Templates

Product Strategy MuST Template

MuST - Multiple Strategic Tracks - framework, invented and formulated by Itamar Gilad.

This template is fully based on the information and visualization provided by Mr. Gilad in his original article Creating Product Strategy with Multiple Strategic Tracks (MuST).

MuST is about keeping multiple parallel strategic initiatives in a company. In this template, we call them just as suggested - Strategic Tracks.

Strategic tracks test big ideas — new products, new business models, etc, by building short/medium size projects. Each strategic track can be thought of as a series of experiment on a grand scale. The goal is as much discovery as validation — we start with an idea and see where it takes us.

This framework welcomes unknown and unexpected and can't conform to a corporative hard-line grand vision.

It's all about non-stop market research, creating blue oceans, and getting ready for black swans. Various opportunities have to be discovered and tested.

Main target - find the next big thing. And this big thing will be presented to the public, creating a "successful aura" for the company.

MuST is the opposite of classic plan-and-execute strategy development:

• It’s not a about information gathering, analysis and careful planning and budgeting.

• It doesn’t necessarily follow one overarching, immutable vision. The vision evolves as we test different strategic ideas.

• It’s not conceived in an executive boardroom and handed out down to the troops for execution. With MuST strategy can emerge organically bottom-up as well.

• It’s not the brainchild of one, super-visionary, person.

Companies, that run MuSt Framework:

• Google

Ex. Web messaging:

Froogle > Product Search > Google Shopping

• Apple

Important to say, although this framework was originally used by market giants with great resources, now it can be used by small companies as well. Any company can use it - that's one of the ways to find market fit. Rapid development + quick iterations + ⏳ = great product, that wins the market.

What's next?

This Template was created for high-level decision-making and planning.

It will work best connected to other templates:

• User Research

• Product Development

• Retrospectives