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Mind over Machine

The C.R.O.W.D. Values

"What do you think Dorith would have done in this situation?"

The C.R.O.W.D. Compass

Section titled “The C.R.O.W.D. Compass”

We know that we will be treading ground that is untouched or unexplored, and we have therefore designed a compass to help us set direction in situations where we are not quite sure where to go.

Our values are summarized in a C.R.O.W.D. acronym — a compass that can guide our decisions, projects and relationships.

C — Curious

Section titled “C — Curious”

Curious means that we approach every problem with non-judgemental curiosity and holistic thinking.

We are curious to understand systemic connections rather than merely isolated individual parts. We can ask questions such as:

  • How will this code affect the entire ecosystem (SDLC) around software development?
  • What are the implicit, unintended consequences of our architecture and design decisions?
  • What concrete end-user need is this code a solution to?

In practice:

  • We perform systems analysis before technical design
  • We facilitate participatory design with end-users
  • We study connections — between teams, functions, users, outcomes.

R — Regenerative

Section titled “R — Regenerative”

Regenerative — we don’t just try to minimize harm — we actively work to heal and restore.

In software, regeneration means:

  • A green, sustainable perspective — actively limiting energy consumption and electronic waste through efficient and backwards-compatible code
  • Social restoration — building software that strengthens community and relationships
  • Economic stewardship — ensuring that value is not extracted from the solution but fairly distributed

In practice:

  • We measure and optimize for “green algorithms and infrastructure”
  • We reject profit-maximizing business models that exploit end-users or developers
  • We reinvest our surplus to support people’s collective access to shared software (FOSS)
  • We develop with a view to long-term system health.

O — Optimize

Section titled “O — Optimize”

Optimize means eliminating waste in all its forms: muda (uselessness), mura (unevenness), muri (overburdenness), technical debt, wasted energy, wasted effort, and so on…

In practice:

  • We implement one-piece flows to detect problems early and to minimize work in progress
  • We practice continuous delivery to reduce lead times (the end-user’s perceived waiting time from idea to product)
  • We optimize code to avoid technical debt, reduce maintenance needs, and increase the degree of reusability.
  • We measure and identify cognitive load for development teams
  • We optimize infrastructure for minimal energy consumption

W — Whole

Section titled “W — Whole”

Whole means that we view software development as a systemic, living, connected, constantly changing ecosystem — not a static product that merely needs to be developed and delivered.

In practice:

  • We build for viability and maintainability, not only for the initial delivery
  • We build feedback mechanisms and telemetry into our systems (monitoring, analytics, end-user feedback)
  • We view infrastructure and development as the same system (DevOps)
  • We practice systematic reflection on action to achieve and learn reflection in action
  • We open up for all stakeholders (employees, users, community) to participate in the decision-making process

D — DORITH: “DO the RIght THing”

Section titled “D — DORITH: “DO the RIght THing””

DORITH is our mascot for integrity. It means that we choose the ethically sound path, even if it may be longer or cost more in the short term.

Imagine Dorith as an externalised imaginary person embodying “DO the RIght THing”. Everyone on the team knows her. You can stop mid-task and ask your team — “What do you think Dorith would have done in this situation?”

In practice:

  • We reject projects that cause harm to people or the environment
  • We prioritize well-being and empowerment over dependency-creating or exploitative features
  • We contribute generously to open source and the commons
  • We maintain 100% personal integrity in data protection and privacy
  • We speak up when the organisation has drifted from its mission
  • We practice reflective reviews of our ethical decisions

Living the Values

Section titled “Living the Values”

The C.R.O.W.D. values are not merely statements of intent — they shape how we:

  • Hire and develop people who share these values
  • Evaluate projects, clients and partners against these values
  • Make decisions when trade-offs need to be made
  • Measure success through impact and outcomes, not (only) financial surplus
  • Hold ourselves accountable through annual ethical audits

Every member of our community is expected to understand and acknowledge these values. They are the foundation of what makes “Mind over Machine” different.