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Build a custom methodology

Clone a built-in methodology, edit its definition, validate it, and publish an immutable organisation template in Skopo.

Skopo lets workspace owners create custom methodology templates by cloning a built-in methodology, adapting its operating model, and publishing an immutable organisation-wide template. Projects can then opt into each version through a migration preview.

Before you start

  • Only workspace owners can author and publish methodology templates.
  • Published templates are immutable. To make further changes, you create a new version from a published template.
  • Templates move through a lifecycle: draft → in review → approved → published. They can also be deprecated or retired.
  • Read /docs/concepts/methodologies to understand what a methodology definition includes before authoring one.

Steps

Create a draft

  1. Navigate to your workspace and click Methodologies in the workspace sidebar.
  2. The page heading is Methodology templates.
  3. In the Clone starter panel on the left, choose a Source methodology from the dropdown (Basic, Kanban, Scrum, Shape Up, Extreme Programming, Scrumban, or Dual-Track Agile).
  4. Enter a Draft name in the field below (defaults to "[Source] custom" if left empty).
  5. Click Create draft. The new draft appears in the Organization templates list on the left and its editor opens on the right.
  6. Alternatively, click Import draft to upload a previously exported .skopo-methodology.json file. Imports always create a new draft; if the template key already exists, Skopo assigns a safe new key.

Edit the definition

  1. With your draft selected, the editor shows the template header (name, status badge, key, version, source) and the following editable sections:

    • Name and Short name — displayed in the UI and navigation.
    • Description and Best for — shown to users choosing a methodology.
    • Work-item types — add, remove, or rename work item types; add custom fields per type.
    • Workflow — define workflow states (id, label, colour, WIP limit, WIP policy: advisory or blocking).
    • Workflow transitions — which state moves are allowed, whether they are reversible, and which policies must be satisfied.
    • Views — which project views are enabled (Dashboard, Insights, Sprint Board, Board, Backlog, Rituals, Delivery, Operations, Team) and which is the default.
    • Rituals — ritual definitions with key, label, cadence, and description.
    • Artifacts — deliverable types with custom fields.
    • Metrics — health signals with aggregation method (count, sum, average, percentile, ratio, latest), unit, and source event.
    • Policies — governance rules with enforcement mode (advisory or blocking), scope (transition, release, ritual, work-item), and applicable transitions.
    • Recommended roles — suggested role names for the methodology.
    • Available practices — optional project-level toggles that project leads can enable or disable per project.

  2. Edit each section as needed. The Preview panel on the right updates live to reflect your changes, showing a summary of work type count, workflow state count, validation errors, and the policy list.

Save the draft

  1. Click Save draft in the template header toolbar when you are satisfied with your edits.

Validate the definition

  1. The Validation panel below the template header shows any errors in the definition. Common errors include unreachable workflow states, missing transitions to Done, or invalid policy references.
  2. Resolve all errors before proceeding. The Request review and Publish buttons are disabled while there are validation errors.
  3. The Change impact panel shows how many destructive changes this template introduces compared to the current published version — for example, workflow states or work item types removed that projects may currently use.

Submit for review and publish

  1. When the definition is valid and the draft is saved, click Request review to move the template to "in review" status.
  2. A workspace owner with publish permissions can review the template, add Review notes in the governance panel, and click Approve or Return to draft.
  3. Once approved, click Publish to make the template immutable and available for projects to opt into. A status message confirms: "Template published. Projects can now opt into this version from migration preview."

Create a new version of a published template

  1. Select a published template from the list.
  2. Click New version. A new draft is created from the published template with an incremented version number. Edit and publish the new version following the same steps above.
  3. Existing projects running on older versions will see an "Upgrade available" notice and can migrate through the migration preview.

Export and import

  1. To share a template across workspaces, click Export on any template. A sanitised .skopo-methodology.json file downloads.
  2. To import in another workspace, use the Import draft button and select the file.

Result

Your organisation has a published custom methodology template. Projects can opt into the template version through the project Settings → Methodology setup flow. Older projects see an upgrade prompt when a new version is published.