Law of the Instrument (Hammer)

"I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." ¹

The concept is attributed to both Abraham Maslow (1966)¹ and Abraham Kaplan (1964), "I call it the law of the instrument, and it may be formulated as follows: Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding."² However, the hammer analogy predates both by almost 100 years as a 1868 London periodical, "Once a Week", pulished the observation: "Give a boy a hammer and chisel; show him how to use them; at once he begins to hack the doorposts, to take off the corners of shutter and window frames, until you teach him a better use for them, and how to keep his activity within bounds."³

The "Law of the Instrument", also known as the "Law of the Hammer", refers to the cognitive bias summarized by Abraham Maslow in 1966: "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." This means individuals and organizations tend to over-rely on familiar tools, frameworks, or approaches, even if they aren't the best fit for the situation.

Impact on Agile Teams & Organizations

In Agile environments, this bias can lead to over-reliance on a specific framework (e.g., Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe), practice, or tool, regardless of whether it aligns with the context or addresses the actual problem. Instead of adapting to the unique needs of the team or the organization, people may apply familiar methods blindly. This rigidity can hinder agility, innovation, and the organization's ability to respond to change effectively.

Scenario

An organization new to Agile might mandate that all teams use Scrum because it's widely known, even though some teams are better suited to Kanban or another approach. For instance:

• A DevOps team operating in a continuous deployment model might struggle with fixed-length Sprints and rigid ceremonies like Scrum's Sprint Planning and reviews. Kanban, with its focus on flow and pull systems, might be a better fit for their context.
• However, if leaders insist on Scrum because it's their "hammer," the team could face inefficiencies and frustration, reducing productivity and morale.

Summary

The Law of the Instrument reminds us to be intentional and contextual in choosing tools, frameworks, or methods. Agile's core principles emphasize adaptability and responding to change, so imposing a "one-size-fits-all" solution goes against the spirit of agility. Agile coaches can help teams and organizations recognize this bias, evaluate their current approach, and choose or adapt frameworks that genuinely align with their needs and goals.