Push Manifesto: Embracing the Journey Over the Destination

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I had been thinking about Brian Eno's work and his approach to creativity. You know the one - his Oblique Strategies cards that break creative blocks by forcing unexpected perspectives.

At the same time, I was dismayed with the application and evolution of various "ways of working" in our industry.

The Journey, Not the Destination

From 30 years of observation, reflection and participation, I've realised that my work has always been "journey" based. "Get to base camp". "Get up the hill". "Deliver".

But when things go wrong: "work out a way around". That's the important bit.

It's funny. When people leave projects they always reflect on the journey.

Introducing Push

As such I've attempted a similar exercise to Mr Eno and developed a "manifesto" called Push.

Push Manifesto is about vision, collaboration, inclusive behaviours, determination, communication, governance, learning, and above all prioritises the journey; using waypoints over iterations and milestones, balancing the desire for fit-for-purpose, targeting shared value outcomes for users and stakeholders.

Push Manifesto feeds the Maturity Model, evidence-based mindset, supporting the scientific approach daring to explore the latent space, with a pragmatic world-view.

You know, as in: "I push the trolley around the supermarket. I push myself to exercise. I push my kids through school. Why is the creative process any different?" Corny, but true.

The Core Principle: Waypoints & Shared Value

Here's the meat. Set yourself/team/business/company "waypoints" that have shared value and go from there.

You can choose different modes of progress, depending on the context:

Iterate – cycle through ideas and improvements.
Waterfall – plan sequentially when clarity is high.
Tick-tock – alternate between two focuses or approaches (similar to Intel’s tick–tock model).
Spin – rotate quickly through options to test viability (see spiral model for structured variation).
Rapids – move fast and adapt while navigating turbulence.

However it feels best for your situation to get results. We all do multiple projects, right?

Most projects fail, but all journeys complete, one way or another.

The Creative Reality

Famously, "creativity has no timeline" and forcing it tends not to satisfy the art form or the artist.

Rigid methodologies assume creativity can be scheduled, innovation can be sprint-planned, and breakthroughs happen in two-week increments.

Sometimes they do. Often they don't.

AI and the Push Philosophy

Artificial Intelligence changes the dynamic. AI accelerates iteration, reveals latent connections, and enables teams to test ideas faster than ever before. But AI also tempts us to move too fast, to automate before understanding, and to confuse output with progress.

Push provides the balance:

AI as a compass, not a crutch – use it to find new directions but keep human judgement on course.
Evidence over hype – measure AI results, validate them, and feed learning into the journey.
Waypoints over promises – instead of "AI will transform everything in 3 months", set practical AI milestones that create shared value.
Keep creativity human – AI expands the palette, but humans still choose the canvas.

Push doesn’t resist AI; it integrates it responsibly. It acknowledges that AI can change velocity but insists that direction and value stay in focus.

Working with Push

Does it work with SAFe and Agile?

Can you use Push at work? Yes.
Does it work with SAFe and Agile? Sure.
Isn't it just common sense? Maybe.
Are you against Agile? No, calm your farm, go have a strong hot cup of tea.

Practical Push Principles

1. Condense your stand-ups – 2 a week max, top-and-bottom. Afternoon times. Consolidate multiple projects into these stand-ups.

2. Use software for card walls – Physical boards are great for co-located teams. Most of us aren't co-located anymore.

3. Manage knowledge with assets – Don't update the card with "findings". Work items should mutate assets. The knowledge should live with the code, design files, and documentation.

4. Kill ceremonies – Do reviews, any kind, but inline and when it matters.

5. Talk to each other – Like you're around the campfire of creativity. Not scheduled 15-minute blocks. Talk when you need to.

Why This Matters Now

We are in the middle of an AI gold rush. Tools, models, and platforms appear daily, each promising transformation. The pressure to adopt is immense, with leaders demanding AI strategies, investors asking for AI roadmaps, and teams scrambling to bolt AI into everything.

This environment creates risk: chasing hype, burning out teams, and prioritising speed over purpose. Push provides a counterbalance.

It says: "Focus on the waypoints that matter. Get there however works. Keep the journey healthy."

AI may accelerate the journey, but without waypoints and shared value, the rush risks becoming aimless. Push ensures that amidst the noise, progress is still grounded.

The Philosophical Shift

Traditional project management asks: "Are we on track to hit the milestone?"
Push asks: "Are we learning? Are we creating shared value? Are we moving forward?"

One creates pressure and false precision. The other creates space for creativity while maintaining momentum.

Evidence-Based, Not Faith-Based

Push feeds the maturity model. It supports an evidence-based mindset and the scientific approach.

Dare to explore the latent space – that area between what you know and what you don't. With pragmatism.

Measure what matters
Iterate based on evidence
Pivot when data says to pivot
Persist when you're on the right path

This isn't about abandoning structure. It's about choosing structure that serves the journey.

Push Compared to Other Frameworks

Design Thinking

Design Thinking focuses on empathy, ideation, and prototyping to solve human-centred problems.
Push aligns with its emphasis on exploration and learning but broadens scope to any journey, not just product/service design.
Design Thinking provides structured stages (empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test), while Push offers waypoints without prescribing order.
They complement each other: Design Thinking shapes problem understanding; Push sustains momentum through uncertain execution.

ASPICE and CMMI

ASPICE (Automotive SPICE) and CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) focus on defined processes and measurable maturity levels.
Push aligns in spirit with evidence-based improvement but avoids prescriptive steps.
Where ASPICE/CMMI enforce structured compliance, Push emphasises adaptability and shared value.

Prince2

Prince2 (PRojects IN Controlled Environments) relies on stage-gates, plans, and management products.
Push shifts the lens from milestones to waypoints, reducing false certainty.
They can complement each other: Prince2 provides control; Push adds flexibility in navigating uncertainty.

Agile

Agile iterates through sprints, ceremonies, and backlogs.
Push values iteration but strips away ceremony overload, keeping inline communication.
Both value adaptability and collaboration, but Push removes the rigid cadence assumption.

Summary: Push is not anti-framework. It’s a philosophy that complements ASPICE, CMMI, Prince2, and Agile by rebalancing focus toward waypoints, shared value, and the health of the journey.

The Journey Completes

Here's what I've learned: All journeys complete, one way or another.

Projects get cancelled. They miss deadlines. They ship incomplete. They succeed. They fail.

But the journey? The journey always completes. The team learns. The product evolves. The market responds. The next thing begins.

By focusing on waypoints instead of rigid destinations, we acknowledge that the path might change, but progress is still real.

By prioritising shared value, we ensure that even if plans change, something worthwhile emerges.

By keeping communication human and inline, we maintain the creative flow that produces our best work.

Join the Conversation

Push Manifesto is a living idea. It's informed by decades of experience, but it's not dogmatic.

If this resonates with you, I'd love to hear about it. If you think I'm full of it, that's fine too – the conversation matters more than agreement.

You can find the manifesto and related materials at:

Push Manifesto
Push Manifesto T-Shirt – Wear the journey!

Feel free to PR me on GitHub if you have thoughts, improvements, or war stories.

Prescriptive Structure: Project Architecture

For teams looking for a prescriptive outline, see the Project Architecture guide. It translates Push principles into a structured approach with clear layers, responsibilities, and artefacts while retaining the journey-first philosophy.

This provides:

Alignment with existing governance structures
Clarity on artefacts and checkpoints
Flexibility to adapt the flow without losing direction

Afterthoughts: Spec-Driven Approaches

Push resonates strongly with spec-driven thinking. Two references that influence this perspective are:

GitHub Spec Kit – an approach to unify specs and design documents as first-class citizens in development workflows.
BMAD-METHOD – a structured, open method focusing on clarity, outcomes, and practical implementation.

These efforts show the importance of specification as a shared artefact that connects intent, collaboration, and delivery. Push aligns with this: specs become waypoints, not paperwork. They ground creativity with clarity without stifling exploration.

Final Thought

Most methodologies tell you how to work.
Push reminds you why you work: to create value, to solve problems, to make things better.

The journey matters because the journey is where the work happens. Where the learning happens. Where the creativity happens.

Push yourself. Push your team. Push for better outcomes.

But remember: you're pushing a trolley, not a boulder. Direction matters more than speed. Waypoints matter more than deadlines.

And most importantly: the journey always completes.