01—FIVE PRINCIPLES
What Yehi commits to
- Execution-first cycles. A cycle is a selected set of bets. It opens when work is committed and closes when the selected work is terminal and cool-down is complete. No fixed-duration timeboxes.
- Must-ship outcomes over time guesses. Each bet defines the concrete committed result. Appetite is optional prose, not a structural field.
- Explicit scope boundaries. Every bet declares
In ScopeandOut of Scope. Boundaries are commitments, not authorizations to silently cut. - Blocker escalation over quiet cuts. When execution hits a blocker, the next decision surface is created explicitly — a new bet, an ADR, a scope renegotiation. Not silent deferral.
- Deterministic proof before "done." Acceptance criteria and acceptance tests/evals are defined before coding. Verification evidence lands in cool-down.
02—HOW IT DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL SHAPE UP
Execution first, appetite second
| Aspect | Traditional Shape Up | Yehi |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle | Fixed timebox | Execution container, observed duration |
| Appetite | Required shaping control | Optional cycle-note prose only |
| Cut line | Core shaping mechanism | Replaced by scope boundaries + blocker escalation |
| Betting table | Effort-oriented | Must-ship outcome oriented |
| Agent behavior | Compress to fit appetite | Execute plan, report blockers |
03—CANONICAL SOURCE
Where the spec lives
The Yehi methodology spec lives at tehom-dev-standards/docs/project-management/yehi.md. This page is a web-friendly summary. The standards repo is the source of truth.