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Principles Over Processes

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Strong principles let you skip most process. Weak principles demand heavy process.

The Tension

Process provides predictability: checklists, gates, approvals. Principles provide direction: core beliefs people apply case by case. Too much process slows good teams; too few principles leave bad teams drifting.

The Two Sides

How to Navigate

• Write down the principles first. Every process should trace to one.
• When a process exists "because we've always done it," re-derive it from principle.
• Add process where judgement repeatedly fails, not by default.
• Remove process when the principle is strong enough to stand alone.

Example

A code review principle: "ship correct code" — enables light process. A review process without that principle becomes rubber-stamping.

Related

• Shape Up
• Methodology-Driven Products
• Responding to Change Over Following a Plan

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