Shaping Up Your Product Development: A Deep Dive into Shape-Up

The Shape-Up Methodology: Sculpting Success in Product Development

Hey there, product practitioners! Are you ready to chisel your way to success with the Shape-Up Methodology? Let's dive into the art of product development and discover why it's more about the lifecycle than just a checklist of processes.

Table of contents:

• Introduction to Shape-Up Methodology
• Comparing Shape-Up with Agile and Waterfall
• Shaping: Defining the Problem and Solution
• Betting: Allocating Resources and Prioritizing Projects
• Building: Executing the Shaped Projects in Cycles
• Integrating Shape-Up with Your Existing Processes
• Customizing Shape-Up for Your Organization's Unique Needs

Introduction to Shape-Up Methodology

Picture this: You're an artist with a vision, but instead of marble or clay, your medium is the product development lifecycle. Enter the Shape-Up Methodology, a sculpting tool designed by Ryan Singer ( 37signals ) to build products better.

Shape-Up breaks the dogma of traditional project management. It's not about ticking boxes or following a rigid plan. It's about shaping, betting, and building – transforming vague ideas into products that customers find useful. It's a flexible framework that adapts to the unpredictable nature of our work, allowing teams to focus on what truly matters: solving real problems with great solutions.

But why does this matter more than a list of processes? Because, my friends, product development is a journey. It's unpredictable, filled with twists and turns, and requires a methodology that's just as dynamic and responsive. Shape-Up is that methodology. It's the guiding hand that helps teams navigate the complex landscape of building products that resonate with users and stand the test of time.

Comparing Shape-Up with Agile and Waterfall

Let's put Shape-Up in the ring with Agile and Waterfall and see how it measures up

• Agile is like jazz – it's all about improvisation and flexibility. Teams work in sprints, delivering incremental (daily/weekly/bi-weekly) updates to the product, reacting to feedback, and constantly iterating.
• Waterfall, on the other hand, is like a symphony – composed, with each section (or phase) following the other in a linear fashion.

Shape-Up, though? It's the rock band (of product development methodologies). It's got the structure of set cycles (like albums), but within those cycles, there's room for creativity and improvisation. Here's how it stands out:

• Shaping: This is the jam session where ideas are fleshed out. Unlike Agile's user stories or Waterfall's requirements documents, shaping involves defining the problem and sketching out a solution that's ripe for development – but not so detailed that it stifles creativity. I would say, that we stop shaping when the product reaches production!
• Betting: Think of this as setting the tour dates. Instead of committing to a long-term plan, teams bet on projects for a fixed period, usually four to six weeks. It's about prioritizing what's most valuable and impactful right now, without getting bogged down by the what-ifs of the future.
• Building: This is the live performance. Teams work in uninterrupted cycles to turn the shaped work into reality. There's no back-and-forth with stakeholders – just focused, heads-down building, followed by a cool-down period to reflect, refine, and prepare for the next cycle.

Shaping: Defining the Problem and Solution

Shaping is where the magic begins. It's the process of turning vague ideas into concrete projects that teams can tackle. But it's not just about dreaming up features; it's about understanding the problem at a deep level and crafting a solution that hits the sweet spot of being shaped enough to guide the team but not so detailed that it stifles innovation.

The initial shaping is done before the betting table. If we want a commitment from the engineering team, we have to let them conduct (among others) the feasibility research. It's a pre-work phase where members of the engineering and product teams take the time to explore and research how hard it will be to deliver. They analyze tech debt and current code base.

In the end, they create a pitch that outlines the problem, the solution, and the rabbit holes to avoid. The pitch is a clear, compelling direction that gives builders the freedom to work within defined boundaries. It's about setting the stage for success without dictating every line of code. It is a Word (or similar) document, not a PowerPoint, we focus on content and not beautiful design. The only designs included in it are either diagrams or fat-marker sketches. Think of it like a Amazon's 6-pager. And it is the beauty of Shape-Up.

Betting: Allocating Resources and Prioritizing Projects

Now, let's talk about betting – it's decision time! In Shape-Up, betting isn't about gambling. It's about making informed choices on which projects to tackle in the next cycle. It's a strategic move that aligns the team's efforts with the company's goals.

During the betting table, stakeholders gather to review pitches from the shaping phase. Each pitch is presented by its author (or a representative of the group). Then the stakeholders, discuss, debate, and ultimately vote on which projects get the green light. It's a commitment, but only for the next cycle, which keeps the stakes manageable and the focus sharp.

The result? A prioritized list of projects that are worth the time now and we have the right resources available. It's a way to ensure that the team is always working on the most impactful initiatives, without getting sidetracked by the flavor-of-the-month features. If a pitch was not selected during this betting table, it is free to be presented again during the next betting. There should not be any backlog, but we all know how is it.

Building: Executing the Shaped Projects in Cycles

With the bets placed, it's time to build. In Shape-Up, building is a sacred time when teams dive deep into their projects, free from distractions and interruptions. It's a four to six-week cycle of focused effort that turns the shaped idea into a tangible product.

But here's the twist: there's no backlog. There is no endless list of tasks hanging over the team's head. Just the project, the team, and the work. And at the end of the cycle, the team presents what they've built – not just a progress report, but a finished piece of work that's ready to ship.

The team is free to conduct Event Storming, Daily standups, weekly meetings or any other ceremonies. In one of the previous editions, I dived into aligning teams for success.

Remember one thing, the time (release date) is strict. We do not prolong cycles. If the project has delays, we conduct Scope Hammering (cutting down the scope of the release). In some scenarios, we decide to cancel the project.

This approach ensures that teams are always shipping – delivering real value to users regularly. It's a rhythm that balances the need for progress with the need for quality, and it's a core reason why Shape-Up resonates with so many product teams.

Integrating Shape-Up with Your Existing Processes

So, you're intrigued by Shape-Up, but you've got existing processes in place. Fear not! Shape-Up is like a Swiss Army knife – versatile and adaptable. The key is to identify the elements of Shape-Up that resonate with your team's needs and integrate them into your workflow.

Start small with low-hanging fruits:

• Adopt the shaping phase to improve project definition. Try out the pitch document as the new Product Requirements Document.
• Conduct a betting meeting to prioritize work for the next quarter or month

The goal is to find the right mix of Shape-Up practices that complement your team's strengths and address your challenges.

Remember, it's not about overhauling everything overnight. It's about evolving your processes in a way that makes sense for your organization, one cycle at a time.

Customizing Shape-Up for Your Organization's Unique Needs

Every organization is a snowflake – unique in its own way. And just like snowflakes, no two product teams are the same. That's why customizing Shape-Up to fit your organization's needs is crucial ???

Maybe your cycles need to be always six weeks. Perhaps you need more frequent check-ins or a different cool-down approach. I have also worked with companies, where during a betting table, some stakeholders have a stronger voting power (i.e., the CEO's vote is equal to 50% of other votes).

The point is, Shape-Up is a starting point, not a straightjacket (like Agile or Waterfall). It's a framework that's meant to be customized to fit your team's culture, goals, and challenges.

The trick is to keep the core principles intact while adapting the specifics. Maintain the focus on shaping, betting, and building, but tweak the details to suit your team's rhythm. That's how you make Shape-Up work for you.

Wrapping Up

Shape-Up represents a new approach to product development that breaks away from traditional methodologies like Agile and Waterfall. It prioritizes flexibility, focused effort, and the delivery of tangible value through cycles of shaping, betting, and building.

Adopting this methodology, even incrementally, can lead to a more efficient and effective product development process, where success is sculpted through thoughtful planning and execution.

In the next edition, I will dig deeper into building effective roadmaps, so stay tuned!