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Also known as: Basecamp method, 6-week cycles

Shape Up

TechnicalFrameworksProduct

Definition

Shape Up: Shape Up is a product development methodology from Basecamp that replaces sprints with 6-week cycles, preceded by shaping (senior team defines problem and rough solution) and followed by cooldown (bug fixes, exploration). It gives teams autonomy within fixed timeboxes, trading granular tracking for trust.

Example Usage

“Switching to Shape Up eliminated sprint planning overhead. Teams get shaped problems with 6-week appetite—they figure out how to solve them.”

Common Misconceptions

Just use longer sprints. Shape Up includes shaping, betting table, and autonomy principles—it's a whole methodology.
No deadlines means no accountability. Fixed 6-week appetite is a hard deadline; scope flexes to fit.
Works for any team size. Shape Up was designed for small, senior teams; larger organizations may need adaptation.

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