The Agile Reset

The Manifesto

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."

Based on 20+ years experience • Proven at scale • Battle-tested in chaos

Through this work, we have come to value:

Six fundamental shifts from velocity theater to sustainable reality

FROM
Velocity Metrics
TO
Human Sustainability

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.

FROM
Engineers as Executors
TO
Engineers as Architects

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.

FROM
Heroic Sprints
TO
Sustainable Pace

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.

FROM
Story Points
TO
Code Quality

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.

FROM
Rushed Features
TO
Thoughtful Design

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.

FROM
Process
TO
Context

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.

Guiding Principles

The foundational truths that enable engineers to build sustainable, high-quality software

01

The Engineer's Voice is Sacred

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.

02

Estimates Are Not Commitments

An estimate is a guess with uncertainty. A commitment is a promise with accountability. Treating estimates as commitments creates a culture of lying.

03

Technical Debt Is Not Inevitable

Technical debt is a conscious choice, not an unavoidable reality. Every shortcut has a cost. Make the cost visible, then decide consciously.

04

Sustainable Beats Heroic

Heroes burn out. Systems built on heroism collapse when the heroes leave. Build systems that work with normal human effort, not extraordinary sacrifice.

05

Quality Is Not Negotiable

You can negotiate scope, timeline, or features. You cannot negotiate quality without paying compound interest in bugs, incidents, and team morale.

06

Context Requires Understanding

Scrum Masters and Product Owners must understand the technical domain they manage. Ignorance doesn't excuse bad decisions—it amplifies them.

07

Metrics Measure, They Don't Manage

Velocity, story points, and burn-down charts are indicators, not goals. Optimizing for the metric optimizes away the value.

08

The Right to Say No

Engineers must have the power to refuse impossible deadlines, reject bad requirements, and challenge harmful processes—without fear of retribution.

09

Meetings Are Work, Not Extra

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.

10

Health Over Velocity

Mental health, physical health, and quality of life are not things to sacrifice for sprint goals. No deadline is worth a developer's wellbeing.

A Functional and Fair Ecosystem

Engineers are the fundamental piece, but sustainable software requires a balanced system where every role is respected and empowered

Engineers

RESPONSIBILITY

Speak truth about complexity, timeline, and tradeoffs—even when uncomfortable.

RIGHTS
  • Say no to impossible demands
  • Time for quality work
  • Respect for expertise

Scrum Masters

RESPONSIBILITY

Protect the team from external pressure and internal dysfunction.

RIGHTS
  • Challenge harmful processes
  • Question velocity worship
  • Defend sustainable pace

Product Owners

RESPONSIBILITY

Prioritize ruthlessly and understand technical constraints deeply.

RIGHTS
  • Honest estimates from engineers
  • Partnership not demands
  • Sustainable roadmaps

Executives

RESPONSIBILITY

Measure outcomes, not activity. Value delivered, not story points burned.

RIGHTS
  • Realistic timelines
  • Sustainable growth
  • Quality over theater

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 Choice

The Old Way

Optimize for velocity. Burn out teams. Accumulate technical debt. Watch productivity collapse in final phases. Repeat.

OR

The Reset

Optimize for sustainability. Respect human capacity. Build quality code. Watch value compound over time. Thrive.

What will you choose?

Read the Full Story

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.

Voices from the Reset

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."

Engineering Director
Financial Services

"Our team turnover dropped from 60% to 15% after adopting sustainable practices. People stay when they're not burning out."

CTO
Scale-up

"We deliver more value at 40 hours/week than we ever did at 60. Rested engineers make better decisions."

Team Lead
SaaS Platform