFe framework have improved production by 20% to 50%.

2. Less Time needed for Production

The organisation improves productivity by cross-checking and upgrading processes and techniques. The iteration type of approach allows the organisation to launch the minimum viable product to the customer and make the required upgrade. Organisations with SAFe framework take the product to the market 30-75% quicker than others.  

3. Concentrate on Quality of Product 

It is very important to maintain strict quality control measures to ensure that output meets the quality standards. Collect the customer feedback to identify areas for improvement. Employees require training to improve the process and get better output.

4. Improved Customer Satisfaction

Organisations must look at providing service or developing a product based on customer requirements. Create effective customer support to find out and clarify issues. Increased customer satisfaction will increase new customers and maintain existing customers in the organisation.

5. Improved Transparency within the Team

Improve visibility and communication within an organisation. Everyone must be aware of policies, pricing, and processes. Employees must be aware of changes and new additions through updated details. All information should be accessible to everyone in the team, Do you want to know How and What is the Value Stream in SAFe?

ITIL vs SAFe : Key Factors

After learning about ITIL and SAFe, if you are still in a dilemma, there are certain factors to consider when choosing ITIL v SAFe frameworks. 

1. Basic Requirements

If an organisation requires a framework for agile transformation and guidance to improve collaboration, then choose SAFe.  The organisation that needs support in aligning IT services with business needs, IT service management,  and enhancing the stability of IT services choose ITIL.

2. Based on Outcomes

If the organisation needs improved agility, innovation, and responsiveness, then the SAFe framework will be suitable. If an organisation needs to improve IT service delivery and governance, an ITIL framework will be suitable.

3. Team Preference 

SAFe Framework can be used in organisations involving multiple processes and cross-functional agile teams. Agile works best to create communication and develop transparent operations within an organisation. ITIL framework is well-suited for an organisation’s output service or product quality. 

Based on all these conditions, choose wisely between ITIL and SAFe. If you need to begin your career in ITIL framework, then you must do ITIL certification. If you need to work in the SAFe framework, then select SAFe Agilist certification. 

Explore more about IITL vs Agile that helps you to explore more about each and every factor so that you can choose which is best for you.

In Nutshell

It is important to structure an organisation’s operations and operate within guidance frameworks. It provides structure for operation and aligns the organisation to a business goal. Successful adoption of a framework helps to improve efficiency, effective decision-making, and enhanced outcomes.

You can select between ITIL vs SAFe based on the organisational requirements. Knowledge of the framework and practices involved is required to improve its efficiency. The SAFe certification process can help implement the framework and guide the teams through its principles. 

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About Author
Ishwin Khokhar

Corporate Trainer

Experienced Agile Coach with more than a decade of experience in transforming organizations through Agile methodologies. Specializing in SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework), I guide teams to drive continuous improvement, enhance collaboration, and achieve business agility at scale. Passionate about fostering a culture of innovation.    

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