Skip to main content
Why Not the honest list

When DoCoDeGo
is the wrong answer.

Every framework that claims to fit every context loses credibility the first time it doesn't. Here is the honest list of contexts where DoCoDeGo adds more cost than clarity — and what to do instead.

// declaring this list is itself a DoCoDeGo statute: explicit out-of-scope boundaries.

  1. 01

    A one-off throwaway script

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    You're scratching a personal itch in 15 minutes; no one else will run it, debug it, or rely on it. The specification overhead exceeds the implementation effort.

    What to do instead

    Just write it. If it survives a month and gets used by anyone else, then write the spec retroactively.

  2. 02

    A solo prototype you're building to learn

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    The point is exploration, not delivery. Pinning down acceptance criteria up-front defeats the purpose — you don't yet know what you're building.

    What to do instead

    Build until you understand the problem. Adopt DoCoDeGo when the prototype becomes a thing other people will depend on.

  3. 03

    A live incident in progress

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    A production database is down. Writing a spec while users can't check out is malpractice. Specs come before composition, not before triage.

    What to do instead

    Fix first. Run the After-Action Review (AAR) with full DoCoDeGo discipline after the fire is out.

  4. 04

    A regulated environment with its own mandated SDLC

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    FDA Class III medical devices, FAA-certified avionics, financial-services change-management — these have their own non-negotiable processes. DoCoDeGo is not a substitute.

    What to do instead

    Layer DoCoDeGo principles inside the regulated process where they add clarity. Don't replace the regulator.

  5. 05

    A team that doesn't want it

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    DoCoDeGo only works when the team owns the discipline. Forcing it on a resistant team produces ceremony without practice — exactly the failure mode the framework is designed to resist.

    What to do instead

    Start with one volunteer. Make the practice visible. Let outcomes recruit.

  6. 06

    A pure research project

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    You don't yet know what "done" looks like. Acceptance criteria require known outcomes; research is the act of discovering outcomes. Premature spec-writing rules out the answers.

    What to do instead

    Run the research without it. Adopt DoCoDeGo when a discovery becomes a system you're going to ship.

  7. 07

    You're asked to "do DoCoDeGo" without authority to govern outcomes

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    The framework requires a Governor — someone accountable for the loop. Without authority, you'll generate specs nobody enforces and run reviews nobody acts on. That's ceremony, not practice.

    What to do instead

    Decline politely. Or escalate until either you have governance authority or the request is dropped.

  8. 08

    A 2-person founding team where you both already share context

    Why DoCoDeGo doesn't fit

    You don't need written specs when you're both in the room and trust each other to revise as you go. The Axiom still holds (intent before implementation), but the artefacts can be conversational.

    What to do instead

    Run DoCoDeGo conversationally for now. Adopt the written discipline at the 3rd or 4th hire when shared context starts to fray.

When it DOES fit

Multiple humans, multiple AI agents, consequential output, regulated or accountable context, a team that owns the discipline.

That's where the loop earns its overhead — the cost of the framework pays back as soon as one rework is avoided. Read the Manifesto →