Strategic Prioritization by Horizons
A product strategy is an integrated set of choices that outline how you will win in a specific marketplace. By defining narrow Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) and allocating resources across distinct time horizons, you move from "doing everything for everyone" to delivering high-quality value to the segments that drive growth.
Phase 1: The "Playing to Win" Framework
Define your strategy by answering these five core questions. If you cannot answer "Where to Play" specifically, you cannot prioritize.
- What is your winning aspiration? (e.g., "Become the best place to schedule, prepare for, and follow up on external meetings.")
- Where will you play? Identify the specific markets, segments, and personas.
- How will you win? What unique value or product loop allows you to beat alternatives in that specific segment?
- What capabilities must be in place? (e.g., PLG loops, enterprise security, etc.)
- What management systems are required? (e.g., OKRs, data tracking).
Phase 2: Focus Wisely (The "No" List)
For horizontal products, you must explicitly choose who you are not building for to avoid "average" products.
- Identify Core ICPs: Select 2-3 specific personas (e.g., Sales, Recruiting, and Customer Success) that represent your highest-value growth segments.
- Create a Deprioritization Filter: Use these personas to reject features that don't serve them, even if those features are requested by other users.
- Example: If your ICP is Enterprise Sales teams, you might reject a "Venmo integration" requested by freelancers because it doesn't serve the core organizational goal, even if it is a popular request.
Phase 3: Horizon-Based Resource Allocation
Manage your product’s evolution by shifting resources between three horizons. Use these ratios to communicate shifts in focus to the organization.
- Horizon 1 (H1): Core business and horizontal platform (e.g., fundamental scheduling features).
- Horizon 2 (H2): New growth levers and specific segments (e.g., features for teams and departments).
- Horizon 3 (H3): Long-term future bets (e.g., AI-driven meeting preparation).
Evolution Example
Follow this allocation shift as a product matures:
- Year 1: 70% H1 / 30% H2 / 0% H3 (Stabilizing the core)
- Year 2: 50% H1 / 50% H2 / 0% H3 (Aggressive expansion into new segments)
- Year 3: 30% H1 / 60% H2 / 10% H3 (Optimizing for growth and future bets)
Examples
Example 1: Transitioning from PLG to Sales-Led Growth
- Context: A company has a successful viral loop but needs to move upmarket to Enterprise.
- Application: The PM defines the "Where to Play" as "Department Heads in RevOps." They shift the H1/H2 allocation from 80/20 to 40/60, prioritizing "Team Admin" features over "Individual User" features.
- Output: A roadmap that says "No" to individual calendar themes to say "Yes" to SAML/SSO and departmental reporting.
Example 2: The "Horizontal Trap"
- Context: A PM is overwhelmed by feedback from freelancers, teachers, and sales reps.
- Application: The PM applies the "Focus Wisely" principle. They define the winning aspiration specifically for Sales and Recruiting.
- Input: Request for "Parent-Teacher conference templates" vs. "Round-robin scheduling for sales teams."
- Output: The PM rejects the conference templates, explaining they fall outside the "Where to Play" segment, allowing the team to ship the sales feature 2 months earlier.
Common Pitfalls
- Fear of Saying "No": Executives often fear leaving money on the table. Remind stakeholders that an "average" product for everyone loses to a "great" product for a specific ICP.
- Vague Strategy: If your "Where to Play" is "Everyone," your strategy is invalid. It must be specific enough to make trade-offs.
- Static Allocations: Keeping 90% of resources on H1 for too long will lead to growth tapering. You must proactively shift resources to H2 before the H1 loop slows down.
- Commiting to H3 Dates: Never commit to delivery dates for Horizon 3. Commit only to "Discovery" or "Research" milestones for these long-term bets.
1---2name: strategic-prioritization-by-horizons3description: Use the "Playing to Win" framework to define where to play and how to win, narrowing a broad user base into specific ICPs to enable clear trade-offs and allocating resources across three time horizons. Use this when a product is "too horizontal" to prioritize effectively, or when transitioning from a PLG model to an enterprise sales motion.4---56# Strategic Prioritization by Horizons78A product strategy is an integrated set of choices that outline how you will win in a specific marketplace. By defining narrow Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) and allocating resources across distinct time horizons, you move from "doing everything for everyone" to delivering high-quality value to the segments that drive growth.910## Phase 1: The "Playing to Win" Framework11Define your strategy by answering these five core questions. If you cannot answer "Where to Play" specifically, you cannot prioritize.12131. **What is your winning aspiration?** (e.g., "Become the best place to schedule, prepare for, and follow up on external meetings.")142. **Where will you play?** Identify the specific markets, segments, and personas. 153. **How will you win?** What unique value or product loop allows you to beat alternatives in that specific segment?164. **What capabilities must be in place?** (e.g., PLG loops, enterprise security, etc.)175. **What management systems are required?** (e.g., OKRs, data tracking).1819## Phase 2: Focus Wisely (The "No" List)20For horizontal products, you must explicitly choose who you are *not* building for to avoid "average" products.2122* **Identify Core ICPs:** Select 2-3 specific personas (e.g., Sales, Recruiting, and Customer Success) that represent your highest-value growth segments.23* **Create a Deprioritization Filter:** Use these personas to reject features that don't serve them, even if those features are requested by other users.24* **Example:** If your ICP is Enterprise Sales teams, you might reject a "Venmo integration" requested by freelancers because it doesn't serve the core organizational goal, even if it is a popular request.2526## Phase 3: Horizon-Based Resource Allocation27Manage your product’s evolution by shifting resources between three horizons. Use these ratios to communicate shifts in focus to the organization.2829* **Horizon 1 (H1):** Core business and horizontal platform (e.g., fundamental scheduling features).30* **Horizon 2 (H2):** New growth levers and specific segments (e.g., features for teams and departments).31* **Horizon 3 (H3):** Long-term future bets (e.g., AI-driven meeting preparation).3233### Evolution Example34Follow this allocation shift as a product matures:35- **Year 1:** 70% H1 / 30% H2 / 0% H3 (Stabilizing the core)36- **Year 2:** 50% H1 / 50% H2 / 0% H3 (Aggressive expansion into new segments)37- **Year 3:** 30% H1 / 60% H2 / 10% H3 (Optimizing for growth and future bets)3839## Examples4041**Example 1: Transitioning from PLG to Sales-Led Growth**42* **Context:** A company has a successful viral loop but needs to move upmarket to Enterprise.43* **Application:** The PM defines the "Where to Play" as "Department Heads in RevOps." They shift the H1/H2 allocation from 80/20 to 40/60, prioritizing "Team Admin" features over "Individual User" features.44* **Output:** A roadmap that says "No" to individual calendar themes to say "Yes" to SAML/SSO and departmental reporting.4546**Example 2: The "Horizontal Trap"**47* **Context:** A PM is overwhelmed by feedback from freelancers, teachers, and sales reps.48* **Application:** The PM applies the "Focus Wisely" principle. They define the winning aspiration specifically for Sales and Recruiting. 49* **Input:** Request for "Parent-Teacher conference templates" vs. "Round-robin scheduling for sales teams."50* **Output:** The PM rejects the conference templates, explaining they fall outside the "Where to Play" segment, allowing the team to ship the sales feature 2 months earlier.5152## Common Pitfalls53* **Fear of Saying "No":** Executives often fear leaving money on the table. Remind stakeholders that an "average" product for everyone loses to a "great" product for a specific ICP.54* **Vague Strategy:** If your "Where to Play" is "Everyone," your strategy is invalid. It must be specific enough to make trade-offs.55* **Static Allocations:** Keeping 90% of resources on H1 for too long will lead to growth tapering. You must proactively shift resources to H2 before the H1 loop slows down.56* **Commiting to H3 Dates:** Never commit to delivery dates for Horizon 3. Commit only to "Discovery" or "Research" milestones for these long-term bets.
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