Shape First, Code Later: Defining Features Before Development Begins

User stories describe what users need but not how much effort is involved or how to build feasibly—leaving developers to guess at scope. Shaping, a methodology from Basecamp, closes this gap by defining three elements before coding starts: appetite (time budget), solution (rough design), and boundaries (what's out of scope). This approach prevents scope creep and enables more accurate planning by fitting work within predetermined time limits rather than estimating and hoping.