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.

1. Navigating Complexity
High-performance discovery teams
1

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Watch the video with slide
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https://www.infoq.com/presentations/
high-performance-delivery-discovery-
team/

3. Presented at QCon New York
www.qconnewyork.com
Purpose of QCon
- to empower software development by facilitating the spread of
knowledge and innovation
Strategy
- practitioner-driven conference designed for YOU: influencers of
change and innovation in your teams
- speakers and topics driving the evolution and innovation
- connecting and catalyzing the influencers and innovators
Highlights
- attended by more than 12,000 delegates since 2007
- held in 9 cities worldwide

4. Tale of Two Teams
2
>8

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

6. Our Team
4
1 Product Manager
1 Designer
3 Engineers
Build a B2B payments system

7. Delivery
5

8. Dual-track
Discovery
Delivery
6

9. Balance
50%
80%
20%
Discovery / Innovation
Delivery / Execution
7
discovery
delivery

10. Balance
Discovery / Innovation
Delivery / Execution
8
discovery
delivery

11. Two different types of work
Key Learnings
9

12. 1010
Obvious
ComplicatedComplex
Chaotic
Cynefin

13. Complicated
11

14. Complex
12

15. 1313
Obvious
ComplicatedComplex
Chaotic
We
were
here
Cynefin
DeliveryDiscovery

16. 1414
Obvious
ComplicatedComplex
Chaotic
Need
To
Get
Here
Cynefin
DeliveryDiscovery

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

19. Discovery
Delivery
17
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

20. Discovery
Delivery
18
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

21. Maximize learning while
minimizing risk and
investment
Types:
• Paper Prototypes
• Invisionapp
• Single Use Case
19
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

22. Validate Problem
Validate Usability
Validate Interactions
20
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

23. • Pre-Order
• Audience Building
• Wizard of Oz
• Concierge
21
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

24. Two different types of work; two different ways of thinking
Key Learnings
22
Maximize Learning
Accelerate discovery
MVPs

25. 23
“the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking”
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

26. 24
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence
https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/5721312655835136/

27. 25
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

28. • Ability to perform a wide range
of tasks
• Correlated with performance
on complex tasks
26
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

29. 1. Remove friction in feedback
2. Informal, internal teams focused on collaboration
3. Broadcast updates
27
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

30. 28
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

31. 29
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

32. 30
Better Ideas
Idea flow
Collective Intelligence

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

34. 32
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps

35. 33
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps

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

40. OKRs
38https://rework.withgoogle.com/print/guides/6229207193485312/

41. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
1. Focus and commit to priorities
2. Align and connect for teamwork
3. Track for accountability
4. Stretch for amazing
39

42. Alignment Autonomy
40
Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps

43. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Alignment
Autonomy
41

44. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Alignment
Autonomy
42
But
why?
Here’s the
requirements
doc

45. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Alignment
Autonomy
43
BitcoinIncrease
GMV

46. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmaps
Alignment
Autonomy
44
Increase
GMV so
that...
Square

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

48. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmap
46

49. Alignment
OKRs
Briefs
Roadmap
47

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

52. Metrics
3 levels
Correct category
50
80%
20%
Discovery / Innovation
Delivery / Execution
Revenue, LTV, acceleration
Customer Satisfaction, NPS
discovery
delivery

53. Tale of Two Teams
51
>8

54. 52

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

56. 54
https://flatiron.com/careers/

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/

58. Watch the video with slide
synchronization on InfoQ.com!
https://www.infoq.com/presentations/
high-performance-delivery-discovery-
team/