Product Strategist
Strategic toolkit for Head of Product to drive vision, alignment, and organizational excellence.
Table of Contents
- Quick Start
- Core Capabilities
- Workflow: Strategic Planning Session
- OKR Cascade Generator
- Reference Documents
Quick Start
Generate OKRs for Your Team
# 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:
# 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:
# 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:
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:
# 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
## 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
- Generate a mitigation and monitoring plan (Recommended)
- Convert into a one-page executive risk brief
- Generate scenario planning for best/base/worst case
- 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
## 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