There I was, sitting in a sterile office conference room, long before creative workplaces like Google and WeWork became the norm, feeling completely stumped. The CFO of our division had just asked me, a fresh management trainee, why I thought the company was pursuing the strategy he outlined. Honestly, I had no clue. My mind went blank, and I felt a bit embarrassed.
Instead of waiting to be asked the question, it would have been smarter for me to ask questions first. But there I was, microphone in hand, with dead silence hanging in the air. I eventually came up with a pretty standard corporate response (which I don’t remember) but followed it with a question: “Why do you believe a merger is crucial to the strategy?”
Although I didn’t see myself as wise back then, the question sparked a lot of head-nodding and thoughtful responses. This incident made me realize that asking good questions is just as important as providing good answers.
It all starts with asking the right questions. Solving almost any business problem begins with asking the right questions, especially in product strategy. You can’t develop a successful product strategy without addressing the basics: why, what, how, when, and who, as well as more complex questions like “What’s the user acquisition strategy?”. So, as you start working on your product strategy, resist the urge to dive in immediately and bypass these vital questions.
Recognize commitment bias and assumptions. It’s challenging but crucial to identify any preconceived notions and assumptions you might have. Approach product strategy with an open mind. I find it helpful to list out my biases and assumptions before diving into the strategy and revisit them often to stay aware.
Warren Buffet once noted that everyone tends to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs, which can be costly in business. So, as you ask questions, let the data guide you, consider all viewpoints, and strive for objectivity.
Let’s dive into why questions are so critical. Asking the right questions keeps your mind open and reduces the risk of wasting time and resources by identifying issues early on. Addressing these questions in your strategy can minimize later rework resulting from overlooked gaps.
I’ve experienced numerous instances in my career where asking the right question upfront would have saved a lot of trouble, be it in product strategy projects or other areas. For example, during my time as a consultant, a client wanted to productize and monetize its brand and intellectual property. I assumed they were aiming for extra revenue, which seemed logical. However, we were about a third of the way through the project before realizing their actual goal was to attract more patients, not to make money directly. This misalignment required a significant strategy overhaul. Just asking why they chose productization could have avoided this mistake.
So, what questions should you start with? I’ve compiled a list of commonly used questions that have served well across various industries and situations. These questions are crucial for setting a solid foundation for your product strategy and speeding up its acceptance and understanding.
Once you have a set of questions, the challenge is to get clear, concise, and valuable answers. Here are some rules I follow to ensure this:
– Question everything within reason. Tailor your questions to your industry, company, and products. Consider additional helpful inputs.
– Make sure you understand the company’s strategy and objectives. Verify your understanding with company leaders.
– Collaborate with team members at all levels. This collaboration will lead to better answers. Listen, add perspective, debate, and synthesize these answers to inform your strategy.
– Research the market, talk to buyers, and connect with users for a high-level perspective. Share your findings with the relevant stakeholders.
– Spend time reflecting, thinking, and brainstorming about key assumptions, statements, facts, or information to include in your strategy. Consider what new questions arise from the answers you’ve received.
– Involve your product team in brainstorming sessions. Collaborate with colleagues from product strategy, management, design & UX, marketing, sales, etc.
Finally, iterate. Test, learn, and modify based on the responses you get. Set a limited timeframe for these iterations to ensure you reach a conclusive endpoint.
The result of this question-driven process should be a comprehensive FAQ that provides context for the team and forms the basis of your product strategy. Share these answers with your product team; don’t just store them away. These answers will reduce confusion and provide valuable context.
In conclusion, always start with the right questions. Ask yourself if your team leverages questions to build the product strategy and whether the answers are clear, concise, and valuable. Remember, your audience includes not just the product strategy team but also design, engineering, finance, marketing, sales, and many others. A robust product strategy always begins with the right questions.