The Playbook
Research-backed deep dives into team culture, engineering practices, and the science of great collaboration.
5 Timeless Team Activities Backed by 50 Years of Software Engineering Research
From IBM's 1976 code inspections to Google's 2012 Project Aristotle, decades of research reveal which team rituals actually move the needle on productivity, quality, and morale.
The Sailboat Retrospective: A Complete Guide to Running Retros That Actually Change Things
Most retrospectives produce the same action items sprint after sprint. The Sailboat format fixes that — here's the full history, the science behind it, and exactly how to run one.
The 2 Tools Every All-Hands Meeting Needs (And Why Most Teams Skip Them)
Slido and Mentimeter built $100M+ businesses on two features: live word clouds and anonymous Q&A. Here's the research behind why they work — and how to use them without paying for enterprise software.
Time-Boxing: The Single Facilitation Skill That Makes Every Meeting Better
Every major retro platform ships a timer as a core feature — not because it's clever, but because unstructured time is the #1 cause of meeting waste. Here's the research behind time-boxing and how to use it.
Why Peer Recognition Works: The Research Case for Kudos Boards
Bonusly, Kudos, and Workhuman built $100M+ businesses on a simple idea: public appreciation changes behavior more than private feedback. Here's the science — and a free alternative.
The Pulse Survey: How a 5-Minute Check-In Replaces the Annual Performance Review
TinyPulse built a $100M business on one survey question per week. Here's the science behind lightweight feedback loops — and why they outperform annual reviews on every metric that matters.
Team Mood Checks: The 2-Minute Ritual That Predicts Meeting Quality
Google's Project Aristotle found psychological safety explains 43% of team performance variance. A quick mood check-in is the lowest-friction way to measure and improve it. Here's the research.
Why Anonymous Brainstorming Produces 40% More Ideas (And How to Run It)
Decades of research show that group brainstorming typically produces fewer and lower-quality ideas than individuals working silently. The anonymous board mechanic fixes this — here's the science.