Reminds me of Kent Beck's 3x [0] (there are also video presentations online). So from that perspective you're describing the first two "explore" and "expand".

Reminds me of Kent Beck's 3x [0] (there are also video presentations online). So from that perspective you're describing the first two "explore" and "expand". The third is also interesting "extract" where a project reduces risk over everything else. Both are missing the fourth part of a lifecycle. If we take the 4x analogy further (which is a popular video game genre) then there would be a "extinguish" phase. In a 4x video game that is where you take over the whole play area (map etc.), essentially by bullying out or assimilating the other factions. In the real world this is also kind of true (see Amazon as a popular example in tech, or price dumping strategies practiced by Pharma and other large industries). But it is generally frowned upon as it hurts the economy and erodes social contracts. Also for most projects and organizations it isn't feasible to do so. So the "extinguish" part could be understood as "gracefully fading out" from which new cycles can be grown. [0] https://medium.com/@kentbeck_7670/fast-slow-in-3x-explore-expand-extract-6d4c94a7539 https://medium.com/@kentbeck_7670/fast-slow-in-3x-explore-ex...