Standard : Discovery-to-Delivery Ratio
Description
Discovery-to-Delivery Ratio measures the proportion of time and effort teams spend on discovery versus delivery. It helps ensure that enough effort is allocated to understanding problems before building solutions.
Balanced ratios vary by context — too little discovery leads to wasted delivery, too much discovery slows value realisation.
How to Use
What to Measure
- Total time spent on discovery activities (research, validation).
- Total time spent on delivery activities (design, build, release).
Discovery-to-Delivery Ratio = Discovery Effort ÷ Delivery Effort
Example: 100 hours discovery, 400 hours delivery → Ratio = 0.25 (25%).
Instrumentation Tips
- Track activities via timesheets, Jira tags, or calendar events.
- Define which activities count as discovery vs delivery.
- Analyse ratios per team and per quarter.
Why It Matters
- Risk mitigation: Ensures enough discovery to de-risk investment.
- Flow optimisation: Avoids teams idling waiting for validated work.
- Learning culture: Encourages continuous research.
Best Practices
- Set target ratios (e.g. 10–20% discovery time per team).
- Visualise discovery work alongside delivery work.
- Inspect and adapt based on outcome achievement.
Common Pitfalls
- Treating discovery as optional or unplanned.
- Measuring only formal research, missing informal discovery.
- Forcing arbitrary ratios that ignore context.
Signals of Success
- Smoother delivery with fewer late-stage changes.
- Roadmaps populated with validated opportunities.
- Consistent customer outcomes tied to discovery investment.
- [[Opportunity Validation Rate]]
- [[Learning Velocity]]
- [[Roadmap Delivery Confidence]]