%% Last Updated: - [[2021-02-17]] - [[2020-09-06]] - [[2020-09-26]] Related: - [[Productivity]] [[Software Development]] [[Work Methodologies]] [[Shape Up]] %% While it isn't stated one way or another in [[Shape Up: Stop Running in Circles and Ship Work that Matters]], I believe that Shape Up is a methodology that falls under [[Agile]]. ## Similarities ### Fixed, [[Timeboxing|timeboxed]] cycles, variable scope Both encourage limiting projects by duration rather than scope. ### [[Iterative and incremental work]] Shape Up emphasizes the use of [[Prototyping techniques]] and building an "integrated slice" of work incorporating both front-end and back-end elements, then building on that. Agile empasizes [[Continuous Improvement]] where development teams build and improve on existing work in small increments. %%[[CI CD Pipeline]]%% Both encourage small, incremental, and continuous changes in a product. ### [[Cross-functional teams]] Shape Up teams are made of designers (front-end) and programmers (back-end). Agile teams, while generally larger, are intentionally made up of people from different disciplines. ### [[Self-organizing teams]] Both require teams that are self-organizing and require little initial management. In fact, both methodologies encourage managers to step back and allow development teams the freedom to determine the details of implementation. ### Backlog While Shape Up actively discourages use of backlogs and instead uses "bets" to represent that tackling issues in the list involve a commitment with a potential payout (or potential loss), the two are essentially the same. Pitched work that do not become bets return to the betting table. Shape Up also implies that teams and individuals should maintain their own lists of issues. ## Differences ### Focus [[Agile]] is focused on satisfying customers, and while that is presumably also the end goal of Shape Up, Shape Up's focus seems to be more on mitigating risk. - Reduce risk of not shipping on time by: - In the shaping process: thinking about pitfalls and scope before assigning work so they are mitigated. - In the planning process: timeboxing to six weeks. - If a project runs over, by default it doesn’t get an extension. This “circuit breaker” ensures that we don’t invest multiples of the original appetite on a concept that needs rethinking first. - In the building process: developing with design in mind from the shaping. ### Cycle In Shape Up, a typical [[Shape Up Terminology#^d033e0|cycle]] is six weeks long. In Agile, a sprint usually lasts about two weeks. In both cases, the actual duration may vary. ### Teams Shape Up encourages smaller teams than does Agile (1-2 members per team). For this reason, it's more tailored towards startups and smaller companies. Team permanence: Shape Up teams are temporary and selected during the [[Betting on shaped work (Shape Up)|betting phase]] by managers. Agile teams are selected once and persist in perpetuity. Shape Up requires two types of teams (shapers and builders), whereas in Agile and Scrum methodologies, there is only one team that is fully responsible for shaping _and_ building. ### Definition of work on "backlog" In other Agile methodologies, items on the backlog are not fully fleshed out. In Shape Up, work is shaped before it is pitched. Shaping is a key element of Shape Up. ![[Basecamp's Shape Up: how different is it really from Scrum?#^a3cc7f]]