Product Strategy Canvas
Creating a product strategy is a job that most product folk do quite rarely, often under pressure and with not enough time.
Because PMs don't create strategies regularly, many of them aren't natural at the process, so when we need to create one, there’s a good chance we freeze. When we recover from the foetal position, we wonder, “where on earth do I start?”
Enter the Product Strategy Canvas: a tool designed to be repeatable, flexible, and lightweight. Drawing inspiration from various successful models, we aimed to simplify the intricate process of strategy creation, catering to those who find it daunting or simply lack time.
We're mindful that one size doesn't fit all. This might be a lot to wrap your head around for junior product professionals or those just starting out in product management. Having said that, knock yourself out and give it a go. If nothing else, you’ll learn a lot. For seasoned directors of product, CPOs, or experienced strategists, you likely have your own approach, but there might be something useful here for you as well.
By streamlining the process and focusing on three critical areas (the state of the business, market and product), you can concentrate on the substance of your strategy and the collaboration it demands.
The canvas serves as a beacon, lifting you from the quagmire of your backlog to provide a clear view of the bigger picture, enabling you to chart a strategic course for your product.
The Product Strategy canvas is a MIRO template that helps product leaders craft a product strategy by following a step-by-step process of gathering data and then using that data to articulate key focus areas that help inform goals, roadmaps, and plans.
This canvas is ideal for Product Managers and Product leaders who wish to follow a repeatable process in order to gather the insights needed to make difficult prioritisation decisions in the form of a Product strategy. This is helpful when you're low on time, do this process rarely and/or wish to approach it collaboratively.
We’ve tested and iterated our canvas with clients, workshop participants, and industry mates and we now proudly share the Product Strategy Canvas in Miro for free under a Creative Commons Licence.
To make the most of this canvas, create a copy and try to fill in each frame without getting stuck. If you don't know the answer, capture the name of someone who does. Once all three input frames are filled in, you should have enough insights to decide on what your team(s) will focus on, in other words, to create a product strategy.
This template was created by Brendan Marsh (Organa).
Discover more product strategy templates to help you build your next big thing.
Get started with this template right now.
Product Positioning Canvas
Works best for:
Product Management, Planning
The Product Positioning Canvas template aids product managers in defining and communicating product positioning strategies. By analyzing target markets, competitive landscapes, and unique value propositions, this template helps differentiate products in the market. With sections for defining brand attributes, messaging, and market segments, it enables teams to craft compelling positioning statements that resonate with target audiences. This template serves as a guide for aligning product positioning with business objectives and driving market success.
Lean Inception Workshop
Works best for:
Agile, Lean Methodology
The Lean Inception Workshop streamlines project kickoff by aligning teams on goals, scope, and priorities. It leverages Lean principles to eliminate waste and maximize value, guiding exercises to define user personas, map user journeys, and prioritize features. By fostering cross-functional collaboration and customer-centric thinking, this template accelerates project initiation and ensures alignment between stakeholders, empowering teams to deliver customer value faster.
Product Feature Presentation
Works best for:
Product Management, Planning
The Product Feature Presentation template aids product teams in showcasing product features and benefits effectively. By providing a structured framework for presenting key features, use cases, and value propositions, this template enables teams to communicate product functionality clearly and persuasively. With sections for creating feature demos, customer testimonials, and competitive differentiators, it facilitates engaging presentations that resonate with target audiences. This template serves as a powerful tool for driving product adoption and generating customer interest.
Cynefin Framework Template
Works best for:
Leadership, Decision Making, Prioritization
Companies face a range of complex problems. At times, these problems leave the decision makers unsure where to even begin or what questions to ask. The Cynefin Framework, developed by Dave Snowden at IBM in 1999, can help you navigate those problems and find the appropriate response. Many organizations use this powerful, flexible framework to aid them during product development, marketing plans, and organizational strategy, or when faced with a crisis. This template is also ideal for training new hires on how to react to such an event.
Empathy Map for Educational Purposes
Works best for:
Product Management
Enhance your educational approach with the Empathy Map for Educational Purposes template. This tool helps educators understand students' perspectives, needs, and emotions. Use it to create a more empathetic and effective teaching strategy, ensuring that your educational content resonates with and supports your students. Ideal for teachers and educational planners aiming to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
Define A Winning Product Vision
Works best for:
Product Management, Planning
The Define A Winning Product Vision template assists product teams in articulating compelling visions for product development. By defining goals, target markets, and differentiation strategies, this template aligns teams around a shared vision for success. With sections for outlining product features, benefits, and value propositions, it communicates the essence of the product effectively. This template serves as a guiding light for product development efforts, inspiring creativity and focus as teams work towards bringing the product vision to life.