From strategy to priority

Your product strategy should directly inform your prioritization decisions. Start by clearly defining your desired outcomes. These might be increasing user retention, expanding into new markets, or improving operational efficiency. Every prioritization decision should move you closer to these outcomes.

The connection between strategy and tactics requires constant attention. List your major opportunities and problems, then evaluate how each aligns with your strategic goals. A feature that perfectly solves a user problem might still be wrong if it doesn't support your current strategy. This discipline prevents feature creep and maintains focus.

Create a clear hierarchy from vision to execution. Your product vision describes your long-term aspiration. Strategy outlines how you'll achieve that vision. Outcomes are measurable changes that indicate progress. Opportunities are specific problems or needs that, when addressed, drive those outcomes. This framework makes prioritization decisions clearer because you can trace each opportunity back to strategic goals.