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SAFe for Hardware

SAFe for Hardware With SAFe for Hardware (SHWA) Certification

Apply SAFe in complex hardware environments

SAFe® for Hardware is a two-day certification course designed for hardware-reliant organisations that need to accelerate learning, reduce risk, and respond to change without compromising quality or compliance.

Hardware products can’t always ship in small increments. But hardware development can be structured for incremental learning, earlier validation, and faster feedback.

This course bridges traditional engineering approaches with modern Lean-Agile practices. Participants learn how to:

Shift learning left using digital simulation, prototyping, and staged validation
Organise around value instead of functional silos
Specify solutions incrementally to manage uncertainty
Integrate compliance and quality activities throughout development
Strengthen collaboration across teams and suppliers

The result is faster learning cycles, improved coordination, and more responsive hardware delivery in complex environments.

This course is available for corporate delivery
We deliver SAFe for Hardware for organisations and teams who want to train multiple participants together in their own context.

Request Corporate Training

What Our Clients Say

Piyumali Perera Change and Capability Director, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, NZ

It's been great to have had the time to complete a course and obtain my certification as a Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Program Consultant. A huge thanks to Em Campbell-Pretty and Adrienne Wilson from Pretty Agile for running such a well structured and engaging course across multiple time zones!

Matthias Prilipp Product Manager - New Technologies, Porsche Cars Australia Pty.Ltd.

The Agile Product Management certification has been a great introduction to the Scaled Agile Framework. Em and Adrienne cover all important areas of modern agile product management and have given me the tools to apply the principles of the framework to my day-to-day business. I did enjoy the online format as it gave me more flexibility and allowed us to discuss the framework in an international context with participants from overseas. The team from Pretty Agile made this a seamless experience and I’m looking forward to my next course.

Judith van der Linden Agile Program Change Manager, Chevron

I thoroughly enjoyed your ‘Implementing SAFe’ class in July. I have to admit, I was a bit worried about what the virtual experience would be like but you have it down to an art (pun intended :). The four days flew by, thanks to the mix of engaging facilitators, well timed breaks and seamless technology. I hope virtual options remain a permanent offering for training providers as it opens up more opportunities, especially if for those not based on the East Coast. Keep up the great work

Natalie Cryan Director UoA Online

I just wanted to send a quick note to say thank you for your expert facilitation and training during the Leading SAFe sessions last week. I'm always amazed by how seamlessly you handle the time-zone challenge and how you maintain such energy and stamina across two incredibly long and intensive days. It makes such a difference to the learning experience, and I really appreciated it.

Jeffrey Davidson Founder, Leading Great Teams, LLC

With experience in agile, scrum, SAFe, and training I didn't want to take any class. I wanted to take training from someone who understands how to share information, engage the (virtual) classroom, and use their experience to get beyond the wordy slides and talk about real-world implementations. And the person I wanted training from more than anyone else is Em Campbell-Pretty. She and Adrienne did a marvellous job and kept me engaged despite the 9-hour time difference. Yes, my class started at 5:30PM local and ran until 2:30AM. And it was worth it!

Len Walter Chief Technology Officer/CTO/CIO from startup to ASX300

Really enjoyed the Implementing SAFe course from the guys at Pretty Agile. If anyone's hesitant to invest in training while it's all happening over Zoom, I say - don't! With the right approach and tools, the four days flew by. SAFe 5 has gone beyond large-scale product development into the mindset and culture to increase whole-of-business agility. I wonder if we're seeing the early results of that in the rapid business transformation in response to COVID at telcos and banks, frequent adopters of SAFe.

Why train with Pretty Agile for SAFe for Hardware?

SAFe for Hardware is about applying Lean-Agile thinking to complex, real-world engineering. It needs to be taught by someone who understands both SAFe and engineering.

Delivered by Adrienne Wilson — SAFe Fellow and Aerospace Engineer

Adrienne combines deep SAFe expertise with an engineering background. She understands the realities of hardware development: long lead times, supplier constraints, compliance pressure, and multi-disciplinary design.

Practical, not theoretical

This is not a generic Agile course with hardware examples added in. The class works through real hardware challenges using SAFe practices such as incremental specification, shifting learning left, and integrating compliance continuously.

Aligned to Scaled Agile guidance

The course is the official two-day SAFe for Hardware certification, focused on bridging traditional engineering with modern Lean-Agile practices.

Designed for enterprise impact

For in-house delivery, we tailor discussion and exercises to your product context, system constraints, and organisational structure. The goal is not just understanding the model, but applying it to your environment.

Who should attend?

SAFe for Hardware is designed for professionals working in hardware-reliant environments who need to improve flow, reduce risk, and respond faster to change.

This includes:

Systems engineers
Product managers and program managers responsible for hardware solutions
Engineering leaders and functional managers
Mechanical, electrical, and other engineering practitioners
Teams working in regulated or compliance-heavy environments

The course bridges traditional engineering practices with Lean-Agile ways of working, helping hardware organisations apply SAFe in a way that fits their context.

What does private delivery include?

SAFe for Hardware is a two-day, instructor-led course delivered in-house for your organisation.

Private delivery includes:

Two full days of immersive training (either in person or online)
Approximately 40% of time spent in hands-on, collaborative exercises
Practical application using hardware-relevant scenarios
Guidance on applying incremental development, shifting learning left, and integrating compliance continuously
Access to the SAFe for Hardware certification assessment and digital badge for those who complete all required elements

The focus is on applying Lean-Agile principles to complex hardware systems while maintaining regulatory and quality standards.

Are there prerequisites?

There are no formal prerequisites.

However, the course is most valuable for participants who:

Have experience in hardware development, systems engineering, or product delivery
Are familiar with basic Agile or SAFe concepts
Are involved in improving development flow, coordination, or compliance practices

For organisations earlier in their SAFe journey, we can advise on sequencing with other courses as part of a broader capability uplift.

SAFe for Hardware applies proven Lean-Agile principles in a hardware-specific context.

It helps organisations improve outcomes in complex hardware environments by focusing on:

Faster learning through earlier validation and feedback
Stronger collaboration across multi-disciplinary teams and suppliers
Earlier risk discovery and mitigation
Flexibility to respond to change without losing control of quality and compliance

This course bridges traditional engineering practices with modern Lean-Agile ways of working, while recognising the realities of hardware delivery.

Course workbook (physical & digital)
SAFe Big Picture and Implementation Roadmap handouts
Access to the certification quiz and for those who attend the entire course
One-year membership to SAFe Studio (if this is your first SAFe certification)
Course certificate of completion
E-learning courses to help you prepare for the class
Fun Pretty Agile swag
Postage of physical materials

Attendees must attend both days of the course to be eligible to take the SAFe for Hardware end of course assesmsment.

To earn the SAFe for Hardware (SHWA) certification and digital badge, learners must complete all required course elements, including the end-of-course assessment.

The assessment is delivered as a completion quiz. It can be retaken if needed at no additional cost.

Participants learn practical approaches for applying SAFe in hardware-reliant environments, including how to:

Shift learning left using digital simulation, prototyping, and staged validation
Design solutions and organisations for change so teams can evolve designs independently
Organise around value to reduce handoffs, delays, and rework
Specify and evolve solutions incrementally to manage uncertainty and shorten learning cycles
Continually address compliance and quality concerns throughout development, not just at the end
Improve communication and coordination across teams and suppliers

This is focused on immediately usable practices for complex, multi-year system development.