A First Principle is an irreducible truth. It is not a heuristic, value, or belief. It is a foundational constraint on how complex systems behave, adapt, and deliver value.
First principles are not negotiable. They define the baseline of professional conduct in software delivery, product development, and organisational agility. If a practice violates a first principle, it is not contextually inappropriate — it is fundamentally wrong.
First principles are not what you believe. They are what is true — whether you believe it or not.
Why it Matters
Most Agile, Lean, and DevOps failures come from local optimisation, dogma, or blind mimicry. First principles provide a reference point to:
- Test whether a system is valid or fragile.
- Design strategies and practices that scale without collapsing under complexity.
- Anchor coaching, leadership, and product delivery in reality — not fashion.
They enable coherence across roles, domains, and frameworks by framing what must be preserved regardless of tooling, domain, or context.
Characteristics
| Attribute | Description |
|---|
| Non-Derivable | Cannot be deduced from other ideas. They stand on their own. |
| Domain-Independent | Apply across all disciplines of delivery — from code to culture. |
| Immutable | Do not change with trends, tools, or roles. |
| Constraining | Define the edge of professionalism; crossing them is not a style choice. |
These are not aspirational ideals. They are constraints you violate at your peril.
How It Differs From Principle
Principles are useful, contextual, and adaptable.
First Principles are required, foundational, and absolute.
If a principle is optional, flexible, or advisory — it’s not a first principle.
Why This Is Useful for Teams
Scrum Teams, Product Owners, and Engineering Leaders use first principles to:
- Resolve conflict without escalation (“What does the principle demand?”)
- Evaluate proposed frameworks, scaling models, or tools
- Align metrics and accountability to what actually matters
When you work from first principles, you don’t need to memorise rules.
You reason from truth.
