Strategize: Product Strategy and Product Roadmap Practices for the Digital Age

by Roman Pichler

Iteratively Test and Correct Your Strategy A great way to validate the product strategy is to follow an iterative approach along the lines suggested in the book The Lean Startup (Ries 2011). Start by selecting the biggest risk: the uncertainty that must be addressed now so that you don’t take the product in the wrong direction and experience late failure—that is, figuring out at a late stage that you are building a product that nobody really wants or needs. Next, determine how you can best address the risk—for instance, by observing target users, interviewing customers, or employing a minimum viable product (MVP). Carry out the necessary work and collect the relevant feedback or data. Then analyze the results and use the newly gained insights to decide if you should pivot, persevere, or stop—if you should stick with your strategy, change it, or no longer pursue your vision—and take the appropriate actions accordingly. Follow this process until no crucial risks are left, you are confident that your strategy is correct, and you have enough evidence to support it—or until you have run out of time and money. Figure 27 illustrates this process. FIGURE 27: Testing the Product Strategy Iteratively reworking the product strategy encourages you to carry out just enough market research just in time to avoid too much or too little research.