Write Product Strategy Skill
Create comprehensive product strategy using a 7-component framework. Connects vision to execution.
Quick Start
- Tell me: "I need a product strategy for [product/initiative]"
- I will check
thoughts/shared/pm/frameworks/,thoughts/shared/pm/context/business-info-template.md, andthoughts/shared/pm/research/for existing context - I will ask about scope (company vs product), horizon (6mo/1yr/3yr), audience, and whether we are building on or replacing existing strategy
- We work through the 7 components: Objective, Users, Superpowers, Vision, Pillars, Impact, Roadmap
- Output goes to
thoughts/shared/pm/analyses/strategy-[product]-[date].md
Output length: A complete 7-component strategy doc should be 2,000-3,000 words with an executive summary of 200-300 words. If you want a shorter version, ask for a "1-page strategy brief" and I will generate only: Objective, Target Users, Strategic Pillars, and Key Metrics.
Context Routing Logic (Internal - for Claude)
Automatic Context Checks: When this skill is invoked, immediately check:
| Source | Files/Folders | Search Terms | What to Extract | | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | Existing Strategy | thoughts/shared/pm/frameworks/.md | company strategy, vision, roadmap | Current strategy to build on or update | | Business Model | thoughts/shared/pm/context/business-info-template.md | TAM, revenue model, metrics | Objective anchor and North Star | | User Research | thoughts/shared/pm/research/.md | user segments, JTBD, pain points | Users section and strategic fit | | Competitive Analysis | thoughts/shared/pm/research/competitive-.md | competitor positioning | Superpowers and differentiation | | Historical PRDs | thoughts/shared/pm/prds/.md | strategic features, decisions | Precedent for feature strategy alignment | | Meetings | thoughts/shared/product/meeting-notes/*.md | strategy discussion, OKRs, board feedback | Stakeholder input and constraints |
Context Priority:
- Business model and company objectives FIRST
- User research and strategic direction SECOND
- Competitive positioning THIRD
- Existing feature decisions FOURTH
Cross-Skill Links:
- If defining North Star → Link to
/define-north-star - If analyzing user needs → Link to
/user-research-synthesisand/journey-map - If evaluating features → Link to
/impact-sizingfor driver trees - If creating PRDs → Ensure they reference strategic pillars from here
Step 0: Understanding Your Strategic Context
Before writing strategy, let me understand where you are...
Checking:
thoughts/shared/pm/frameworks/for existing strategy docsthoughts/shared/pm/context/business-info-template.mdfor business modelthoughts/shared/pm/research/for user and competitive insightsthoughts/shared/product/meeting-notes/for stakeholder input and OKRs
Based on what I find, I'll show you:
Current Strategic State
Existing Strategy:
- [If you have one: what's your current strategy, when was it last updated?]
- [Key strategic pillars: what are you focusing on?]
- [Are we refreshing, evolving, or starting from scratch?]
Business Context:
- [North Star metric: what measures success?]
- [Growth stage: early product, scaling, or maturing?]
- [Revenue model: how do you make money?]
User & Competitive Landscape:
- [Primary user segments: who are you building for?]
- [Competitive position: what makes you different?]
- [Unmet needs: what gaps exist in the market?]
PM-Specific Diagnosis Questions
- Scope: Company-level strategy or product-line strategy?
- Horizon: 6 months, 1 year, or 3 years out?
- Constraints: Resource limitations, market conditions, organizational changes?
- Stakeholder Input: What does leadership expect? What are investor priorities?
- Current Momentum: What's working well? What's not working?
When to Use This Skill
- Annual/quarterly strategy planning
- New product launch planning
- Investor/board presentations
- Cross-functional alignment on direction
- When leadership asks "what's the strategy?"
The 7-Component Framework
A complete product strategy answers:
- Objective - What are we trying to achieve and how will we measure it?
- Users - Who are we serving and what jobs do they need done?
- Superpowers - What unique advantages do we have?
- Vision - What does the future look like if we succeed?
- Pillars - What are our 2-4 strategic focus areas?
- Impact - What value will we create (users + business)?
- Roadmap - What's the plan to get there?
Workflow
Step 1: Gather Context
Ask the PM:
Strategy Scope:
- Company or product strategy?
- Timeframe: 6 months / 1 year / 3 years?
- Audience: Team / Exec / Board / Investors?
- Current strategy exists? (building on or replacing?)
Context to review:
- Company mission/vision
- Current OKRs
- User research
- Competitive landscape
- Market trends
- Past strategy docs (if any)Step 2: Component 1 - Objective
Objective = Mission + Measure
Mission: What problem are we solving? Measure: How will we know if we're winning?
## Objective
### Mission
[One-sentence statement of what we're trying to accomplish]
Example: "Help product teams ship better features faster by reducing the time from idea to launch"
### North Star Metric
[The one metric that best captures value delivered]
Metric: [Metric name]
Current: [Baseline value]
Target: [Goal value by when]
Why this metric:
- Captures value for users: [Explanation]
- Drives business outcomes: [Explanation]
- Team can influence it: [Explanation]
### Supporting Metrics
1. [Metric 1]: [Current] → [Target]
2. [Metric 2]: [Current] → [Target]
3. [Metric 3]: [Current] → [Target]
### Guardrails
Metrics we won't sacrifice for growth:
- [Guardrail 1: e.g., "User satisfaction score stays above 4.0"]
- [Guardrail 2: e.g., "Response time under 200ms"]Step 3: Component 2 - Users
Users = JTBD + Journey Map
Who are we serving and what do they need?
## Users
### Primary User Segments
**Segment 1: [Name]**
- Who: [Description - role, company size, industry]
- Size: [TAM - how many of these users exist]
- Pain: [Primary pain point]
- Job to be done: [What they're trying to accomplish]
**Segment 2: [Name]**
- Who: [Description]
- Size: [TAM]
- Pain: [Primary pain point]
- Job to be done: [What they're trying to accomplish]
### Jobs to Be Done Canvas
For primary segment:
**Job Statement:**
When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [expected outcome].
Example: "When I'm planning my product roadmap, I want to quickly prioritize features based on impact, so I can focus the team on what matters most."
**Current Alternatives:**
- [Alt 1]: [What they use today + why it's insufficient]
- [Alt 2]: [What they use today + why it's insufficient]
**Success Criteria:**
- Speed: [How fast does it need to be?]
- Quality: [How good does the outcome need to be?]
- Cost: [What's their budget?]
- Ease: [How simple must it be?]
### User Journey
[Reference existing journey map or create simplified version]
Key stages:
1. [Stage 1]: [User goal] → [Current pain point]
2. [Stage 2]: [User goal] → [Current pain point]
3. [Stage 3]: [User goal] → [Current pain point]
Biggest friction points:
- [Friction 1]: Causes [X% drop-off or Y time waste]
- [Friction 2]: Causes [impact]Step 4: Component 3 - Superpowers
Superpowers = 7 Powers Framework
What unique advantages do we