This document discusses strategies for balancing discovery and delivery work in high-performance teams. It recommends allocating 50% of time to discovery/innovation work and 50% to delivery/execution work. Key learnings include maximizing learning through MVPs, improving idea flow through collective intelligence, and achieving alignment through OKRs, briefs, and roadmaps. Metrics should measure outcomes at the business, product, and engagement levels to guide the work. Managing discovery work in complex problem spaces requires an adaptive approach.
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Strategy
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Highlights
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5. Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Key Learnings
3
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective intelligence
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmap
Metrics
3 levels
Correct category
17. 1. Recognize which type of system
you are dealing with
2. Think “manage, not solve”
3. Employ a “try, learn, and adapt”
operating strategy
4. Develop a complexity mindset.
Dealing with Complexity
15https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-critical-difference-
between-complex-and-complicated/
18. Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Key Learnings
16
21. Maximize learning while
minimizing risk and
investment
Types:
• Paper Prototypes
• Invisionapp
• Single Use Case
19
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs
33. Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Key Learnings
31
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective intelligence
36. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Objective: where do I want to go?
• KR1: how will I pace myself to see if I’m getting there?
• KR2: how will I pace myself to see if I’m getting there?
• KR3: how will I pace myself to see if I’m getting there?
34
37. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Objective: Beat our competitors
• KR1: Integrate with Authorize.net
• KR2: Build pre-authorization functionality
• KR3: Build manual shipping charges
• KR4: Reduce churn by 12%
• KR5: Check out Bitcoin
• KR6: Integrate with PayPal
35
X
38. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Objective: Accelerate cash flow for small businesses
• KR1: Integrate with 2 payment processors by August 1st
• KR2: Conduct at least 15 customer development interviews
• KR3: Process $100K/mo GMV
36
39. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Objective: Accelerate cash flow for small businesses
• KR1: Integrate with 2 payment processors by August 1st
• KR2: Conduct at least 15 customer development interviews
• KR3: Process $100K/mo GMV
Objective: Establish ourselves as the premier B2B platform for
small businesses
37
47. 45
We believe that [doing/building
this]
For [these people]
Will [have this impact]
If it works, we’ll [take this step]
If it fails, we’ll [take this step]
1. Business
2. Product
3. Engagement
MetricsHypothesisProblem Back Brief
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
1. Initial
2. Ongoing
50. Key Learnings
48
Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective intelligence
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmap
51. Metrics
49
How do I know my product is
benefitting users?
Outcome of engagement; our product hypothesis
Leading indicator of impact
Examples: efficiency, throughput, risk
How do I know people are using it?
How we know people are using our product
Example: DAUs, pageviews, events, milestones
How do I know my product is helping my business?
Benefit to the business as a result of achieving the outcome
Examples: revenue, ACV, customer satisfaction
Business
Product
Engagement
Metrics
3 levels
Correct category
55. Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Key Learnings
53
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective intelligence
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmap
Metrics
3 levels
Correct category
57. Alex Pentland - Social Physics
Collective Intelligence in Computer-Mediated Collaboration Emerges in
Different Contexts and Cultures
Evidence for a Collective Intelligence Factor in the Performance of Human
Groups
Exploring the use of Cynefin Framework for to Inform Software Development
Approach Decisions
55
https://flatiron.com/careers/
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