Jan 2025|Adrenalin
No 2025 Digital Product Strategy? Your Competitors Are Already Ahead!
In the ever-evolving landscape of business, one truth remains constant: success doesn’t happen by accident. It is crafted, patiently and deliberately, through the power of strategy.
Harvard Business Review reveals that 67% of successful companies attribute their achievements to having a well-defined strategy.
Bain & Company takes it a step further, noting that companies with a strong strategic focus are 4.5 times more likely to achieve superior financial performance.
And McKinsey's research? It’s equally compelling—organisations with clear strategies are 2.5 times more likely to outperform their competitors.
These aren’t just numbers; they’re a testament to the undeniable power of a guiding vision. For years, strategy has been the foundation of great businesses, including in the world of digital products. Having a clear digital product strategy helps enterprises build winning websites, apps and bespoke digital platforms.
But why is it more critical than ever to have a digital product strategy in place as we approach 2025? Before we answer that, let’s take a step back and explore how we got here.
Why having a digital product strategy in 2025 is critical
Five years ago, the world entered an era of profound change with the outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019. The pandemic disrupted daily life and as the virus spread through 2020, the world found itself on unstable ground, bracing for the unknown. Geopolitics also took a turbulent turn. The escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine sent shockwaves across the globe, while the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli conflict continued to draw international attention. Amid these upheavals, political landscapes shifted. Joe Biden’s presidency emphasised climate action and global cooperation, while Donald Trump’s return to the political stage refocused attention on deregulation and protectionism, reshaping global economic dynamics. At the same time, technology advanced rapidly. Artificial intelligence evolved at an unprecedented pace, revolutionising the way we live and work.
In just a few years, the world was transformed—shaped by crises, conflict and innovation—into an unfamiliar yet deeply interconnected landscape.
Yet, the seeds of change are often invisible at first, but over time they grow into forests that transform the landscape.
Today’s consumer behaviour reflects the ripples of transformative events from recent years. While it’s difficult to attribute each shift to a single event, the collective impact has undeniably reshaped consumer expectations, preferences and behaviours in profound ways.
Some forward-thinking organisations have already taken the initiative to rethink and adapt from a strategic level, recognising that tactical adjustments alone won’t suffice in today’s rapidly changing environment. While actions such as updating a landing page or enhancing an app feature may yield short-term improvements, they lack the cohesive foundation required to outpace the competition.
Strategic change must serve as the bedrock of transformation. Without a robust and clear digital product strategy, tactical efforts risk becoming fragmented, reactionary and ultimately ineffective. Conversely, a well-defined strategy operates as a guiding compass, aligning all decisions with long-term objectives and evolving market demands, enabling organisations to thrive in an era of continual disruption.
While the technology adoption life cycle is primarily utilised to examine how individuals adopt new products, it also serves as an insightful framework for understanding how organisations adapt to change. Within this model, innovators and early adopters represent the first two categories to embrace new opportunities and challenges.
This means approximately 16% of your competitors may already have strategically positioned themselves for 2025, leveraging bold initiatives and forward-thinking strategies to secure an early advantage. For organisations yet to act, this underscores the urgency of aligning strategic transformation efforts with emerging trends to avoid being left behind in an increasingly dynamic market landscape.
Now is the time to take a strategic step forward with your digital product.
What is digital product strategy?
Digital product strategy is a framework for building successful, unique and profitable products. It defines a product’s value, aligns it with customer needs and balances commercial and user-focused goals.
The benefits of having a digital product strategy
A strong digital product strategy is the foundation for successful design and development. It ensures clarity, alignment and adaptability, driving better outcomes for both users and businesses.
Achieving product-market fit: Aligns with user needs and market trends to deliver value and differentiation. According to McKinsey, companies that align products with customer needs are 2.7 times more likely to achieve top-quartile performance.
Enhancing user experience: Focusing on usability and satisfaction can boost adoption and retention. Forrester Research reports that improving user experience can increase conversion rates by up to 400%.
Boosting team productivity: Streamlining priorities and improving resource allocation accelerates development. A report by Gartner shows that well-aligned teams can achieve up to 20% faster delivery times.
Driving stakeholder alignment: Uniting teams and stakeholders with a clear vision and roadmap reduces inefficiencies. PwC’s study found that organisations with high alignment on strategic goals outperform peers by 25% in operational efficiency.
Empowering scalability: Supporting growth and future-proofing products ensures long-term success. According to BCG, scalable digital platforms can reduce operational costs by 30% while enabling 20% faster market entry for new products.
While the benefits of a digital product strategy are clear, the costs of neglecting one are equally compelling. Without a strategy, organisations risk:
Poor market fit: According to Accenture Strategy, 80% of executives believe their products fail to meet customer expectations, leading to low adoption rates and revenue losses.
Resource waste: Gartner reports that large enterprises waste an estimated 20-30% of their IT budgets on redundant or unnecessary development projects due to poor prioritisation.
Disjointed development: Research by McKinsey & Company reveals that over 60% of large organisations cite silos and misaligned teams as major barriers to cohesive product development, resulting in fragmented solutions that fail to meet business objectives.
What should a digital product strategy include?
A strong digital product strategy guides every stage of the product lifecycle. Key elements include:
Market: Track trends and tech advancements shaping the product’s future.
Competition: Analyse competitors, identify strengths, weaknesses and market gaps.
Customer: Define segments and research needs to ensure the product delivers real value.
Value proposition: Highlight core benefits and why it's the best solution.
Features: Focus on features that solve customer challenges and stand out in the market.
Business model: Identify revenue streams and monetisation strategies.
Roadmap: Prioritise features and allocate resources for efficient delivery.
Performance: Set key metrics to measure success with users and business goals.
Launch: Plan pre- and post-launch activities for maximum traction.
How to build a digital product strategy?
Creating a strong product strategy starts with collaboration. It requires input from your team, other departments and, most importantly, your users. Open communication and alignment are essential for success.
Steps to build your product strategy:
Build the right skillsets
Research the market and competitors
Understand your customers
Define your product vision and value proposition
Create a product roadmap
Develop prototype and launch MVP
Download the 30-page white paper, "The Ultimate Guide to Crafting a Successful Digital Product Strategy in 2025" for an in-depth exploration.
Case studies
At Adrenalin, we specialise in crafting strategically-driven designs and developing cutting-edge websites, apps and bespoke digital platforms. This approach has allowed us to partner with globally renowned brands, delivering innovative, award-winning digital solutions.
Our comprehensive range of product strategy services is designed to bring your vision to life. Whether you need strategic insight, expert design or seamless development, our team is dedicated to making your product journey both impactful and forward-thinking.
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