The 1994 CSA-A23.3 standard "Design of concrete structures" includes a new shear design method based on the equations of the modified compression field theory (MCFT). This "general method" is a simplification which casts the MCFT in the traditional "V_c + V_s" format resulting in a set of six general equations and two tables. This new method unifies the treatment of reinforced, partially prestressed and fully prestressed concrete and accounts, in a rational manner, for the effects of axial load and bending moment on shear capacity. Simplifying the MCFT while maintaining acceptable generality and accuracy involved a number of considerations and assumptions. This paper gives the background to the development of these shear design equations and tables of the general method.Key words: beams, building codes, crack width and spacing, diagonal cracking, reinforced concrete, shear strength, size effect in shear, structural design.