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Glite Dictionary
⏰ A clock sound 🔄 Update cycle
tick-tock

tick-tock

7.7
A plan to alternate big design changes with ways to make products better
  • noun
  • /tɪk tɑk/
  • Jargon
translation icon : estrategia de alternancia
  • TICK, TOCK, TICK, TOCK...

Examples

  • To improve efficiency, the team adopted a tick-tock approach, focusing on innovative design in one phase and refining processes in the next.

  • By utilizing a tick-tock model, the firm balances significant architectural changes with necessary manufacturing enhancements.

  • The company's new product development follows a strict tick-tock strategy, alternating between major updates and optimization improvements.

Surface Forms

tick-tock singular
tick-tocks plural

Morphology

tick-tock = tick + tock (semi-transparent) = tick + tock

The form is clearly the 'tick' + 'tock' rhythm, but the specialized metaphorical meaning for alternating development cycles is domain-specific and not immediately obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Tick-tock borrows the clock sounds tick and tock to describe a plan with two repeating steps: one tick for big design changes and one tock for improvements in how things are made. That's why a tick-tock strategy means you regularly alternate between major updates and work that improves production.