Ryan Singer
Author & Product Leader at 37signals / Author of Shape Up
Ryan Singer was one of the first hires at 37signals (Basecamp), where he spent 17 years building product. He wrote Shape Up, which introduced a fundamentally different approach to building software using appetites, shaping, and fixed-time cycles.
Dimension Profile
Key Themes
Episode Summary
Ryan Singer introduces the Shape Up methodology from his 17 years at 37signals, which flips traditional product development: instead of estimating how long an idea takes, you set a maximum time appetite and shape an idea that fits. He explains why you should never start building unless you can see the end from the beginning, and why bringing design, engineering, and product together to shape before building avoids the most costly project risks.
Leadership Principles
- → Don't start building unless you can see the end from the beginning
- → Set the maximum time you're willing to spend, then shape an idea that fits — not the other way around
- → Bring design, engineering, and product together to shape the plan before writing any code
Notable Quotes
"We are not going to start something unless we can see the end from the beginning. We're not going to take a big concept and say, 'What's the estimate for this thing?'"
— On the core principle of Shape Up — shaping before building
"If you're doing a home renovation and you haven't checked if there's electricity in that wall, it's going to drastically change the cost and the time."
— On why de-risking projects upfront through shaping is essential
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