Product discovery and strategy are interconnected yet distinct. Here’s how to navigate from discovery to planning:
- Discovery validates concepts and gathers customer insights.
- These insights inform high-level strategic plans and product direction.
- Strategy sets the playing field while discovery continually shapes tactics.
- Discovery and planning fuel an iterative loop of learning and refinement.
- Well-executed discovery and planning drive strategic evolution.
How Discovery Informs Strategy
Think of product discovery as the soil that nourishes the seeds of strategic planning.
Discovery is fertile ground for:
- Opportunity identification – It reveals openings in the market.
- Informed vision – It provides an objective perspective on the future product.
- Validated priorities – Real user insights shape priorities and positioning.
- Risk mitigation – Testing assumptions prevents wasted effort later on.
Armed with these insights, teams can confidently lay the foundations for product strategy and roadmaps.
Aligning discovery and planning
- Set overall vision during discovery
- Make strategy about how you’ll achieve that vision
- Use strategy to define playing field and objectives
- Maintain agility for discovery findings to shape ongoing tactics
This relationship enables continuous, insight-driven strategic evolution.
Best Practices for Connecting Discovery and Planning
What’s the best way to harness insights from discovery when building out your product strategy? Here are some tips:
Create alignment
Ensure stakeholders agree on the vision and opportunity emerging from discovery.
Identify key differentiators
Build strategy around elements that will separate you from competitors.
Outline milestones
Define objectives, outcomes and metrics to track progress towards vision.
Maintain focus while allowing flexibility
Have guiding principles for decision-making but don’t over-plan initial tactics.
Create space for ongoing learning
Don’t let strategy solidify too soon – leave room for discovery learnings.
Close knowledge gaps
Use discovery to keep addressing unknowns and validating strategy.
Communicate insights
Share discoveries cross-functionally so learnings inform planning.
| Discovery mode: | Open, flexible mindset focused on learning. |
| Strategy mode: | Focused execution based on defined plan. |
Blending these modes enables strategic evolution.
The Path of Continuous Improvement
Done right, discovery and planning support each other in an iterative loop:
New discovery findings refine strategies and plans. Learning propels evolution.
Strategic plans reveal new knowledge gaps to explore. Planning frames discovery efforts.
This cyclical flow allows product vision to steadily come into focus through evidence-based learning rather than guesswork.
Over time, strategies – and products – evolve to deliver maximum value. The path may wind but the destination is innovation.
With a discovery mindset and strategic focus, you can evolve product discovery and product strategy adeptly to capitalize on opportunities. Blend discovery and strategy for competitive advantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we revisit strategy based on discovery findings?
Review strategy at least quarterly, if not monthly. Be ready to pivot faster if discoveries reveal the need.
Who should be involved in connecting discovery and planning?
Gather insights from across functions: product, engineering, design, analytics, marketing.
Can we continue discovery after defining an initial strategy?
Absolutely. Use ongoing discovery to keep validating and improving your strategy over time.
What if discovery findings conflict with our current strategy?
Be ready to refine strategy to align with compelling customer evidence from discovery.
How do we balance discovery with executing on strategy?
Use each for their strengths: discovery for learning, strategy for focused execution based on those learnings.
Let me know if you have any other questions on navigating from discovery to planning!
