John Cutler · 2 min read · Product Strategy
TBM 408: Basic Links
Read the original on cutlefish.substack.com →
Shipping delivers the potential of an outcome and starts chains of effects that unfold over weeks, months, and years; each link is a hypothesis backed by assumptions. Strategy is about choosing focal points and actionable inputs, mapping how changes propagate to short-term signals and longer-term outcomes, and building a roadmap of options each paired with causal hypotheses to learn and iterate.
Key Takeaways
- Outcomes are the result of a chain of effects, not a single deliverable.
- Each step in the chain is a hypothesis with underlying assumptions, and uncertainty signals opportunity and risk.
- Strategy focuses on where to act (focal points) and which inputs to influence, rather than prescribing exact actions.
- Roadmaps should present researched options, each paired with a causal hypothesis about its expected effects.
- Not all impact paths are the same; plan for multiple chains, measure near-term signals and longer-term results, and rinse and repeat.
Excerpt
(I used to do more of these visual build posts. I miss them! If you want the messy/heavy posts, check out last week’s post on context emerging from interactions .) A back to basics post… Yet, not so basic… When you ship something, you’re not delivering an outcome. You’re delivering the potential of an outcome and starting a chain of effects that unfold over weeks, months, and years. You’re committing the organization to a new state that may or may not produce the results you want. Each step in the chain is a hypothesis about what will happen next, supported…