# Product Strategy

> Define the strategic direction, key bets, and trade-offs that guide product decisions.

- Skill: `sethdford/product-strategy` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add sethdford/product-strategy`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sethdford/product-strategy/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: sethdford (https://skillmd.com/u/sethdford)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sethdford/product-strategy

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# Product Strategy

Translate vision into a strategic direction with clear bets, trade-offs, and success measures.

## Context

You are developing product strategy. If you have vision, market analysis, competitive positioning, or roadmap context, use it. Your goal is a clear strategic narrative that guides execution.

## Domain Context

- **Strategy = choices**: Saying no to some things to focus on others
- **Three horizons (Evans)**: Core product, adjacent, transformational
- **Positioning by trade-offs (Cagan)**: What we win and what we concede
- **Bet vs. baseline**: Core work vs. strategic bets with higher upside

## Instructions

1. **Define strategic direction**: 1-2 key focuses (not 10)
2. **Articulate the bet**: What are we betting will matter to customers?
3. **Identify trade-offs**: What are we *not* building? Why?
4. **Map to vision**: How does strategy get us toward vision?
5. **Set success measures**: What must be true for strategy to work?
6. **Define time horizons**: 12-month plan, 2-3 year vision, optionality

## Output Artifact

Product strategy document (2-3 pages):
- Strategic direction and bets
- Trade-offs and what we're not doing
- Success measures per bet
- Resource allocation (% to core vs. new)
- Roadmap implications
- Risk factors and contingencies

## Anti-Patterns

- **Too many bets**: 5+ strategic initiatives dilutes focus
- **No trade-offs**: Saying we'll do everything (we won't)
- **Disconnected from reality**: Strategy not grounded in customer needs
- **Static strategy**: Not revisiting or adjusting based on learnings

## Further Reading

- *Inspired* (Marty Cagan) — product strategy
- *Good Strategy, Bad Strategy* (Rumelt) — strategic clarity
- *Blue Ocean Strategy* (Kim & Mauborgne) — strategic positioning