empezing

Empezing is a term used in some design, development, and collaborative workflows to describe the deliberate practice of beginning a project by focusing on initial, actionable steps rather than attempting to plan the entire outcome. The practice emphasizes creating a concrete first move, such as a minimum viable prototype, a pilot test, or a clearly defined first milestone, to quickly verify assumptions and learn from real interactions.

Origin and etymology: Empezing is a neologism that blends the Spanish verb empezar (to begin) with the English gerund suffix -ing. It emerged in online design and startup communities in the late 2010s as shorthand for taking early action. It remains nonstandard and is not broadly adopted in formal planning contexts.

Definition and usage: Empezing involves outlining the smallest next step and executing it within a fixed time frame. It is closely related to lean startup, rapid prototyping, and minimum viable product concepts, but differs in its explicit framing of the starting move as the central activity. In meetings, empezing can help set scope by listing the first tasks, responsible individuals, and success criteria.

Reception and critique: Advocates argue empe zing reduces analysis paralysis and accelerates learning. Critics warn that overemphasis on initial steps can neglect long-range planning or skip essential safeguards. The term is not widely recognized outside certain communities, and some observers view it as a niche or informal practice rather than a standard method.

See also: Lean startup, Minimum viable product, Rapid prototyping, First-move framing.