Execution, Roadmaps & Operational Alignment

36) Strategic Roadmapping

• What it is: Links goals → initiatives → capabilities → timeline and dependencies.
• Best for: Cross-functional alignment; sequencing.
• How to run: Outcomes first → dependency map → milestones → resourcing.
• Outputs: Roadmap + rationale.
• Watch-outs: Feature factory divorced from strategy.
• Pro tips: Tie each initiative to an outcome metric + assumption.
• Best paired with: OKRs; ICE/RICE.
• Common misuses: Timeline commitments without capacity; ignoring dependencies.

37) MOST Analysis

• What it is: Mission → Objectives → Strategy → Tactics alignment chain.
• Best for: Coherence from purpose to action.
• How to run: Write each layer; ensure tactics map to strategy, strategy to objectives.
• Outputs: Alignment artifact + decision guardrails.
• Watch-outs: Objectives not measurable.
• Pro tips: Limit objectives (3–5); assign owners.
• Best paired with: OKRs; Balanced Scorecard.
• Common misuses: Confusing strategy with tactics; mission too vague.

38) OKRs

• What it is: Objectives (direction) + Key Results (measurable outcomes).
• Best for: Focus, alignment, accountability.
• How to run: 1–3 objectives → 2–5 KRs each → weekly cadence.
• Outputs: Priority clarity; progress signals.
• Watch-outs: Output KRs (“ship X”) vs outcome KRs.
• Pro tips: Include at least one customer-value KR.
• Best paired with: North Star; Roadmapping.
• Common misuses: Too many OKRs; tying comp rigidly to stretch goals.

39) Balanced Scorecard

• What it is: Performance across Financial, Customer, Internal, Learning perspectives.
• Best for: Strategy execution at scale.
• How to run: Strategy map → metrics → targets → initiatives.
• Outputs: Dashboard + tradeoff visibility.
• Watch-outs: Metric overload; lag-only measures.
• Pro tips: Mix leading + lagging; keep ≤3 per perspective.
• Best paired with: CSFs; EVA.
• Common misuses: Reporting tool only; ignoring causality.

40) EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System)

• What it is: Operating system for SMB execution: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, Traction.
• Best for: Execution discipline and leadership cadence.
• How to run: V/TO → scorecards → Level 10 meetings → IDS problem solving.
• Outputs: Rhythm, accountability, clear priorities.
• Watch-outs: Rigid adoption without cultural fit.
• Pro tips: Start with issue-solving and meeting discipline.
• Best paired with: OKRs; 7S (lightweight).
• Common misuses: Over-process early teams; skipping real issue resolution.

41) Hoshin Kanri (X-Matrix)

• What it is: Strategy deployment aligning long-term goals, annual priorities, initiatives, KPIs, owners.
• Best for: Complex org alignment; CI cultures.
• How to run: Breakthrough goals → annual objectives → initiatives → catchball feedback.
• Outputs: X-matrix; governance cadence.
• Watch-outs: Bureaucracy if catchball is performative.
• Pro tips: Keep few priorities; monthly reviews.
• Best paired with: BSC; TOC.
• Common misuses: Too many initiatives; KPIs not tied to strategy.

42) 7P Marketing Mix

• What it is: Product, Price, Place, Promotion + People, Process, Physical Evidence.
• Best for: GTM coherence; service differentiation.
• How to run: Audit each P vs positioning/segment; adjust inconsistencies.
• Outputs: GTM plan; improved conversion/experience.
• Watch-outs: Over-indexing on promotion.
• Pro tips: Price and Process often create the moat.
• Best paired with: CX Strategy; Segmentation.
• Common misuses: Treating as checklist; ignoring distribution realities.

43) McKinsey 7S Framework

• What it is: Alignment across Strategy, Structure, Systems, Skills, Style, Staff, Shared Values.
• Best for: Diagnosing execution failures; reorgs; PMI.
• How to run: Assess each S → identify misalignments → interventions.
• Outputs: Change plan; alignment gaps.
• Watch-outs: Over-fixating on structure.
• Pro tips: Start with shared values/style to understand resistance.
• Best paired with: ADKAR/Kotter; GAP Analysis.
• Common misuses: Treating culture as secondary; changing org chart only.

44) Theory of Constraints (TOC)

• What it is: Improve system throughput by focusing on the bottleneck.
• Best for: Ops throughput; delivery pipelines.
• How to run: Identify constraint → exploit → subordinate → elevate → repeat.
• Outputs: Higher throughput; shorter cycle time.
• Watch-outs: Moving bottleneck without quality stabilization.
• Pro tips: Control WIP; measure queue at constraint.
• Best paired with: Lean/DMAIC; Roadmapping.
• Common misuses: Optimizing non-constraints; adding capacity everywhere.

45) Lean Six Sigma (DMAIC)

• What it is: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control for defect/variance reduction.
• Best for: Reliability at scale; cost/quality improvements.
• How to run: Charter → baseline → root cause → fix → control plan.
• Outputs: Standardized process; measurable improvements.
• Watch-outs: Overkill for early ambiguity.
• Pro tips: Define “defect” and CTQs clearly.
• Best paired with: TOC; BSC.
• Common misuses: Tool-first, problem-second; measuring what doesn’t matter.

46) Critical Success Factors (CSF)

• What it is: Few conditions/capabilities that must go right to win.
• Best for: Simplifying strategy; choosing KPIs.
• How to run: Identify 3–7 CSFs → metrics/owners → review cadence.
• Outputs: Exec dashboard; focus discipline.
• Watch-outs: CSFs written as goals, not factors.
• Pro tips: Phrase as capabilities (e.g., “fast onboarding to first value”).
• Best paired with: OKRs; BSC.
• Common misuses: Too many CSFs; CSFs not linked to strategy.

47) ICE / RICE Scoring

• What it is: Prioritization: ICE (Impact/Confidence/Ease) or RICE (Reach/Impact/Confidence/Effort).
• Best for: Backlogs; growth experiments.
• How to run: Define rubric → score → rank → sanity-check strategically.
• Outputs: Ranked initiatives + rationale.
• Watch-outs: Gaming scores; false precision.
• Pro tips: Use as a discussion tool; revisit monthly.
• Best paired with: Roadmapping; North Star.
• Common misuses: Treating score as decision; inconsistent Reach/Impact definitions.