Open Foreward

Foreward

I’ll be honest, we first started designing the Devign Methodology, I didn’t expect it to hit me the way it did. After all, I’d already been in the trenches for years, building a multi-million-dollar software agency, scaling from my bedroom to a five-star office in the heart of Brisbane, and shipping 150+ software products into the world. I’d seen every methodology, every framework, every “next big thing” promising to make software development easier, faster, or cheaper.

But Devign is different.

What struck me was its clarity. Devign isn’t about cranking out features to check boxes. It’s about building outcomes. Real, tangible outcomes that matter to businesses, to users, and to the teams who pour themselves into creating them. That shift alone from “what can we build” to “what will this actually achieve” is a game changer.

In my own experience leading Moonward, I’ve seen projects stumble because they got lost in the “how” far too early. Devign flips that on its head. It forces you to pau

Open Want to build successful software?

What is Devign Methodology

Want to build successful software?

Inspiration alone is not enough, though. That’s why we created the Devign Methodology: to give structure to creativity, discipline to discovery, and transparency to trust. Devign Inspiration provides the vision; the Devign Methodology provides the path.

Open About Moonward

About Moonward

What started as a single app in a small town in New Zealand, has burst into a Software Design and Development Agency in Brisbane Australia. We are an intentionally boutique team who creates and ships software.

We want every customer to go on a journey of discovery with us. Finding new and better ways to realise their dreams and goals, and creating new ones along the way. We want them to look back on their project and say what one of our first customers said, ”Thanks for taking me to the Moon.”

Our why

We are active investors in the two rarest commodities in software development. Trust and Transparency.

In this industry, they are often hard to find. Too many projects are clouded by uncertainty, hidden processes, and unclear communication. We want to break down those barriers so you always know where we’re headed and how we plan to get there. That’s why we wrote this book - for both you and our team - to keep these principles front and centre.

Our commitment to trust and tran

Open About our Devign Methodology

About our Devign Methodology

The app and software development industry has grown into something inefficient, and difficult to deal with for customers. Traditionally, it’s divided into front of house (who the client deals with) and back of house (where the design and development takes place). In this model, the FOH staff become barriers between the clients and their project. Traditional BOH is also divided. Design and development working separately, often in different countries, and handing over their progressed files at intervals. This causes hold ups and delays as issues aren’t identified in real time and problems take several cycles to resolve.

We have created a new approach. A smarter, more transparent methodology. All of our design and development occurs in Australia, in-house, in one office. Design and development are not separated. They are fused together in a symbiotic partnership.It is a hybrid environment where day by day, hour by hour, each discipline can see potential problems and potential

Open The Roles within the Devign Methodology

The Roles within the Devign Methodology

You, the Client

You are the visionary - the Da Vinci, the Michelangelo. You’ve already seen the statue within the marble; it’s your role to share that vision with us so together we can carve it out.

The End User

The muse of the project. The person who will ultimately use the product and define its success. Their needs, frustrations, and aspirations guide every decision we make.

The Devign Master

The guardian of the Devign Methodology. This role is internal to Moonward, responsible for ensuring every sprint, every artefact, and every event is carried out with precision and purpose. The Devign Master keeps the team aligned with the methodology and safeguards its integrity throughout the project.

The Product Owner

Acting on behalf of both the client and the end user, the Product Owner bridges vision and execution. They set the product goal, define the sprint objectives, and prioritise the work that matters most. Always close t

Open What are Events and Artefacts

The Devign Methodology: A Journey Through Events and Artefacts

At Moonward, the Devign Methodology is not a set of disconnected rituals or static documents. It is a living system: a rhythm of events that guide the team, and artefacts that capture and evolve our understanding.

Each event creates or refines an artefact, and each artefact sets the stage for the next event. Together, they tell the story of how we move from a blank page to a delivered product.

Events

The heartbeat of the Devign Methodology. These are the moments when the team gathers - to align, to question, to decide, to learn. Each event is a deliberate pause in the rush of delivery, giving space for clarity, collaboration, and course correction.

Artefacts

The living record of our work. Not dusty documents, but evolving blueprints - shaping and shaped by every discussion, decision, and discovery. Each artefact captures where we are now and lights the path for where we’re going next.

We work in Sprints

At Moonwar

Open Sprint Schedule

Sprint Schedule

Please note, Daily Stand Ups and Monthly Devign Inspiration Workshops are not pictured.

Open The Devign Methodology in Action

Finding our Moon

Every project begins with clarity of purpose. That clarity lives in the Product Requirement Document (PRD).

PRD (Artefact)

• Purpose: Details the project’s main Objectives and Outcomes.

• Contents:

  • Summary: What we’re doing & why (max 5 lines)
  • Customers & their Problem
  • Outcome Goals & KPIs (with measurable targets)
  • Scope (MVP) & Non-Goals
  • Top Requirements
  • Risks & Mitigations
  • Rollout & Measure
  • Owners & Dates

From the PRD, the Product Backlog is created — the ever-evolving list of work that moves us toward the vision.

Client Discovery Document (Artefact)

• Purpose: Captures essential insights about the client — their personality, motivations, goals, and communication preferences — to guide collaboration and ensure the team works in harmony with the client throughout the project.

• **Contents: Client personality type (using the Red, Blue,

Open The Devign Experience

The Devign Experience

At Moonward, delivery matters, but the Devign Experience is about more than delivery: it’s about how people feel while working with us.

That means understanding not just what the client wants, but who they are. It means bringing structure and clarity to every interaction, so nothing slips through the cracks. It means owning outcomes with absolute focus, keeping our “desks” tidy so communication flows freely, and reducing decision fatigue with simple, repeatable templates. It means shipping often - so clients can see, touch, and shape their product in real time.

The Devign Experience is deliberately different from traditional frameworks such as Agile or Waterfall. While those methods focus heavily on outputs, timelines, and rigid processes, they often place less emphasis on the human side of the project - the client relationship, the nuanced communication, and the personal context that shapes decisions. Devign prioritises understanding the client and integrating them into every

Open Client Personalities

Understanding the Client

Understanding the client goes far beyond deadlines, features, or outputs. It means recognising their personality, their pressures, ambitions, and even their blind spots. By investing in this understanding - and documenting it.

Documenting insights about the client provides benefits for both sides. For the client, it ensures they feel seen, heard, and understood - fostering confidence and trust in the team. For our team, it creates clarity, reduces miscommunication, and guides decisions in a way that aligns with the client’s goals and working style. This foundation of empathy transforms a typical project into a collaborative journey where priorities, compromises, and solutions are informed by real human context.

Just as Surrounded by Idiots helped us frame the different ways people think and act, we use those insights to tailor not just our communication, but the experience itself. When we adapt to the person in front of us - whether they’re a bold Red, an imaginative Yellow,

Open Someone needs to be responsible

Taking Ownership

Every project outcome needs a clear owner. Not a committee, not “the team,” but one person who takes extreme ownership of the result.

Ownership means:

• Clarity – Everyone knows who is accountable for driving the client outcome.
• Focus – That owner is hell-bent on achieving the goal, removing blockers, and making decisions.
• Trust – The client feels confidence because someone is visibly steering their success.
• Not skipping meetings

Extreme ownership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about taking responsibility for ensuring everything gets done - rallying the team, making the hard calls, and carrying the outcome across the line.

When ownership is clear, accountability is strong, and outcomes are delivered.

Open Tidy Desk

Keep a Tidy Desk

A tidy desk isn’t just about physical space. In the Devign Methodology, your “desk” is your digital workspace: Slack, email, project boards, and client communication channels. A cluttered desk creates missed messages, delayed responses, and frayed trust. A tidy one keeps focus sharp and communication clear.

1. Daily Slack Clear

1. At the end of each day, clear your Slack messages. Use simple emoji signals to keep the flow obvious:

• 👀 Seen and will respond soon
• ✅ Actioned and closed

This small discipline prevents forgotten tasks and gives your team visible confirmation that nothing is lost in the noise.

2. Daily Email Clear

Treat your inbox like a to-do list, not a storage box. File emails into folders once they’re read or actioned, leaving only open items visible. An empty inbox isn’t about perfection - it’s about making sure you always know what truly needs attention.

3. Close the Loop

Not every message can be answered on the spot - but silence cre

Open Template what you can

Template what you can

Barack Obama once shared that during his presidency he wore the same style of suit and tie every day. Why? Because every small choice eliminated gave him more energy for the big ones. This principle matters just as much in software as it does in politics.

Decision fatigue is real. In a single day, a team might weigh technical trade-offs, design compromises, product priorities, client expectations, and business outcomes. The last thing you want is to waste headspace crafting a one-off email or trying to remember the right structure for a sprint update.

That’s where templates come in. Templates don’t make things robotic; they make them reliable. They ensure that the important details never slip through, while freeing up your creativity and focus for the work that truly matters.

We don’t just template tasks - we template moments of trust. Every Slack message, email, and meeting structure is an opportunity to reinforce to clients that they’ve made the right investment. By leanin

Open Fortnightly Deployments

Fortnightly Deployments

A deployment is the act of releasing the work completed during a sprint into a live or test environment, making it available for the client or end users to see, test, and interact with. At Moonward, unless flagged in the Go / No Go meeting, every sprint’s outcome is deployed at the end of the fortnight. This rhythm ensures a constant flow of progress - small, focused increments released regularly.

Fortnightly deployments mean:

• Faster visibility – Clients see results quickly, not months later.
• Earlier feedback – We learn what’s working (or not) while there’s still time to adapt.
• Lower risk – Smaller, regular deployments reduce the chance of big failures.

This cadence keeps momentum high and trust strong. The client isn’t left wondering when something will arrive - they know exactly when to expect progress, and they’re invited to respond in real time.

Open Remember

Remember

The experience is just as important as the delivery.

The experience is just as important as the delivery.