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Use appropriate methods

Wardley stresses that no single delivery methodology fits every part of a map. Components in genesis demand exploration and rapid learning, while industrialised utilities need tight controls and efficiency. "Use appropriate methods" is the discipline of matching practices—agile, lean, six sigma, outsourcing, or automation—to the evolutionary stage of each component rather than forcing a uniform process.

Why this doctrine matters​

  • Context drives effectiveness. Applying agile rituals to commodity services or six sigma to experiments wastes effort and hides real signals.
  • Mixed methods expose constraints. When teams adapt their approach per component, bottlenecks become easier to spot and address.
  • Appropriate methods reduce inertia. Tailored practices help people move work along the curve instead of defending a one-size-fits-all process.

Practices to embed​

  1. Annotate the map with intended methods. For each component, note whether it needs discovery, product development, or industrialised operations.
  2. Design guardrails, not rigid playbooks. Give teams principles for choosing methods and let them adjust as the component evolves.
  3. Review method fit regularly. As evidence shows a component maturing, transition it to more disciplined approaches and update governance expectations.
  4. Pair mixed teams deliberately. Bring pioneers, settlers, and town planners together so hand-offs between methods are anticipated rather than reactive.

Watch for anti-patterns​

  • Mandating a single framework (e.g., “everything must be agile”) regardless of context.
  • Ignoring the cost of switching methods until a project is already failing.
  • Treating outsourcing as a default instead of considering whether the capability is differentiating.

Questions to ask​

  • Where on the map are we forcing a method that contradicts the component’s evolution stage?
  • How will we know it’s time to shift from experimentation to optimisation?
  • Which decisions require input from town planners, and which from pioneers?
  • What governance signals show that method selection is working?