Having a conversation adjacent to a previous about the “three-legged table” - business, IT, and UX (or CX if you prefer the larger wrapper) - brought to the table a wonder if there’s something similar to speed (business: time to market, market response, product development, etc) or velocity (IT: build response, component maturation, product management viability, etc). The word which came to mind for CX/UX was “tempo.” Why?

There is an orchestration which happens in measuring or managing the experience lifecycle of a product, program, or service. Mapping exercises often detail the features and nuances of this orchestration. Sometimes even illuminating the timelines which foster and fracture the narrative. “Tempo” feels one part the language of this orchestration while also not being the determining aspect of it.

Many of us assign “tempo” to a musical context. Not so much when we are playing instruments or performing, but when we are the audience consuming. “Can you feel the tempo” or, “did you notice the change in tempo” are common expressions of this revelation. Is the audience defining the tempo? No. But, they are acknowledging it and expressing their comfort or discomfort with the orchestration.

Could be a useful term for the CX/UX crowd. Especially if orchestration methods can be used to discover and enhance org maturity or sharpen the focus on business drivers and risk factors. Unless folks do like being out of step with their markets and consumers that is.