Strategic Planning for PMs: Part 2

Welcome and Introductions

Kenny Kranseler | 00:00–04:30
Hello everybody and welcome! We’ll get started in just a few minutes as everyone joins. Feel free to use the chat to tell us where you’re calling in from—always fun to see where our audience is joining from.

We’ve got coast to coast covered today—from California to New York, and even some of our friends from Europe. Thanks for joining us!

Today’s webinar is the second in our series on strategic planning for product managers, focused on connecting product outcomes to business outcomes. I’ll be moderating today’s session, and Tom Evans will be our presenter.

And yes, before you ask, this session is being recorded. You’ll get a copy of the recording afterward to rewatch or share with colleagues. If you have questions as we go, please use the Q&A feature—we’ll try to answer them live or during the dedicated Q&A at the end.

About Productside

Kenny Kranseler | 04:30–08:40
At Productside, we call ourselves an outcome-driven product partner. That means we help product teams transform from shipping features to driving real business value. Our mission is to make sure PMs can connect their daily decisions to measurable business outcomes.

We know every company is unique, but we’ve seen common challenges across industries—aligning stakeholders, managing backlogs, and translating customer needs into business results. That’s why our consulting and training are tailored to your organization’s context.

We also invite you to scan the QR codes on the slide: one for our Productside Pulse newsletter, where we send weekly “product caffeine” insights, and another to connect with us on LinkedIn to join our growing community.

Introduction to Strategic Planning Series

Tom Evans | 08:40–10:30
Thank you, Kenny. Welcome everyone! If you attended Part 1, you’ll remember we covered what good strategy looks like—how to create clarity and focus. Today we’re moving into outcomes: how to bridge the gap between your strategy and execution.

Our focus will be on defining and aligning outcomes—business and product—and ensuring every roadmap item traces back to business value.

Defining Outcomes vs. Outputs

Tom Evans | 10:30–17:20
When we at Productside talk about outcomes, we separate them into two types: **business outcomes** and **product outcomes**.

– Business outcomes are the impact your product decisions have on the company: revenue, profit, market share, or expansion.
– Product outcomes are the impact on your customers—how they do their jobs better, faster, or more efficiently.

Outputs, on the other hand, are what we *build*: features and releases. But outputs are not the goal—outcomes are. Our mission as PMs is to focus on *why* those outputs matter.

Let me share a story. A startup I met with was releasing features left and right, proud of the number of launches—but when asked what customers were actually using, they didn’t know. Two years later, they were out of business. Their success metric was “we shipped on time,” not “we delivered value.”

Poll #1: How Is Your Success Measured?

Kenny Kranseler & Tom Evans | 17:20–21:30
Let’s launch our first poll: *How is your success measured as a product manager?*

– Outputs (features shipped)
– Business outcomes
– Product outcomes
– A mix of the above
– Or maybe… no idea!

It looks like many of you measure success with a mix of metrics, but quite a few are still output-focused. That’s okay—we’re here to help you shift toward outcomes.

One audience member asked how to challenge a “feature factory” culture in a big company. Great question. The answer: start small. Pilot outcome-based thinking at the team level, show the impact, and let success speak for itself.

Determining the Right Outcomes

Tom Evans | 21:30–26:00
To decide which outcomes matter, start with your organization’s top goals. What are the north-star metrics? What does success look like at the company level—and how can your product contribute?

If you work in a smaller organization, your product goals probably align directly. In larger companies, you may contribute to a subset of goals—so clarify your specific role in achieving those.

From there, define measurable outcomes you can influence: engagement, retention, activation, or conversion. Then align those to customer outcomes that deliver value.

Examples of Business and Product Outcomes

Tom Evans & Kenny Kranseler | 26:00–32:40
Let’s look at an example. Suppose your north-star metric is **recurring revenue growth**. Business outcomes could include increased trial-to-paid conversion or reduced churn. Product outcomes might involve faster onboarding or better feature adoption.

One client of ours—Eaton—was focused on subscription revenue but hadn’t considered how that tied to customer value. Once they shifted to measuring *machine uptime* for customers, their strategy finally aligned. When you deliver customer outcomes, business outcomes follow.

Using OKRs to Define and Measure Outcomes

Tom Evans | 32:40–37:00
OKRs are a great framework for translating strategy into measurable action.
– **Objectives** are qualitative goals (“Increase market share”).
– **Key Results** are measurable indicators that show progress (“Grow paid conversion by 10%”).

You can visualize this in an outcome tree—start from your top business goal and break it down into smaller, actionable outcomes that your product directly impacts.

Aligning Product Work to Company Goals

Tom Evans & Kenny Kranseler | 37:00–42:30
Now that we know what outcomes we’re chasing, how do we align product work?
By building **outcome-driven roadmaps**—not feature roadmaps.

Map your goals as *Now / Next / Later* outcomes. Start with what’s most impactful now, then move to supporting outcomes. This allows stakeholders to see priorities tied to value instead of timelines.

Customers love seeing this kind of roadmap because it speaks their language—outcomes and value—not delivery dates.

Outcome-Driven Roadmaps

Tom Evans | 42:30–45:10
An outcome-driven roadmap shows your hierarchy:
– Business outcomes → Product outcomes → Supporting outputs.

This keeps your narrative strategic and measurable. It’s far more compelling to say, “We’re focusing on increasing conversion” than “We’re adding a dashboard.”

Commercial Break: Productside Training Opportunity

Kenny Kranseler | 45:10–47:00
Quick plug! Our **Optimal Product Management Certification** course starts September 9th. Scan the QR code on the slide to register at a discounted rate, and you’ll automatically enter a drawing for a free seat. You’ll save $800 and gain practical tools you can use immediately.

Poll #2: Rationalizing Product Investment

Tom Evans & Kenny Kranseler | 47:00–51:45
Next poll—what tool do you use to justify new product investments?
– Lean Canvas
– Ad hoc presentation
– Detailed spreadsheet
– Senior exec requests
– None of the above

Most of you use Lean Canvas or lightweight presentations—great choices. The goal is clarity, not complexity. Avoid spreadsheets without rationale or assumptions—financials alone don’t tell the story.

When dealing with executive pressure, don’t challenge directly. Instead, ask guiding questions: “Which customer problem does this solve?” or “Which goal does this support?” That turns the conversation constructive.

Making Product Tradeoffs

Tom Evans | 51:45–56:30
Every product decision is a tradeoff between customer value, business value, and technical feasibility. Communicate the tradeoffs explicitly: “If we prioritize X, we delay Y by six weeks.” This creates transparency and trust.

Focus on outcomes when making decisions—connect each choice to a measurable goal.

Using the Product Outcome Canvas

Tom Evans | 56:30–01:01:40
The Product Outcome Canvas is one of our favorite tools for connecting customer needs, outcomes, and business goals on one page. It’s like a story map for strategy—it keeps discussions focused on value.

Use it when you need to justify investments or explain your roadmap in context.

Case Study: FitCoach

Tom Evans | 01:01:40–01:08:00
Let’s apply this to a fictional company, FitCoach. Their north-star metric is increasing monthly recurring revenue by 20%.

They break it down into outcomes like improving conversion and renewals. Then they define product outcomes—helping customers achieve quick wins to encourage continued engagement. It’s not about tricking users into subscribing—it’s about providing genuine value that supports business growth.

Setting Growth Targets and Estimating Impact

Tom Evans & Kenny Kranseler | 01:08:00–01:12:30
How do you identify the right growth targets without guessing?
Use historical data and market research. Look at past initiatives, competitor benchmarks, and models like the Ansoff Growth Matrix to break down opportunities—expanding within current customers, entering new segments, or growing through new offerings.

Communicating Strategy and Key Takeaways

Tom Evans | 01:12:30–01:16:50
Always start with outcomes, then connect them to metrics and features. Lead with customer needs before diving into solutions. Use tools that align work to strategy, like the Product Outcome Canvas or an outcome roadmap.

Key takeaways:
– Prioritize outcomes over outputs.
– Align goals with company strategy.
– Measure impact through metrics that matter.
– Use outcomes as the foundation for roadmaps and investment cases.

Upcoming Webinars and Training

Kenny Kranseler | 01:16:50–01:19:30
If you enjoyed today’s session, join us for Part 3: **Communicating Strategy to Stakeholders**, hosted by Roger Snyder. Everyone registered for this series will receive our full playbook pack with templates and tools from all sessions.

We also have in-person and virtual training coming up—London, New York, and Austin. Visit Productside.com for details.

Q&A and Closing

Kenny Kranseler & Tom Evans | 01:19:30–01:25:00
Let’s take a few final questions.

**Q:** How do you collect feedback when your customer isn’t your end user?
**A:** Work through the buyer to access real users. Use feedback channels, community groups, or usage data to stay connected.

**Q:** How do I pick which business outcome to focus on?
**A:** Start with your manager. Align your product’s sphere of influence with measurable business goals.

Thanks, everyone, for joining! You’ll receive the recording and resources shortly. Don’t forget to register for Part 3 and our upcoming certification courses. See you next time!