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Criterion
Paper illustration of Shape Up with its method-specific working model.
Delivery
Shape Up
Paper illustration of an assumption matrix with prioritized test cards
Decision Making
Assumption Surfacing
Four paper stations connect system purpose, quality goals, risk cards and focused investigation with a target and gap profile.
Architecture
LASR (Lightweight Approach for Software Reviews)
A hypothetical failure makes concrete risks, signals, and fitting mitigations visible.
Decision Making
Pre-Mortem
Purposedifferent
Shape Up helps clarify scope, sequence, and delivery flow. It makes work boundaries and decisions explicit and captures results as pitches, bet-table decisions, and hill charts.Plans often contain assumptions that were never openly stated and remain dangerous precisely because of that. Assumption Surfacing makes these silent premises visible and prioritizes which of them carry the initiative or could sink it.LASR helps development teams identify where their software falls short of important quality goals and which improvements to consider. A small group with existing system knowledge can make an initial assessment and investigate open questions in more detail.In early initiatives with many uncertainties, planning quickly turns too optimistic. A pre-mortem makes the expected failure visible in advance and sharpens the view of causes, gaps, and countermeasures.
Complexitydifferent
MediumLowMediumLow
Timedifferent
6 Wochen Cycle + 2 Wochen Cool-Down45-90 min3–4 h for initial assessment; preparation and deeper analysis additional20–45 min
Participantsdifferent
2-4 pro Pitch2-81 or a small team; particularly suitable for 3–4 peopleSmall cross-functional group
Formatdifferent
Workshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop
Outputdifferent
Pitches, Bet-table decisions, Hill charts, Cooldown outcomesAssumption List, Critical Assumptions, Learning PlanLean Mission Statement describing the software’s purpose, Prioritized quality goals and evaluation criteria, Risks and estimated gaps against quality goals, More closely examined findings and open checksRisk list, Mitigation plan, Assumption log
Tagsno overlap
PlanningDeliveryAutonomy
AssumptionsRiskDecisionDiscovery
ArchitectureQualityRiskAssessmentLean
RiskDecisionFailurePlanning
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