In this article, the authors use two sets of terms--"chronos/kairos" and strategy/tactic--to frame the way they tell the story or the "case" of Professional Writing and Rhetoric's (PWR's) developing identity at Elon University. In doing so, they offer to the readers a framework for identity development that is portable across contexts. The authors argue that there are times when "chronos" dictates or times when one might approach program development from the sense of chronological time. In these instances, one stands before time, and there is time to plan ahead. This sort of place-in-time, the authors argue, calls on a practice guided by strategy and strategic thinking. However, program development is not always a strategic process enacted within or approached from chronos. There is another sense of time that is crucial to the work of program development and the development of programmatic identity: "kairos." Rather than standing before time, one now stands in time. This other position in time, or approach to time, calls on a practice guided by tactical, rather than strategic, action. The authors contend that "chronos/kairos" and strategy/tactic is a powerful heuristic framework not only because it reminds them that they write and re-write their programs, but also because it facilitates the recursive inventional process of such program development. (Contains 1 note.)