We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it.
"Through decades of building, breaking, and rebuilding systems—from startups to global financial institutions—we have learned what works and what destroys teams."
Six fundamental shifts from velocity theater to sustainable reality
Engineers are not resources to be optimized—they are humans with finite capacity, families, and lives beyond sprint boundaries.
Why: Burning out teams in the name of speed creates negative velocity in the long term.
The people closest to the code understand the system best. Engineers are architects of sustainable solutions who must be empowered to say 'no' to impossible demands.
Why: Treating engineers as coding machines waiting for tickets wastes their expertise and insight.
The team that works 40 hours consistently will outperform the team working 60 hours inconsistently—always.
Why: Sustainable pace beats heroic effort every time. Marathons require consistent pacing, not constant sprinting.
Clean, maintainable code compounds into faster delivery. Technical debt compounds into system collapse.
Why: Story points measure activity, not value. Quality code is the foundation of sustainable velocity.
A moment of design saves months of debugging. Moving fast and breaking things breaks people too.
Why: Rapid delivery without design creates technical debt that multiplies maintenance costs exponentially.
Every team, system, and domain is unique. Frameworks are starting points, not sacred texts.
Why: Blindly following process without understanding context creates cargo cult practices that harm more than help.
That is, while there is value in the items on the left,
we value the items on the right more.
The foundational truths that enable engineers to build sustainable, high-quality software
When an engineer says 'this will take two weeks,' believe them. When they say 'this is technically impossible,' listen. When they warn of consequences, act.
An estimate is a guess with uncertainty. A commitment is a promise with accountability. Treating estimates as commitments creates a culture of lying.
Technical debt is a conscious choice, not an unavoidable reality. Every shortcut has a cost. Make the cost visible, then decide consciously.
Heroes burn out. Systems built on heroism collapse when the heroes leave. Build systems that work with normal human effort, not extraordinary sacrifice.
You can negotiate scope, timeline, or features. You cannot negotiate quality without paying compound interest in bugs, incidents, and team morale.
Scrum Masters and Product Owners must understand the technical domain they manage. Ignorance doesn't excuse bad decisions—it amplifies them.
Velocity, story points, and burn-down charts are indicators, not goals. Optimizing for the metric optimizes away the value.
Engineers must have the power to refuse impossible deadlines, reject bad requirements, and challenge harmful processes—without fear of retribution.
A daily standup is not 'just 15 minutes.' It's context switching, preparation, and recovery time. Respect that meetings consume more than their calendar time.
Mental health, physical health, and quality of life are not things to sacrifice for sprint goals. No deadline is worth a developer's wellbeing.
Engineers are the fundamental piece, but sustainable software requires a balanced system where every role is respected and empowered
Speak truth about complexity, timeline, and tradeoffs—even when uncomfortable.
Protect the team from external pressure and internal dysfunction.
Prioritize ruthlessly and understand technical constraints deeply.
Measure outcomes, not activity. Value delivered, not story points burned.
The Engineer's Voice Must Be Heard
Not as a blocker, but as the expert closest to reality.
Not as a resource, but as an architect of solutions.
Not as an executor, but as a fundamental piece of a sustainable ecosystem.
The Old Way
Optimize for velocity. Burn out teams. Accumulate technical debt. Watch productivity collapse in final phases. Repeat.
The Reset
Optimize for sustainability. Respect human capacity. Build quality code. Watch value compound over time. Thrive.
What will you choose?
This manifesto is a living document. It evolves with our understanding,
but its core remains: software development must be sustainable for both systems and souls.
Based on real experiences transforming chaos into clarity
"We reduced incidents by 87% by slowing down our deployment cycle by 20%. Sustainability beats velocity every time."
"Our team turnover dropped from 60% to 15% after adopting sustainable practices. People stay when they're not burning out."
"We deliver more value at 40 hours/week than we ever did at 60. Rested engineers make better decisions."