Æilus is a value-based methodology designed to be domain-agnostic.
However, like any serious methodology, it evolves through real application: where value can be observed, measured, debated, and improved in practice.
At this stage, the most active development and validation of Æilus practices is happening in the domain of software development.
Why software development is currently the primary field
Software organizations provide a particularly strong environment for refining value-oriented practices because they combine:
- dense value flows (many actors and dependencies),
- fast feedback cycles (release → usage → outcome),
- high sensitivity to resistance (queues, delays, misalignment, rework),
- clear domain constraints (availability, security, performance, continuity).
This makes software a practical laboratory for value theory and value methodology:
- value can be observed without relying solely on money;
- anti-value can be seen as operational friction, defects, instability, and wasted work;
- system stability can be tracked through participation conditions, dependencies, and domain signals.
Organizations where Æilus is being applied
Today, Æilus is applied and explored primarily in software development environments within:
- DatsTeam - software development and delivery;
- Behind Software Group - software development;
- Farol Group - software development.
In these organizations, Æilus is used as a lens for:
- evaluating value of product hypotheses and features,
- reducing resistance in delivery flows,
- aligning interpretations between product, engineering, and operations,
- improving system stability under change.
What “use” means in practice
Æilus is not a single tool that an organization “installs.”
In practical usage, adoption typically includes some combination of:
- introducing a shared value vocabulary and value system modeling;
- defining ownership roles (system, flow, and transformer owners);
- selecting and adapting practices with explicit inputs/outputs;
- establishing domain policies that protect stability and participation conditions;
- using tools (such as VSS) only after the value model is clear.
In other words, Æilus is used as a system of decisions, not as a set of slogans.
Current maturity and honest status
Æilus is evolving.
At present:
- the strongest body of validated practices is in software development;
- formalization and standardization are actively progressing through ÆVRI;
- external awards and formal institutional recognition are not yet available.
This is intentional and transparent: Æilus prioritizes methodological rigor and reproducibility over premature promotion.
Where Æilus can expand next
Æilus is designed to be domain-agnostic, but expansion is treated as a research process rather than a marketing claim.
In practical terms, this means: a new domain is considered “supported” only after we can demonstrate:
- clear mapping of actors, flows, and value elements for that domain,
- validated practices with explicit inputs/outputs,
- domain policies that protect system stability and participation conditions,
- repeatable evidence that interventions improve realized value and reduce resistance.
Potential next areas include:
- product and portfolio governance,
- operations and service delivery,
- organizational design and internal platforms,
- broader institutional and socio-technical systems.
Expansion will follow the same principle: build cases, validate practices, and document what is reproducible.