1 min lesson
Two value streams: forward flow and the return loop
Explain the practical point behind "Work flows forward from idea to running software."
Step 1 of 2
Picture the lifecycle as a circuit, not a pipeline. Work flows forward from idea to running software. A second current flows backward from production reality into the next change. Most vendors only see the forward arrow. You need both, because the return loop is where the operational pain sits and where the cheapest wins live.
Interactive diagram. Tab through its regions; each focused region shows its detail in the panel below.
Forward value stream (Plan → Design → Build → Test → Release → Operate) plus the return loop (Incident → Postmortem → Corrective change). Every stage emits artifacts into a system of record: that's the context surface the AI either has or doesn't.