Dual Track Development

Jeff Patton's diagram — discovery and delivery running in parallel tracks with different cadences and different kinds of work — has become one of the most widely circulated frameworks in contemporary product practice. The piece is short and useful because it addresses the most common organisational confusion in product teams: the assumption that discovery and delivery are sequential, with discovery ending when delivery begins. Patton is explicit that this is wrong and damaging. For product direction the dual-track frame is a useful conversational tool, especially when a team is struggling with pressure to stop discovering and start building. Pair with Torres's Continuous Discovery Habits for the operational companion.