Definition
"Use appropriate methods" is one of Wardley's most important doctrine principles. It states that different evolutionary stages require different management approaches, development methodologies, and organizational cultures — and that applying a single method across all stages is a recipe for failure.
The Core Insight
The insight is that the characteristics of a component change as it evolves, and methods should change with it:
The Common Mistake
Organizations frequently make the mistake of applying one methodology everywhere:
This is why Wardley's Pioneer-Settler-Town Planner organizational model exists: different types of teams, managed differently, for different evolutionary stages.
Connection to the Map
The "appropriate methods" principle requires a map to implement. Without knowing where each component sits on the evolution axis, you cannot know which methods are appropriate. This is one of the clearest examples of how the map enables doctrine: the principle is simple to state but impossible to apply without situational awareness.
Significance
This doctrine principle resolves one of the longest-running debates in software development and management: agile vs. waterfall, innovation vs. efficiency, exploration vs. exploitation. The answer is "both, in different contexts" — and the map tells you which context you are in.