Scale-Adaptive Routing
Quick Flow · BMad Method · Enterprise
Not every change needs the same depth of process. BMAD routes work to one of three tracks — Quick Flow, BMad Method, or Enterprise — based on scope, risk, and coordination requirements. The same routing logic also distinguishes greenfield from brownfield projects.
A common failure mode for structured methodologies is applying heavyweight process uniformly. A two-line bug fix that requires a full PRD, user stories, and an architecture document isn't rigorous — it's wasteful. BMAD addresses this with scale-adaptive routing: a lightweight assessment at the start of any work item determines which track to follow.
Quick Flow is for small, well-understood changes: bug fixes, configuration updates, minor additions. It skips most of the artifact chain and goes straight to implementation with a brief context document. BMad Method is the standard track for new features and non-trivial work: the full four-phase cycle applies. Enterprise adds compliance documentation, governance checkpoints, and cross-team coordination artifacts for regulated or large-scale projects.
The routing logic also distinguishes greenfield projects (new codebase, no inherited constraints) from brownfield projects (existing codebase, technical debt, integration points). A brownfield Quick Flow still needs a context document describing the existing system boundaries. The same three tracks apply to both, but brownfield projects carry an additional input — a codebase survey — that travels alongside all other artifacts.
Key Concepts
- Three tracks: Quick Flow, BMad Method, Enterprise
- Scope assessment at the start of every work item determines track
- Greenfield vs brownfield distinction applies within every track
- Quick Flow requires a brief context document — not zero process
- Enterprise adds compliance, governance, and cross-team coordination artifacts