Shape Up (Full Stack)

Use it when you need to ship high-impact features in fixed cycles without endless backlogs and specs.

What is it?

Shape Up is Basecamp's full-stack product development framework for teams that want to stop churning through feature requests and actually ship.

It combines ‘shaping', framing real problems, sketching solutions, and setting clear boundaries, with fixed six-week build cycles and empowered, cross-functional teams. Instead of detailed specs or rigid sprints, Shape Up hands off a concise pitch that outlines the appetite (time budget), core risks, and wireframes. Teams then own solving the problem end-to-end, from UX to server. After each cycle comes a two-week cooldown to fix bugs, wrap up unattended work, and rethink priorities.

The result: faster iteration, fewer wasted tickets, and a culture of ownership. Shape Up works for startups and scale-ups alike, especially when you need to escape backlog bloat and align around real customer outcomes.

Why it matters?

Shape Up cuts waste and accelerates your roadmap by forcing clear trade-offs and empowering teams to solve problems holistically. That means higher throughput, fewer mid-cycle derailments, and features that actually move KPIs, driving faster user adoption and stronger retention.

How it works

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

Set Your Appetite

Decide how much time you're willing to invest, usually a six-week cycle. This fixed budget forces you to trim scope and focus on what matters.

Shape the Work

In a small shaping team, outline the problem, sketch solution approaches, and identify core risks. You end up with a 1–2 page pitch, not a 50-page spec.

Prioritize with the Betting Table

Leadership reviews shaped pitches alongside risk and ROI. Bets are placed for the upcoming cycle, no more than a handful at once.

Build with Full-Stack Teams

A dedicated team picks up the pitch and owns end-to-end delivery, design, front end, back end, QA, without breaking it into detailed tickets.

Cool-Down Interval

After six weeks, take two weeks for bug fixes, refactoring, and exploration. Then repeat the cycle, learning from what shipped and what stalled.

Frequently asked questions

Growth co-pilot turns your toughest product questions into clear, data-backed recommendations you can act on immediately.

What's the difference between Shape Up and Scrum?

Scrum relies on fixed sprints, user stories, and backlogs, often leading to reactive planning. Shape Up uses upfront shaping, fixed appetites, and empowered full-stack teams, so you trade backlog bloat for strategic bets.

What's the difference between Shape Up and Scrum?

How long should a Shape Up cycle be?

Basecamp champions a six-week build cycle followed by a two-week cooldown. Six weeks give enough runway to ship meaningful work without dragging on, shorter or longer cycles risk scope creep or loss of momentum.

How long should a Shape Up cycle be?

What exactly goes into a ‘pitch'?

A pitch is a 1–2 page doc covering the problem statement, solution sketch (wireframes), appetite (time budget), rabbit holes (risks), and no-go's. It's concise by design: shape, don't spec.

What exactly goes into a ‘pitch'?

A pitch is a 1–2 page doc covering the problem statement, solution sketch (wireframes), appetite (time budget), rabbit holes (risks), and no-go's. It's concise by design: shape, don't spec.

Can distributed or remote teams follow Shape Up?

Absolutely. Shaping can happen async with collaborative docs and sketches. Build teams can stay aligned via daily check-ins and shared tracking boards, no co-location required.

Can distributed or remote teams follow Shape Up?

Absolutely. Shaping can happen async with collaborative docs and sketches. Build teams can stay aligned via daily check-ins and shared tracking boards, no co-location required.

How do you handle urgent bugs during a cycle?

Serious blockers get escalated to the shaping team. Minor issues wait for the two-week cooldown. This preserves focus during the build and keeps the cycle intact.

How do you handle urgent bugs during a cycle?

Serious blockers get escalated to the shaping team. Minor issues wait for the two-week cooldown. This preserves focus during the build and keeps the cycle intact.

You've shaped and shipped with clarity. Now, plug your next cycle into the CrackGrowth diagnostic to uncover hidden UX friction and amplify the impact of every feature you build.

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