--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A methodology's weight is a product of…" description: "\"A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.\" — Jim Highsmith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png" --- # A methodology's weight is a product of its size and… ![“A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.” quote by Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png) > “A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.” [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A method’s significance grows with its complexity and formalities. **In simple terms:** Method weight equals size and ceremony. Key Takeaway Balance simplicity with necessary rigor. Themes process complexity efficiency design Mood analytical critical Type technical philosophical When to use this quote - project planning - team onboarding - process documentation Key Concepts Software methodology organizational culture scalability Questions to Reflect On - When does ceremony become bureaucracy? - How to keep methods lean? A Different Perspective Overly elaborate methods can hinder agility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Methodology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/methodology/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [Peel back the facade of rigorous methodology projects and ask why the project was successful, and the answer is people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/peel-back-the-facade-of-rigorous-methodology-projects-and-ask-why-the/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [There is no formula. There are only confirmations to formulas which one has already discovered oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-haas/there-is-no-formula-there-are-only-confirmations-to-formulas-which/) [Ernst Haas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-haas/) > [Who knows the minds of men and how they reason and what their methodology is? But I am not going to extrapolate from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-martin/who-knows-the-minds-of-men-and-how-they-reason-and-what-their/) [Walter Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-martin/) > [I'm only interested in working on records that legitimately reflect the band's own perception of their music and existence. If you commit yourselves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-albini/i-m-only-interested-in-working-on-records-that-legitimately-reflect/) [Steve Albini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-albini/) > [Because of my methodology and my sensibilities to write songs, I'm not very comfortable with the notion to rush in any creative endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/because-of-my-methodology-and-my-sensibilities-to-write-songs-i-m-not/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [Skepticism is my nature, freethought is my methodology, agnosticism is my conclusion after 25 years of being in the ministry, and atheism is my opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-dewitt/skepticism-is-my-nature-freethought-is-my-methodology-agnosticism-is/) Jerry DeWitt > [One might get the impression that I recommend a new methodology which replaces induction by counterinduction and uses a multiplicity of theories, metaphysical views,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/one-might-get-the-impression-that-i-recommend-a-new-methodology-which/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [There is no best way to make art, but there are a lot of better ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-darby-bannard/there-is-no-best-way-to-make-art-but-there-are-a-lot-of-better-ways/) [Walter Darby Bannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-darby-bannard/) > [I think the greatest weakness in the church today is that almost no one believes that God invests His power in the Bible. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-the-greatest-weakness-in-the-church-today-is-that-almost-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Yet the paradox is that scientific methodology is the product of human hands and thus cannot reach some permanent truth. We build scientific theories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/yet-the-paradox-is-that-scientific-methodology-is-the-product-of/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [First, we want to establish the idea that a computer language is not just a way of getting a computer to perform operations but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-abelson/first-we-want-to-establish-the-idea-that-a-computer-language-is-not/) [Hal Abelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-abelson/) > [Yoga is the methodology with which to unveil the miracle that exists right in front of our faces and inside ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-yee/yoga-is-the-methodology-with-which-to-unveil-the-miracle-that-exists/) [Rodney Yee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-yee/) > [Ben was more improvisational, and relied less on methodology, and basically is a guitarist who switched to bass, whereas Jeff has a more traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cameron/ben-was-more-improvisational-and-relied-less-on-methodology-and/) [Matt Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cameron/) > [Take your brush here and there like a bee in an alpine meadow. In other words, don't laboriously work on or try to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/take-your-brush-here-and-there-like-a-bee-in-an-alpine-meadow-in/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [Subjectivism is not an absolute principle; it is a necessary but not sufficient condition for sound methodology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/subjectivism-is-not-an-absolute-principle-it-is-a-necessary-but-not/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) ## More by Jim Highsmith > [Documentation is not understanding, process is not discipline, formality is not skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/documentation-is-not-understanding-process-is-not-discipline/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Process is not a substitute for skill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/process-is-not-a-substitute-for-skill/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [The best way to get a project done faster is to start sooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/the-best-way-to-get-a-project-done-faster-is-to-start-sooner/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [If you have unskilled people who work poorly together, no amount of process will save your projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-have-unskilled-people-who-work-poorly-together-no-amount-of/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Agility is the ability to adapt and respond to change … agile organizations view change as an opportunity, not a threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/agility-is-the-ability-to-adapt-and-respond-to-change-agile/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [If you find that your organization can't make the hard decisions that Scrum demands, then high-risk, uncertain projects have very little probability of success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/if-you-find-that-your-organization-can-t-make-the-hard-decisions-that/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Simple rules guide innovative, intelligent responses. Comprehensive rules guide rote, routine responses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/simple-rules-guide-innovative-intelligent-responses-comprehensive/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [The greatest risk we face in software development is that of overestimating our own knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/the-greatest-risk-we-face-in-software-development-is-that-of/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) > [Peel back the facade of rigorous methodology projects and ask why the project was successful, and the answer is people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/peel-back-the-facade-of-rigorous-methodology-projects-and-ask-why-the/) [Jim Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) [Explore all 10 Jim Highsmith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/) ## More Ceremony quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [There are ceremonious bows that repel one like a cudgel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/there-are-ceremonious-bows-that-repel-one-like-a-cudgel/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [The cocktail party - as the name itself indicates - was originally invented by dogs. They are simply bottom-sniffings raised to the rank of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-cocktail-party-as-the-name-itself-indicates-was-originally/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I am unable to distinguish clearly between your religious ceremonies and apparently identical behavior at the sporting and cultural functions you have transmitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-clearly-between-your-religious-ceremonies/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Singing at the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was amazing and, probably the highlight of this decade is the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/singing-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-sydney-olympics-in-2000-was/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. The happy couple is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/over-the-weekend-former-enron-executives-jeffrey-skilling-and-rebecca/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Japanese tea ceremony,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-berk/japanese-tea-ceremony/) Sheryl Berk > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The trappings of a religious cult tend to fall into candlelit ceremonies and robes and group chanting and singing and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-durkin/the-trappings-of-a-religious-cult-tend-to-fall-into-candlelit/) [Sean Durkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-durkin/) > [No known human group... simply throw out its dead without any ritual or ceremony. In stark contrast, no animal practices burial of dead individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodosius-dobzhansky/no-known-human-group-simply-throw-out-its-dead-without-any-ritual-or/) [Theodosius Dobzhansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodosius-dobzhansky/) [Browse all 534 Ceremony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Highsmith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-its-size-and-ceremony/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ceremony" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-its-size-and-ceremony/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d79/jim-highsmith-41645_ceremony_a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-i_1287563.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A methodology's weight is a product of its size and ceremony.” — Jim Highsmith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Highsmith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-highsmith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A methodology's weight is a product...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-its-size-and-ceremony/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-highsmith/a-methodology-s-weight-is-a-product-of-its-size-and-ceremony/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```