QUAD™ - Quick Unified Agentic Development

Circle of Functions

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
QUAD™ - Circle of Functions
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

1 METHOD → QUAD (Quick Unified Agentic Development)
2 DIMENSIONS → Business + Technical
3 AXIOMS → Operators + AI Agents + Docs-First
4 CIRCLES → Management, Development, QA, Infrastructure

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+


CIRCLECIRCLE
BA/PM/TLFS/BE/UI
\          /
\   AI   /
\ CORE /
\    /
\  /
\/
/\
/  \
/    \
/      \

CIRCLECIRCLE
Test/AutoDevOps/SRE

+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+

QUAD™ = 1 Method, 2 Dimensions, 3 Axioms, 4 Circles

What is QUAD?

The 1-2-3-4 Hierarchy

The 4 Circles

Roles Within Each Circle

AI Agents

Shared vs Dedicated Resources

QUAD Hierarchy & Rules

Agent Class-Object Pattern

QUAD Cycle (Milestone Flow)

Technical Debt Handling

Enabling Teams

Methodology Comparison

Getting Started

License & Attribution

What is QUAD?

QUAD (Quick Unified Agentic Development) is a modern software development methodology designed for the AI era. It combines 4 functional circles with AI agents at every step and a documentation-first approach.

The 1-2-3-4 Hierarchy

#TermWhat It Means 1MethodQUAD itself - the algorithm/approach 2DimensionsBusiness + Technical (the two axes of focus) 3AxiomsThe 3 foundational truths: Operators, AI Agents, Docs-First 4CirclesManagement, Development, QA, Infrastructure

Each circle = a function with dedicated people who perform that function.

The Name

LetterMeaning QQuick - Faster development with AI assistance UUnified - 4 circles working together seamlessly AAgentic - AI agents at every step DDevelopment - Software development methodology

Core Principles (The 3 Axioms)

AxiomDescription OperatorsHuman specialists who execute circle functions (BA, PM, Dev, QA, DevOps) AI AgentsEvery circle has AI agent helpers Docs-FirstDocumentation before and with code Additional PrinciplesDescription One Source of TruthGit-versioned documentation Continuous FlowWork flows through pipeline, monthly checkpoints Human ApprovalAI assists, humans decide

Key Differentiators

vs TraditionalQUAD Approach Scrum MasterAI Scheduling Agent Sprint pressureContinuous flow with monthly checkpoints Scattered docsFlow documentation (UI + API + DB + Tests) "I don't know what to test"Test cases embedded in flow docs Knowledge silosOne source of truth 8-hour days, 5 daysPotential 4-day work week

The 4 Circles

+------------------+------------------+ MANAGEMENTDEVELOPMENT CIRCLECIRCLE B80% / T20%B30% / T70% +------------------+------------------+ QAINFRA CIRCLECIRCLE B30% / T70%B20% / T80% +------------------+------------------+

B = Business Dimension T = Technical Dimension

Management Circle (Business 80% / Technical 20%)

RoleResponsibilities Business AnalystRequirements, user stories, acceptance criteria Project ManagerTimelines, stakeholders, resource allocation Tech LeadTechnical decisions, architecture oversight, code standards AI Agents: Story Agent, Scheduling Agent, Documentation Agent, Estimation Agent Resource Mode: Dedicated (per project)

Development Circle (Business 30% / Technical 70%)

RoleResponsibilities Full Stack DeveloperEnd-to-end feature development Backend DeveloperAPI services, business logic UI DeveloperFrontend interfaces, user experience Mobile DeveloperiOS, Android, Flutter/React Native AI Agents: Dev Agent (UI), Dev Agent (API), Code Review Agent, Refactor Agent Resource Mode: Mostly Dedicated (can be shared across small projects)

QA Circle (Business 30% / Technical 70%)

RoleResponsibilities QA EngineerTest planning, manual testing, exploratory testing Automation EngineerTest automation frameworks, scripts Performance TesterLoad testing, performance optimization Security TesterSecurity testing, vulnerability assessment AI Agents: UI Test Agent, API Test Agent, Performance Agent, Test Generator Agent Resource Mode: Mostly Shared (across projects within a director)

Infrastructure Circle (Business 20% / Technical 80%)

RoleResponsibilities DevOps EngineerCI/CD pipelines, deployments SREReliability, monitoring, incident response Cloud EngineerCloud infrastructure, networking DBADatabase administration, optimization AI Agents: Deploy Agent (DEV/QA/PROD), Monitoring Agent, Incident Agent, Cost Agent Resource Mode: Always Shared (across all directors)

Roles Within Each Circle

Management Circle

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
MANAGEMENT CIRCLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

BusinessProjectTech
AnalystManagerLead
- Requirements- Timelines- Architecture
- User stories- Stakeholders- Code review
- Acceptance- Resources- Standards

v
AI AGENTS
Story AgentScheduling AgentDoc AgentEstimation

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Development Circle

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
DEVELOPMENT CIRCLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Full StackBackendUIMobile
DeveloperDeveloperDeveloperDeveloper
End-to-endAPI/ServicesFrontend/UXiOS/Android

v
AI AGENTS
Dev Agent (UI)Dev Agent (API)Code ReviewRefactor

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

QA Circle

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
QA CIRCLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

QAAutomationPerformanceSecurity
EngineerEngineerTesterTester
Manual/ExplFrameworksLoad testsVuln assess

v
AI AGENTS
UI TestAPI TestPerformanceTest GeneratorTriage

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Infrastructure Circle

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
INFRASTRUCTURE CIRCLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

DevOpsSRECloudDBA
EngineerEngineer
CI/CD/DeployReliabilityInfra/CloudDB Optimize

v
AI AGENTS
Deploy (DEV/QA/PROD)MonitoringIncidentCost Agent

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

AI Agents

Agent Pipeline

+-----------+    +-----------+    +-------------+    +-------------+
AgentAgentAgentAgents
+-----------+    +-----------+    +-------------+    +-------------+
      
   Horizon         Code Push        DEV Ready          Tests Pass
                                                           |
                                                           v
+-------------+    +--------------+    +-------------+
AgentAgentAgent
+-------------+    +--------------+    +-------------+
      
   Production         QA Ready           PR Created

Agents by Circle

#### Management Circle Agents AgentTriggerWhat It DoesReplaces Story AgentBA writes requirementEnhances with specs, acceptance criteria, edge cases, test casesJunior BA work Scheduling AgentMeeting neededAnalyzes calendars, finds optimal time, tracks action itemsScrum Master Documentation AgentFeature completeAuto-generates flow docs, updates wiki, links artifactsManual doc updates Estimation AgentStory readySuggests complexity based on historical dataPlanning poker #### Development Circle Agents AgentTriggerWhat It DoesReplaces Dev Agent (UI)Story assignedScaffolds UI components, generates platform-specific codeBoilerplate coding Dev Agent (API)Story assignedGenerates controllers, services, DTOs, entitiesBoilerplate coding Code Review AgentPR createdPre-reviews for patterns, security, styleFirst-pass review Refactor AgentCode smell detectedSuggests improvements, removes duplicationTech debt discovery #### QA Circle Agents AgentTriggerWhat It DoesReplaces UI Test AgentDEV deployedRuns Playwright/XCTest automationManual UI testing API Test AgentDEV deployedRuns REST API test suitesManual API testing Performance AgentQA deployedRuns load tests, identifies bottlenecksManual perf testing Test Generator AgentNew code pushedGenerates test cases from code and flow docsWriting test cases Bug Triage AgentBug reportedCategorizes, assigns severity, suggests ownerManual triage #### Infrastructure Circle Agents AgentTriggerWhat It DoesReplaces Deploy Agent (DEV)PR merged to developBuilds and deploys to DEVManual deployment Deploy Agent (QA)Tests pass + PR approvedDeploys to QA environmentManual deployment Deploy Agent (PROD)QA approvedDeploys to production with rollback readyManual deployment Monitoring AgentAlways runningWatches logs, metrics, alerts on anomaliesManual monitoring Incident AgentAlert triggeredCreates ticket, pages on-call, suggests runbookManual incident mgmt Cost AgentDaily/WeeklyAnalyzes cloud spend, suggests optimizationsManual cost review

Shared vs Dedicated Resources

QUAD allows flexible resource allocation based on project needs:

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
SHARED vs DEDICATED SPECTRUM
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

MORE DEDICATED                              MORE SHARED

MANAGEMENTDEVELOPMENTQAINFRA
CIRCLECIRCLECIRCLECIRCLE

DEDICATED      MOSTLY        MOSTLY          ALWAYS
per project    DEDICATED     SHARED          SHARED
(can share)   (can dedicate)  (across all)

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Default Allocation

CircleDefault ModeCan Be Changed? Management CircleDedicatedYes - can share BA/PM across small projects Development CircleMostly DedicatedYes - devs can help other projects QA CircleMostly SharedYes - can dedicate if project has enough work Infrastructure CircleAlways SharedTypically shared across all directors

Organizational Structure

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ GROUP (e.g., Wealth Management) +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ Director ADirector BDirector C Project 1Project 3Project 5 Project 2Project 4Project 6 +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ SHARED RESOURCES INFRAQAEnabling Teams CIRCLECIRCLE(Architect, etc.) ALWAYSUSUALLYOPTIONAL SHAREDSHARED

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

QUAD Hierarchy & Rules

Rule Hierarchy

+---------------------------------------+ BASE RULES (QUAD Platform) <-- Universal do's and don'ts +---------------------------------------+ COMPANY-WIDE RESTRICTIONS <-- Entity/Org level policies +---------------------------------------+ DIRECTOR RESTRICTIONS <-- Program/Portfolio level +---------------------------------------+ TECH LEAD RESTRICTIONS <-- Team level +---------------------------------------+ TEAM MEMBER CUSTOMIZATION <-- Personal preferences +---------------------------------------+

RULE: Each level can ADD restrictions, never CONTRADICT upper levels

Example Rules

LevelExample Rule Base Rules"Never commit secrets to Git" Company-wide"All PRs require 2 reviewers" Director"Use Java 21 only for this program" Tech Lead"Follow our naming conventions" Team Member"I prefer dark mode in IDE"

What Can Be Customized

SettingLevels That Can Set Agent on/offAll levels Approval requirementsCompany → Director → TL Code standardsCompany → Director → TL Tool choicesDirector → TL Personal preferencesTeam Member Security rulesCompany only

Agent Class-Object Pattern

QUAD agents follow a class-object instantiation pattern:

How It Works

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
AGENT LIFECYCLE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

CLASS (Template)                 OBJECT (Instance)
Story AgentassignSuman's Story
+ setup
- Capabilities- Connected
- Base rules- App password
- No connection- Local machine
- "Ready" state- User context

Cannot execute tasks             Can execute tasks
Just a definition                Knows who it serves

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Setup Flow

StepWhat HappensHow 1Agent Template existsQUAD Platform provides 2User joins teamGets web app access 3App Password createdNot SSO - restricted permissions 4Local machine setupAgent installed locally 5Agent = ObjectConnected, contextualized, active

Key Points

• Agent uses App Password, not user's SSO

• App Password has restricted permissions per hierarchy

• Agent runs on user's local machine

• Each user has their own agent instance

• Templates may have readonly access in future

QUAD Cycle (Milestone Flow)

QUAD uses a hybrid approach: Monthly Checkpoints with Continuous Flow within.

Cycle Structure

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
QUAD CYCLE (4 weeks)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

WEEK 1          WEEK 2          WEEK 3          WEEK 4



v               v               v               v
PulsePulsePulseCHECKPOINT
(opt)(opt)(opt)+ CALIBRATION


+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Cycle Events

EventFrequencyDurationPurpose PulseWeekly (optional)5-15 minQuick sync, blockers, AI dashboard review CheckpointMonthly1 hourDemo to stakeholders, release decision CalibrationMonthly30-60 minRetrospective, agent learning review TrajectoryMonthly1-2 hoursPlanning priorities for next cycle

Why Monthly Checkpoints?

ReasonBenefit AI works continuouslyNo artificial 2-week boundaries Humans need rhythmMonthly demo keeps stakeholders engaged Business needs dates"Q1 cycle" easier than "whenever ready" Less pressureNo sprint-end crunch 4-day week fitsNo Friday cramming

QUAD Terminology

QUAD uses new terms instead of Scrum jargon:

Old TermQUAD TermMeaning SprintCycle4-week period of continuous work Daily StandupPulseOptional weekly sync (5-15 min) Sprint PlanningTrajectorySetting priorities for the cycle Sprint ReviewCheckpointMonthly demo + release decision RetrospectiveCalibrationMonthly reflection + improvement BacklogHorizonWork ahead, prioritized queue Backlog GroomingRefinementBreaking down and clarifying work Sprint BacklogCycle QueueWork selected for current cycle Story PointsComplexityEstimation using chosen method VelocityFlow RateSpeed of work through pipeline BurndownProgressionVisual of work remaining Definition of DoneCompletion CriteriaWhen work is truly done Scrum MasterScheduling AgentAI handles coordination Product OwnerManagement Circle LeadBA/PM/TL in management circle

QUAD Glossary Card

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
QUAD GLOSSARY
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

CYCLE         4-week period of continuous work
PULSE         Optional weekly sync (5-15 min)
TRAJECTORY    Setting priorities for the cycle
CHECKPOINT    Monthly demo + release decision
CALIBRATION   Monthly reflection + improvement
HORIZON       Work backlog (what's ahead)
REFINEMENT    Breaking down and clarifying work
CYCLE QUEUE   Work selected for current cycle
FLOW RATE     Speed of work through pipeline
PROGRESSION   Visual of work remaining
COMPLETION    Definition of done criteria
IMPEDIMENT    Blocker that needs resolution

OPERATORS     Human specialists who execute circle functions
CIRCLES       4 functional teams (Mgmt, Dev, QA, Infra)
AXIOMS        3 foundational truths (Operators, Agents, Docs-First)
DIMENSIONS    Business + Technical (the 2 focus axes)
AGENTS        AI helpers assigned to each circle
ENABLING      Optional support teams (Architect, Security)

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Estimation Methods

QUAD offers multiple estimation methods. Teams choose in settings:

Option 1: Platonic Solids (Default)

ShapeFacesComplexityEquivalent Tetrahedron4Trivial/Simple1-2 Cube6Moderate3-5 Octahedron8Medium5-8 Dodecahedron12Complex8-13 Icosahedron20Very Complex13-21

Option 2: Dimensions

ShapeDimensionsComplexity Point0DTrivial (config change) Line1DSimple (one file) Triangle2DModerate (few files) Square2D+Medium (multiple components) Cube3DComplex (cross-system) Tesseract4DVery Complex (architecture)

Option 3: Powers

NotationValueComplexity 2^01Trivial 2^12Simple 2^24Moderate 2^38Complex 2^416Very Complex

Option 4: Classic Fibonacci

PointsComplexity 1Trivial 2Simple 3Moderate 5Medium 8Complex 13Very Complex

Docs-First Approach

QUAD is built on documentation-first development. Documentation is not an afterthought - it's created before and with code.

The Problem QUAD Solves

TRADITIONAL APPROACH (Scattered Documentation):
+----------+    +----------+    +----------+    +----------+
UIAPIDBTest
SpecsDocsSchemaCases
(Figma)(Swagger)(Wiki)(Excel)
+----------+    +----------+    +----------+    +----------+
      
      +-------+------+------+------+
              |
         ALL SEPARATE!
         Not linked
         Gets stale
         QA: "What should I test?"
         Dev: "Where's the spec?"

QUAD Solution: One Source of Truth

QUAD APPROACH (Flow Documentation):
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
FLOW DOCUMENT
(Per Feature / User Journey)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

[UI SCREENS]
- Screen mockups / screenshots
- User actions (tap, swipe, input)
- Navigation flow
- Validation rules

v
[API CALLS]
- Endpoint: POST /api/auth/login
- Request body: { email, password }
- Response: { token, user }
- Error codes: 401, 422, 500

v
[DATABASE]
- Tables: users, user_devices, otp_verifications
- Queries: SELECT * FROM users WHERE email = ?
- Inserts: INSERT INTO device_login_history...
- Triggers: trg_users_updated_at

v
[TEST CASES]
- TC1: Valid login -> 200 OK
- TC2: Invalid password -> 401
- TC3: Account locked -> 403
- TC4: DB connection fail -> 500

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Benefits

RoleHow They Use Flow DocsBenefit Management CircleCreates flow, defines acceptanceClear requirements Development CircleSees exact API spec, DB queriesNo guessing QA CircleTest cases already defined"I know what to test" Infrastructure CircleSees DB tables, plans performanceProactive optimization

Flow Documentation

Flow Document Structure

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
FLOW DOCUMENT TEMPLATE
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
<h1 class="text-3xl font-bold text-white mb-8">FLOW: [Feature Name]</h1>
<h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-blue-300 mt-10 mb-6">Overview</h2>
FieldValue
Flow IDFLOW_XXX_001
OwnerManagement Circle (BA/PM/TL)
Last UpdatedYYYY-MM-DD
StatusDraft / Active / Retired

<h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-blue-300 mt-10 mb-6">Step 1: [Action Name]</h2>
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-white mt-8 mb-4">UI</h3>
ElementTypeValidation
Field nameTextInputRequired, format
ButtonButtonDisabled until valid
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-white mt-8 mb-4">Screenshot</h3>
[Include screenshot or mockup]
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-white mt-8 mb-4">API</h3>
    POST /api/endpoint
    Content-Type: application/json
    Request:
    {
      "field": "value"
    }
    Response (200):
    {
      "result": "data"
    }
    Response (4xx/5xx):
    {
      "error": "message",
      "code": "ERROR_CODE"
    }
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-white mt-8 mb-4">Database</h3>
    -- Query executed
    SELECT columns FROM table WHERE condition;
    -- Insert/Update
    INSERT INTO table (columns) VALUES (values);
<h3 class="text-xl font-bold text-white mt-8 mb-4">Test Cases</h3>
TC IDScenarioInputExpectedAPIDB Check
TC001Happy pathvalid input200Yesrow added
TC002Invalid inputbad input422Nono change

<h2 class="text-2xl font-bold text-blue-300 mt-10 mb-6">Step 2: [Next Action]</h2>
...
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

QA Testing View (Auto-Generated from Flow)

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
QA TESTING VIEW
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Flow: FLOW_LOGIN_001

Test Checklist (auto-generated from flow):

UI Tests:
[ ] Email field shows keyboard
[ ] Password field masks input
[ ] Login button disabled when empty
[ ] Error message displays on failure

API Tests:
[ ] POST /api/auth/login returns 200 with valid creds
[ ] Returns 401 with invalid password
[ ] Returns 422 with malformed email
[ ] Response contains token and user object

Database Tests:
[ ] users.last_login_at updated on success
[ ] device_login_history row created
[ ] login_attempts incremented on failure
[ ] No data changed on validation failure

Edge Cases:
[ ] SQL injection attempt blocked
[ ] Account lockout after 5 failures
[ ] Concurrent login from 2 devices

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

One Source of Truth Architecture

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
ONE SOURCE OF TRUTH
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

GIT REPOSITORY
(Version Controlled)


v                 v                 v
/docs/src/tests
flows/codespecs


v
QUAD WEB APP
- Flow viewer
- API browser
- DB schema viewer
- AI chat (RAG)
- Test dashboard


v             v             v
ConfluenceJiraSwagger
(sync)(sync)(auto)

All tools sync FROM Git (single source)
Never edit in Confluence directly

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Productivity Benefits

MetricWithout QUAD DocsWith QUAD DocsImprovement Onboarding time2-4 weeks3-5 days75% faster "Where is X?" questions10+/dayNear zero90% reduction QA test case creation2 hours/featureAuto-generated80% faster Knowledge transferMeetings + shadowingRead the flow70% faster Bug reproduction"Works on my machine"Check flow + DBMuch faster New feature estimationGuessingSimilar flows existMore accurate

Technical Debt Handling

QUAD handles technical debt continuously, not in batches:

Approach: Continuous + Visibility

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
TECHNICAL DEBT APPROACH
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

1. REFACTOR AGENT (Continuous Scanning)
- Scans for code duplication
- Identifies long methods (>50 lines)
- Flags high cyclomatic complexity
- Checks outdated dependencies
- Detects security vulnerabilities
- Finds missing tests
- Creates tickets automatically

2. BOY SCOUT RULE
"Leave code better than you found it"
- When dev touches a file, fix small issues
- Include quick improvements with feature work
- No separate "tech debt stories" for small items

3. DEBT DASHBOARD (Visibility)
- Overall debt score visible to all
- Trends: improving, stable, declining
- Alerts when score drops below threshold

4. DEBT CEILING
- If score < 60, Director is alerted
- May pause features until debt reduced

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Tech Debt Dashboard

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
TECH DEBT DASHBOARD
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Overall Debt Score: 72/100 (Healthy)
████████████████████░░░░░░░░░░

By Category:
CategoryScoreTrend
Code Quality85/100^ Improving
Test Coverage70/100- Stable
Dependencies60/100v Declining
Documentation75/100^ Improving

Action Items: 3 Critical items need attention

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

Enabling Teams

Enabling Teams are optional support groups that are NOT counted as QUAD circles:

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+ ENABLING TEAMS (Optional) +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ ArchitectSecurityCompliance GroupTeamTeam - Solution- Vuln scans- HIPAA check - Domain- Pen testing- SOC2 audit - Database- Code review- GDPR review - Cloud v v v Design AgentSecurityCompliance ScannerChecker +-------------------------------------------------------------------+

QUAD = 4 Circles + AI Core + Optional Enabling Teams

When to Use Enabling Teams

TeamWhen Needed Architect GroupLarge systems, complex integrations, shared databases Security TeamRegulated industries, handling sensitive data Compliance TeamHealthcare (HIPAA), Finance (SOC2), EU (GDPR)

Methodology Comparison

QUAD vs Other Methodologies

AspectWaterfallAgile/ScrumDevOpsQUAD PlanningAll upfrontSprint-basedContinuousAI-assisted CyclePhases2-week sprintsContinuousMonthly checkpoint RolesPhase silosCross-functionalDev + Ops4 Circles + AI DocumentationHeavy upfrontLight/skippedCode-as-docsDocs-First TestingEnd phasePer sprintAutomatedAI Test Agents MeetingsPhase gatesDaily standupAs neededPulse (optional) FeedbackMonths2-4 weeksDaysReal-time AI IntegrationNoneOptionalOptionalCore

When to Use QUAD

Project TypeQUAD FitNotes Greenfield (new product)ExcellentFull QUAD from start Brownfield (legacy)ModerateGradual adoption Maintenance/SupportGoodCircle 3 + 4 heavy Regulated (Healthcare)GoodMore approval gates Startup (MVP)ExcellentSmall team + AI = fast

QUAD Benefits Summary

BenefitHow QUAD Achieves It Faster deliveryAI handles repetitive tasks Better qualityDocs-First, automated testing Less meetingsAI dashboard replaces standups Knowledge sharingOne source of truth Employee retentionLess stress, potential 4-day week No single dependencyEverything documented Easy transitionsPeople can move between projects

Getting Started

Minimum Viable QUAD

Start small, add agents gradually:

WeekEnableLearn 1-2Story Agent onlyAI-enhanced requirements 3-4+ Dev Agent (one platform)AI code scaffolding 5-6+ Deploy Agent (DEV only)Automated deployments 7-8+ Test AgentsAutomated testing 9++ Full pipelineEnd-to-end automation

Team Setup Checklist

StepActionOwner 1Assign 4 Circle roles to teamDirector 2Set up docs-first repositoryInfrastructure Circle 3Configure Story AgentManagement Circle 4Configure Dev AgentsDevelopment Circle 5Set up CI/CD with Deploy AgentsInfrastructure Circle 6Configure Test AgentsQA Circle 7Create team customization rulesTech Lead 8Train team on QUAD conceptsAll

Project Lifecycle (12-Month Example)

PhaseMonthsCircles ActiveFocus Phase 11-3Management + InfrastructureRequirements + Infra setup Phase 24-6Management + Development + InfrastructureDevelopment + Environments Phase 37-9Development + QA + InfrastructureDev + QA + CI/CD Phase 410-12QA + InfrastructureTesting + Production

License & Attribution

Copyright

QUAD™ (Quick Unified Agentic Development)

Trademark Notice

QUAD™ and Quick Unified Agentic Development™ are trademarks of A2 Vibe Creators LLC.

The Circle of Functions model (4 Circles), AI agent pipeline, and Docs-First approach are original works of Suman Addanke.

License

This methodology documentation is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

You MayCondition ShareCopy and redistribute in any medium AdaptRemix, transform, build upon CommercialUse for commercial purposes Required Attribution:

"QUAD Methodology by Suman Addanke / A2 Vibe Creators"

Contact

ChannelLink Websitehttps://a2vibecreators.com GitHubhttps://github.com/a2vibecreators AuthorSuman Addanke

Version History

VersionDateChanges 3.0Dec 2025Mathematical terminology: 1-2-3-4 Hierarchy, Circles, Axioms, Dimensions, Circle of Functions 2.0Dec 2025Complete rewrite: 4 Rings, Hierarchy, Agent Pattern, Cycle, Terminology, Docs-First 1.2Dec 2025Added methodology comparison, flow documentation 1.1Dec 2025Added practical guide 1.0Dec 2025Initial QUAD methodology

QUAD™ - A methodology by Suman Addanki | First Published: December 2025

QUAD™ - Quick Unified Agentic Development

Circle of Functions

Table of Contents

What is QUAD?

The 1-2-3-4 Hierarchy

The Name

Core Principles (The 3 Axioms)

Key Differentiators

The 4 Circles

Management Circle (Business 80% / Technical 20%)

Development Circle (Business 30% / Technical 70%)

QA Circle (Business 30% / Technical 70%)

Infrastructure Circle (Business 20% / Technical 80%)

Roles Within Each Circle

Management Circle

Development Circle

QA Circle

Infrastructure Circle

AI Agents

Agent Pipeline

Agents by Circle

Shared vs Dedicated Resources

Default Allocation

Organizational Structure

QUAD Hierarchy & Rules

Rule Hierarchy

Example Rules

What Can Be Customized

Agent Class-Object Pattern

How It Works

Setup Flow

Key Points

QUAD Cycle (Milestone Flow)

Cycle Structure

Cycle Events

Why Monthly Checkpoints?

QUAD Terminology

QUAD Glossary Card

Estimation Methods

Option 1: Platonic Solids (Default)

Option 2: Dimensions

Option 3: Powers

Option 4: Classic Fibonacci

Docs-First Approach

The Problem QUAD Solves

QUAD Solution: One Source of Truth

Benefits

Flow Documentation

Flow Document Structure

QA Testing View (Auto-Generated from Flow)

One Source of Truth Architecture

Productivity Benefits

Technical Debt Handling

Approach: Continuous + Visibility

Tech Debt Dashboard

Enabling Teams

When to Use Enabling Teams

Methodology Comparison

QUAD vs Other Methodologies

When to Use QUAD

QUAD Benefits Summary

Getting Started

Minimum Viable QUAD

Team Setup Checklist

Project Lifecycle (12-Month Example)

License & Attribution

Copyright

Trademark Notice

License

Contact

Related Documentation

Version History