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description: Shape and deliver product work in 6-week cycles using Shape Up
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# Shape Up (Basecamp)

Define work at the right level of abstraction, bet on shaped pitches, and give teams fixed time with variable scope. Use when you want to avoid both micromanagement and unbounded projects.

## Steps

1. **Shaping** — define the problem, set the appetite (how much time it deserves), sketch a solution at the right abstraction level, and identify rabbit holes.
2. **Betting Table** — leadership reviews shaped pitches and bets on which to build in the next 6-week cycle.
3. **Building** — a small team (1 designer + 1-2 developers) gets the full cycle to ship; they decide scope trade-offs.
4. **Cooldown** — 2-week buffer after each cycle for bug fixes, exploration, and prep for next shaping round.
5. **No backlogs** — pitches that are not bet on are discarded; if still important, they can be re-shaped and re-pitched later.

## Output Format

A shaped pitch document containing: problem statement, appetite (time budget), solution sketch with fat-marker wireframes, rabbit holes and no-go boundaries, and a go/no-go betting decision.