Principles
Core principles
These are the ideas that keep the framework from collapsing into generic matrix management or vague language about agility. They are principles, not slogans.
Make work visible
Hidden work cannot be stewarded well. The framework starts by naming commitments, recurring maintenance, and coordination work explicitly.
Separate contribution from title
Titles can still exist, but they should not be the only mechanism for assigning work or reading a person's usefulness.
Let structure follow the task
Stable teams are one option, not the default answer to every priority. Use the smallest structure that can reliably carry the work.
Keep stewardship explicit
Self-selection does not remove accountability. Every commitment still needs an owner, a review rhythm, and a path for escalation.
Value maintenance and glue work
Systems stay healthy because people update documentation, mentor peers, coordinate handoffs, and do repair work. The model treats that labor as part of the design, not an afterthought.
Design for learning in the flow of work
Contribution profiles should include stretch work and teaching responsibilities so growth happens as part of normal operations, not only in separate programs.
Tensions to manage
The principles create useful friction.
The framework works when these tensions stay visible instead of being simplified away.
Freedom and reliability
People need room to choose and grow, but the organization still needs dependable coverage for core work.
Specialization and fluidity
Deep craft matters. The goal is not universal generalism. The goal is to loosen the boundary between craft areas when the work demands it.
Autonomy and stewardship
Self-selection works only when there are explicit constraints, review points, and shared understanding of what cannot be dropped.
Adaptation and coherence
Crews can form and dissolve frequently, but the wider system still needs memory, standards, and continuity.
How to use this page
Use the principles as evaluation criteria.
If a proposed implementation makes work less visible, weakens stewardship, or pushes important maintenance work back into the shadows, it is drifting away from the framework even if the language still sounds right.