vaporfocused

Vaporfocused is a term used in digital design and software development to describe a mindset and workflow that prioritizes speed, experimentation, and tightly scoped work in product development. The concept emphasizes short cycles, rapid learning, and a clear focus on outcomes, with the aim of delivering value quickly while maintaining quality.

Origin and usage: The term emerged in online design and startup communities in the early 2020s, where practitioners used it to contrast slow, planning-heavy processes with fast, iterative approaches. It is used descriptively rather than as a formal methodology and is sometimes linked to agile and lean practices, though it remains distinct in its explicit emphasis on rapid experimentation.

Practice and characteristics: Vaporfocused teams favor rapid prototyping, feature flags, incremental releases, and data-driven prioritization. Work is broken into small experiments with explicit success criteria, and user feedback is integrated promptly to pivot or persevere. Documentation tends to be lightweight, aiming to minimize wasted effort while preserving architecture.

Reception and scope: Proponents praise its focus on speed and learning; critics warn of burnout, insufficient long-term planning, or scope drift if boundaries are not clearly defined. It remains a niche label rather than a standardized methodology.

See also: Agile, Lean startup, Rapid prototyping, Minimum viable product.