Zoom In, Zoom Out

Go deep into details on select projects, then abstract scalable patterns from what you learn

Dmitry Zlokazov
Dmitry Zlokazov

Zoom In, Zoom Out

"It's not only going deep, but also being flexible and doing this switch between zooming in very deep and then raising on the level of helicopter view." - Dmitry Zlokazov

What It Is

Zoom In, Zoom Out is a leadership approach for managing many projects without spreading yourself thin. Instead of staying high-level across everything, leaders go extremely deep on a small number of the most critical projects (7-10 out of 100+), then extract scalable patterns and processes from what they learn.

The counterintuitive insight is that selective depth creates more leverage than broad oversight. When you go deep, you discover the root causes that enable systemic fixes. When you stay shallow, you only catch symptoms.

This approach also creates organizational discipline through signaling. Teams know that any project could be scrutinized deeply, which raises the bar across all projects—not just the ones currently under review.

How It Works

The Core Practice:

  1. Select 7-10 projects - Choose the most impactful initiatives from the full portfolio (out of ~100)

  2. Go extremely deep - Sit with engineers, read code, understand underlying systems, attend working sessions

  3. Identify patterns - Look for what made things complex and what enabled success

  4. Abstract to processes - Create scalable frameworks, templates, and guidelines from your findings

  5. Rotate attention - Move to different projects over time, creating coverage through cycles

Why It Works:

  • Deep dives reveal root causes that shallow reviews miss
  • Patterns become reusable processes that help all teams
  • Teams self-govern knowing deep scrutiny could come anytime
  • Leaders build real context that improves their judgment

The Signaling Effect:

  • Teams talk to each other about what's being scrutinized
  • Current focus areas signal priorities to the organization
  • Teams not being reviewed still maintain standards
  • Poor performers know they may be next

How to Apply It

  1. Resist the urge to stay current on everything - Accept that you can't track 100 projects; pick the ones that matter most

  2. Choose projects by impact, not urgency - Select initiatives that will shape customer experience or business fundamentals

  3. Go deeper than feels comfortable - Read code, attend standups, review PRs—don't just ask for updates

  4. Document what you learn - Turn discoveries into playbooks, templates, and guidelines others can use

  5. Rotate systematically - Plan which areas get deep attention each cycle; coverage comes over time

  6. Trust the signaling effect - Know that your selective attention raises the bar everywhere, not just where you're focused

When to Use It

Strong fit:

  • Leaders managing many parallel workstreams (50+ projects)
  • Organizations where quality and execution discipline matter
  • Companies with complex, multi-layered products
  • Situations where you need to scale yourself without hiring more leaders

Consider alternatives when:

  • You only have a few critical projects (just go deep on all of them)
  • Teams are too junior to self-govern (they need more active management)
  • Projects are genuinely independent (signaling effect won't propagate)
  • Your organization values consistency over selective excellence

Source

  • Guest: Dmitry Zlokazov
  • Episode: "Dmitry Zlokazov"
  • Key Discussion: (00:32:57) - Discussion of how to manage 100 projects by going deep on 7-10
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

Related Frameworks

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