#169 CAPED: A Smarter Way to Plan Complex Work

Struggling to balance Agile’s adaptability with the predictability leaders demand? You’re not alone. Many teams try to blend Agile and Waterfall, only to end up with the worst of both—rigid upfront planning that falls apart or chaotic iteration with no clear direction.

In this episode, we introduce Active Planning, a key breakthrough in the CAPED (Complexity-Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery) approach. Inspired by Pixar’s storytelling process and Frank Gehry’s architectural methods, Active Planning tackles complexity head-on—bringing predictability without rigidity.

You’ll learn:

✅ Why planning fails when teams treat everything as complicated

✅ How Active Planning front-loads complexity to reduce last-minute chaos

✅ A simple shift you can make today to improve your planning process

If you’ve ever felt stuck between Agile and Waterfall, this episode is for you.

Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/caped-episode/

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