Learn to Modernize Your Team's Process Around AI
Successful AI-assisted development isn't about tacking AI onto your existing process. It's about looking at your entire development lifecycle holistically.
Learn Cascade Methodology, a system of best practices designed for modern teams who want to leverage AI while maintaining quality, clarity, and team alignment.
The Problem with Tacking AI Onto Your Current Process
Many teams are trying to use AI within their existing development frameworks: Agile, Scrum, Waterfall. But these methodologies weren't built for AI-assisted development. They don't account for:
- AI's need for rich context and detailed specifications.
- The amazing benefits of rapid prototyping and user validation via vibe coding.
- The fundamental truth that AI-generated code requires skepticism and appropriate verification.
- How to scale quality checks based on business risk, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Meet Cascade Methodology
Cascade Methodology is a modernized software development process for the age of AI. It's designed to:
- Leverage AI strengths while managing AI risks.
- Move faster through clear specs and AI-assisted development.
- Build team alignment around problems, not just features.
- Apply quality standards appropriate to your business risk.
The best part is you don't have to adopt all of Cascade Methodology at once. You can apply individual principles and practices to your existing workflow, integrate into Agile/Scrum or Kanban, and gain immediate benefits.
7 Guiding Principles of Cascade Methodology
The foundation for modern, AI-assisted software development
Everyone Has a Seat at the Table
In writing specs, everyone's perspective matters, creating shared understanding across disciplines.
Understand the Problems
Grasp the underlying user and business problems your software should solve before diving into solutions.
Build the Least Amount Possible
Solve problems with the minimum amount of software,reducing complexity and risk.
Prototype & Research First
Prototyping and user research are first-class citizens, not afterthoughts.
AI Code Requires Skepticism
AI-generated code is powerful but must be treated with appropriate caution and verification.
Verification Scales with Risk
Quality checks intensity depends on your business process's entropy tolerance, not everything needs the same level of verification.
Scope Follows Understanding
Scope and timelines flow from understanding problems and your risk tolerance, not arbitrary deadlines.
What You'll Gain
Practical knowledge to transform your development approach
Learn a Modern Approach
Master Cascade Methodology, a development approach designed for the AI era.
Improve Team Velocity
Ship better code faster with clear specs, prototyping, and AI-assisted development.
Build Team Alignment
Get your team on the same page about what to build and why, reducing miscommunication.
Balance AI & Quality
Harness AI's power while maintaining quality standards appropriate to your business needs.
Core Concepts You'll Master
The key ideas that make Cascade Methodology powerful
Minimum Solved Problems (MSP)
Instead of MVP (minimum viable product), focus on solving the minimum set of real problems. This approach provides better LLM context, reduces scope creep, and delivers genuine user value.
Entropy Tolerance
Measure how much uncertainty your business process can handle from AI-generated code. This determines your verification gate intensity, from porous to dense, avoiding over-engineering low-risk features.
The Cascade Structure
A five-phase cycle: Specification → Experiment → Implement → Verify → Deploy. Each phase leverages AI while maintaining appropriate human oversight and quality checks.
Tool-Agnostic AI Best Practices
No matter what tools or AI model you use, learn best practices that ensure effective and responsible AI-assisted development.
Get Workshop Access
Join developers and leaders who are modernizing their development processes in the age of AI. Sign up to be notified when the workshop is available.
Taught by Me, Tony
25 years + 370,000 students
Hi, I'm Tony Alicea. Over the past 25 years, I've worked as a developer, team and product lead, architect, and instructor across startups, medium-sized companies, and enterprise-level organizations.
I've implemented Cascade Methodology principles in real-world large-scale projects for 20 years, and I've seen that adding practical AI-assisted development best practices works best when coupled with a solid development methodology designed for the AI era.
Sign up above for a workshop seat, or if you'd like a customized workshop or consulting for your team reach out directly to me at [email protected].
