product-strategist

What this skill does

# Product Strategist

Strategic toolkit for Head of Product to drive vision, alignment, and organizational excellence.

---

## Table of Contents

- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Core Capabilities](#core-capabilities)
- [Workflow: Strategic Planning Session](#workflow-strategic-planning-session)
- [OKR Cascade Generator](#okr-cascade-generator)
  - [Usage](#usage)
  - [Configuration Options](#configuration-options)
  - [Input/Output Examples](#inputoutput-examples)
- [Reference Documents](#reference-documents)

---

## Quick Start

### Generate OKRs for Your Team

```bash
# Growth strategy with default teams
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth

# Retention strategy with custom teams
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py retention --teams "Engineering,Design,Data"

# Revenue strategy with 40% product contribution
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py revenue --contribution 0.4

# Export as JSON for integration
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth --json > okrs.json
```

---

## Core Capabilities

| Capability | Description | Tool |
|------------|-------------|------|
| **OKR Cascade** | Generate aligned OKRs from company to team level | `okr_cascade_generator.py` |
| **Alignment Scoring** | Measure vertical and horizontal alignment | Built into generator |
| **Strategy Templates** | 5 pre-built strategy types | Growth, Retention, Revenue, Innovation, Operational |
| **Team Configuration** | Customize for your org structure | `--teams` flag |

---

## Workflow: Strategic Planning Session

A step-by-step guide for running a quarterly strategic planning session.

### Step 1: Define Strategic Focus

Choose the primary strategy type based on company priorities:

| Strategy | When to Use |
|----------|-------------|
| **Growth** | Scaling user base, market expansion |
| **Retention** | Reducing churn, improving LTV |
| **Revenue** | Increasing ARPU, new monetization |
| **Innovation** | Market differentiation, new capabilities |
| **Operational** | Improving efficiency, scaling operations |

See `references/strategy_types.md` for detailed guidance on each strategy.

### Step 2: Gather Input Metrics

Collect current state metrics to inform OKR targets:

```bash
# Example metrics JSON
{
  "current": 100000,      # Current MAU
  "target": 150000,       # Target MAU
  "current_nps": 40,      # Current NPS
  "target_nps": 60        # Target NPS
}
```

### Step 3: Configure Team Structure

Define the teams that will receive cascaded OKRs:

```bash
# Default teams
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth

# Custom teams for your organization
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth --teams "Core,Platform,Mobile,AI"
```

### Step 4: Generate OKR Cascade

Run the generator to create aligned OKRs:

```bash
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth --contribution 0.3
```

### Step 5: Review Alignment Scores

Check the alignment scores in the output:

| Score | Target | Action |
|-------|--------|--------|
| Vertical Alignment | >90% | Ensure all objectives link to parent |
| Horizontal Alignment | >75% | Check for team coordination |
| Coverage | >80% | Validate all company OKRs are addressed |
| Balance | >80% | Redistribute if one team is overloaded |
| **Overall** | **>80%** | Good alignment; <60% needs restructuring |

### Step 6: Refine and Validate

Before finalizing:

- [ ] Review generated objectives with stakeholders
- [ ] Adjust team assignments based on capacity
- [ ] Validate contribution percentages are realistic
- [ ] Ensure no conflicting objectives across teams
- [ ] Set up tracking cadence (bi-weekly check-ins)

### Step 7: Export and Track

Export OKRs for your tracking system:

```bash
# JSON for tools like Lattice, Ally, Workboard
python scripts/okr_cascade_generator.py growth --json > q1_okrs.json
```

---

## PESTEL Analysis Framework

Evaluate macro-environment forces that impact product strategy. PESTEL is a decision lens, not a checklist -- use it to inform roadmap decisions, identify threats before they materialize, and spot opportunities competitors miss.

### When to Use

- Annual/quarterly strategic planning sessions.
- Entering a new market or geography.
- Evaluating regulatory or economic changes that affect your product.
- Pre-investment analysis for new product lines.

### PESTEL Template

```markdown
## PESTEL Analysis

**Product/Company:** [Name]
**Analysis Purpose:** [Decision this analysis informs]
**Time Horizon:** [e.g., 12 months, 3 years]
**Geography/Scope:** [e.g., US, EU, Global]

### 1. Political Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government policies | | | |
| Political stability | | | |
| Trade regulations | | | |
| Taxation policy | | | |

### 2. Economic Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic growth | | | |
| Inflation rate | | | |
| Exchange rates | | | |
| Consumer spending | | | |

### 3. Social Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographics | | | |
| Cultural trends | | | |
| Lifestyle changes | | | |
| Consumer attitudes | | | |

### 4. Technological Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tech advancements | | | |
| R&D activity | | | |
| Automation | | | |
| Digital transformation | | | |

### 5. Environmental Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change | | | |
| Sustainability | | | |
| Resource scarcity | | | |
| Environmental regs | | | |

### 6. Legal Factors
| Factor | Impact | Opp/Threat | Product Implication |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance requirements | | | |
| IP rights | | | |
| Employment laws | | | |
| Health & safety regs | | | |

### Strategic Synthesis
- **Top 3 Opportunities:** [List]
- **Top 3 Threats:** [List]
- **Strategic Implications for Product:** [List]

### Assumptions to Validate
- [Assumption 1]
- [Assumption 2]
```

### Next Steps After PESTEL

1. Generate a mitigation and monitoring plan (Recommended)
2. Convert into a one-page executive risk brief
3. Generate scenario planning for best/base/worst case
4. Map top threats into roadmap guardrails

---

## TAM-SAM-SOM Market Sizing

Estimate market size for product opportunities using Total Addressable Market, Serviceable Available Market, and Serviceable Obtainable Market analysis.

### When to Use

- Evaluating new product or feature investment.
- Preparing investor or board presentations.
- Comparing market opportunities across product lines.
- Go-to-market planning and resource allocation.

### Market Sizing Framework

#### Step 1: Define the Problem Space

Describe the problem your product solves. Be specific about the job-to-be-done, not the product category.

#### Step 2: Define Geographic Scope

Specify the geographic region (e.g., US, Europe, Global) and relevant data sources:

| Region | Primary Data Sources |
|---|---|
| US | Census Bureau, BLS, industry trade orgs |
| Europe | Eurostat, local statistical agencies |
| Global | World Bank, IMF, global industry reports |

#### Step 3: Identify Industry Segments

What specific industry or market segments does this problem relate to?

#### Step 4: Define Customer Profile

Who are the potential customers? Define by problem characteristics, not demographics.

### TAM-SAM-SOM Template

```markdown
## Market Sizing Analysis

**Problem Space:** [Description]
**Geographic Region:** [Scope]
**Industry Segments:** [Relevant segments]
**Customer Profile:** [Who is affected]

### Total Addressable Market (TAM)
- **Description:** The total market demand for the problem space
- **Population Estimate:** [Number of potential users/organizations]
- **Market Size Estimate:** $[Annual revenue opportunity]
- **Methodology:** [Top-down from industry reports / Bottom-up from customer count]
- **Data Sources:** [List sources]

### Serviceable Available Market (SAM)
- **Segment of TAM:** [The portion you can realistic