unFIX BRAIN

Starter Kit

What is unFIX BRAIN?

BRAIN is the first series of unFIX starter kits specifically designed by Jurgen Appelo for diverse teams. Diverse teams have members with various skills, availability, geographical locations, and/or onsite vs. remote working situations. While other frameworks expect team members to be fully dedicated and collocated, BRAIN recognizes that in many business environments, such constraints are unrealistic. There is a need for a framework that respects a broader variety of ways of working.

What is a starter kit?

A starter kit is a flexible template created for a specific target audience meant to be adopted and adapted to fit a particular context. A starter kit is to a pattern library what one specific LEGO set is compared to a box of random LEGO blocks. An unFIX starter kit is one possible configuration of unFIX patterns. Adopting a starter kit (implementing it as-is) should be the first step. It is expected (and the fun only really begins) when people adapt it to their needs and desires.

What is different about unFIX BRAIN?

Compared to other frameworks, BRAIN has unique characteristics:

  1. Applicable to the entire organization, not only software development;

  2. Evenly balanced regarding product/service discovery and delivery;

  3. Scalable to any number of organizational levels;

  4. Distinguishes between exploration and exploitation portfolios;

  5. Treats dynamic reteaming as the default situation.

How can I get unFIX BRAIN?

Blog posts about unFIX BRAIN are available for everyone. However, access to the central Miro board, PowerPoint slides, and scalable PDF/SVG graphics are available only for our official partners.

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Initiatives versus Objectives
Initiatives versus Objectives

People working with Objectives (for example, with the OKRs framework) seem a bit confused by the concept of Initiatives. Some consultants put Initiatives below Objectives; others put them above. (And most have never heard of Initiatives.)

An Objection to Objectives
An Objection to Objectives

Organizations are addicted to goal-setting. Aiming for what’s new must be balanced with protecting what we have.

You Are a Portfolio Manager (Everyone Is)
You Are a Portfolio Manager (Everyone Is)

If you don't manage your portfolios, you only build but never own.

Initiatives: What Scrum and SAFe Ignored
Initiatives: What Scrum and SAFe Ignored

Anything that you continuously or continually make available to stakeholders is an Initiative. An Initiative never spontaneously disappears. It needs frequent monitoring and regular maintenance.

Four Steps to Lean
Four Steps to Lean

Everyone wants to make a meaningful impact through their work. Yet, most of our efforts prove to be not beneficial, overly complex, and time-consuming, slowing progress and wasting people’s time. The Four Steps to Lean sequence is an adaptation of Elon Musk’s “Five-Step Algorithm,” the ESSA Framework, and the “Four Steps to Freedom” model.

“When you try to be everything to everyone, you accomplish being nothing to anyone.”

(Source: “Can a Tool Be Complete?”)