LeoLin990405 Lenny Skills: Product Strategy
10 actionable skills for defining and executing product strategy.
Skills
1. Writing North Star Metrics
- Choose a metric that reflects customer value
- Make it actionable and measurable
- Align the whole company around it
2. Defining Product Vision
- Paint a picture of the future state
- Connect to customer problems
- Make it inspiring and memorable
3. Prioritizing Roadmap
- Use frameworks like RICE or ICE
- Balance quick wins with big bets
- Say no more than you say yes
4. Setting OKRs & Goals
- Objectives should be inspiring
- Key Results should be measurable
- Limit to 3-5 per quarter
5. Competitive Analysis
- Focus on jobs-to-be-done, not features
- Monitor indirect competitors
- Learn from their mistakes
6. Writing PRDs
- Start with the problem, not the solution
- Include success metrics
- Keep it concise and scannable
7. Problem Definition
- Validate the problem exists
- Quantify the impact
- Understand root causes
8. Writing Specs & Designs
- Be specific about edge cases
- Include acceptance criteria
- Collaborate with engineering early
9. Scoping & Cutting
- Ship the smallest valuable increment
- Cut scope, not quality
- Iterate based on learnings
10. Working Backwards
- Start with the press release
- Define the customer experience first
- Let that drive the technical approach