Strategy is one of the most powerful words in business.
Strategy is as simple as "What's the plan?" But the answers to that question can very in complexity.
It also begs the question of "The plan for what?" That gets into "Vision," which stays constant while the strategy evolves and adapts.
As a Designer, practicing strategic thinking will allow you to plan well and plan ahead.
It is a crucial skill to develop as a leader and will help you and your team.
Strategic thinking
20 minutes
Writing tool
Writing surface
Consider a problem or even a desire in your life. The perfect thing might be an idea you've had, but have procrastinated on. This "thing" could come from a job, it can also be personal in nature. I recommend you pick a problem you're excited about. Write your problem on a blank piece of paper and draw a box around it.
To the right of your problem box, write five potential solutions on how you could address your problem. Draw lines from the problem box to each of solution, give yourself ample space in between each solution.
Go to your first solution. Consider the consequences of acting on it. Write at least five them all to the right of it.
Consider consequences of your first solution, write down five potential responses per consequence.
Repeat the process for each of the five original potential solutions to your problem box.
At it's essence, Strategy is all about the plan and planning and the "Why" behind it all.
A good plan considers several outcomes including changing circumstances.
There are levels to strategy. Your "problem box" can always be bigger, there can be broader challenges to tackle. For example, a problem box could be as simple as "Enable users to send messages to their doctor," the broader problem box could be "Connect patients with their doctors." An even broader box could say, "Help users lead healthier lives."
There are many solutions and responses to this. Strategy trees are meant for you to quickly lay out your thinking. You don't need to stop at five consequences, you can keep going, and as the paths become exponential, they also become noisier because you'll have less and less certainty and more randomness. This is exactly how strategy works in real time.
Your strategy tree can also serve as a snapshot of what you understood about a problem space at a specific time.
"Strategy 101 is about choices: You can't be all things to all people." - Michael Porter, Business consultant, author, strategist
Check back later for examples! - JJ 3/7/23
Black Swan
We all make assumptions when planning. They are necessary to get anything done, but what about the assumptions we've all made that are simply not true? This is a classic in the business world, because it highlights the tango between the desire for certainty and the unexpected.
Buy on Amazon
Your Next Five Moves
The idea of laying out "5 potential solutions" came from this book.
Buy Audio book on Amazon