Automatic Strategy Contest
An Automatic Strategy Contest is a governance mechanism triggered when an existing strategy fails to meet its expected outcomes within a nine to twelve month period. This practice allows any team member to propose new strategies, which are then voted on by the entire team.
Goal
The goal of this practice is to ensure that everyone is bought into the strategy and that the best ideas are surfaced and implemented.
Context
A strategy is a guess about the future. When a strategy fails to deliver the expected outcomes, it is important to revisit the strategy and consider alternative approaches. An Automatic Strategy Contest provides a structured way to do this, ensuring that all team members have a say in the strategic direction of the product.
The biggest risk with this approach is the potential for short-term thinking, where strategies that yield immediate results are prioritised over those that offer long-term benefits. To mitigate this risk, it is important that compensation packages have been designed to reward long-term thinking.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Strategy Contest Trigger | The trigger that initiates the strategy contest, such as a failure to meet key performance indicators. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| New Product Strategy | Proposals for new strategies to replace the existing one. |
|
Anti-patterns
- Short-term Thinking: Prioritising strategies that yield immediate results over those that offer long-term benefits.
- Low Participation: Insufficient engagement from team members in the proposal and voting process.
- Popularity Over Merit: Strategies selected based on the popularity of the proposer rather than the merits of the proposal itself.