How to strategy?
I've been enjoying coaching some designers via my long-term mentorship session. They often want to be more strategic. Later, they usually realize they have a wrong idea about strategy.
I've been enjoying coaching some designers via my long-term mentorship session. They often want to be more strategic. After a couple of sessions, usually, they realize strategy is not as complicated as they initially thought. Read on.
Strategy is grasping the reality
Some people think the strategy is a mythical thing (like sci-fi). They think being strategic is to imagine a cool revolutionary thing like the next Apple. Creating a cool visionary video like the one SpaceX created. In reality, you start with a simple idea: understanding reality.
People you serve
Specifically, a reality for the people you seek to serve. If you want to build budgeting software, you better understand the people who will be using that software. What is their goal? What solution do they use now? What habits or behavior do they have so far? What do they dislike about the current solution? Understanding this is the first step to grow your strategic thinking. While you can never get the full picture of reality, you should stay in touch with reality.
Strategy is about focus
Then, you'll realize one thing. Once you get a glimpse of the reality, you have 100 things to do. With all the limited time and energy, you need to focus. Selecting is hard because you choose not to do something. You take a bet only on a few things. The act of selecting itself is hard, and many people aren't usually comfortable doing this. But you have to stay focused. Take your bet.
Strategy is about designing the desired future
Armed with some insights from the reality you've observed. Together with a few problems you've chosen to focus on. Now it's about future-casting, thinking about what it could be. Most people start here, so their strategy is not grounded in reality.
What could be a better day for the people you seek to serve? What could be a better experience? What would make them go, "Wow, that's amazing. I'd never go back to the old solution." You have to think about the differentiator as well.
A good strategy is a coherent narrative
A few problems you picked must be coherent. Usually, you will write down what the future looks like in a narrative format. They should make sense if you tell a story about the desired future; it all falls into place. Your team member will think: "This makes a lot of sense!" after reading the strategic narrative.
A good strategy is actionable
The narrative you created should mobilize the team. It must also be exciting. People should go: "This makes a lot of sense. I'm excited to make this happen." It moves people. It enables actions. In reality, you will figure out what you should build now. You should also need to prioritize what to build next.
Strategy has a lot of nuances, I think that’s what makes it hard to understand. And we often have a preconception about what strategy is. Creating a cool vision deck or something like that. In reality, strategy allows your team to see where to go next.
P.S. Thank you for all the support; I know I haven’t been writing for a while. I’ve been busy setting up the right team for Today (usetoday.app) - But I’m super happy to find the right founding team.
