In Agile delivery, iterations alone do not create value. Reliable and repeatable operations are also essential to ensure consistent delivery. The "O" in the DO CREATIVE model stands for Operations, emphasizing the importance of having a promotion strategy that ensures safe and controlled movement of code and configuration changes from development to production. 

A promotion strategy defines the path and validations each change must pass before reaching customers. It’s the backbone of operational readiness, balancing agility with stability. The right strategy depends on four dimensions: 

1. Risk Profile – The higher the cost of failure, the more safeguards you need. 

1. Business Velocity – Your promotion pace must match market demands without compromising quality. 

1. Operational Maturity – Automation, infrastructure as code, and testing maturity determine how fast and safely you can move. 

1. Resource Reality – Your strategy must reflect the people and tools you currently have. 

Examples like Visa’s multi-layered environment show how mission-critical systems demand rigorous checks, while lower-risk teams may thrive with lightweight, automated paths. Use feature flags, monitoring, and rollback plans to increase flexibility without losing control. 

Key Message: Your promotion strategy must be tailored to your business’s speed, risk tolerance, and technical capabilities. True agility is not just how fast you ship it’s how safely and sustainably you do it.