Apr 2025|Adrenalin
No More Vague and Disconnected Strategies: 4 Essential Components
Strategy is a word we use often but rarely define with precision. In the world of digital products—where we build websites, apps, and platforms—the same challenge exists. When we talk about strategy, it tends to trigger a mix of reactions: some quietly wonder what it really means, while others nod along as if they understand it intuitively. Yet even among those who nod, the interpretations of strategy often vary widely.
For some, strategy is about vision and long-term goals. For others, it’s a plan, a to-do list or a polished document packed with buzzwords—a vague mix of vision, goals and high-level intentions. Regardless of how people define strategy, it often carries a negative weight—which is unfortunate, even heartbreaking, given the critical role it plays in shaping success. But we can’t blame people for feeling this way. The vagueness within most so-called strategies today is largely responsible for people’s frustration, disengagement and even cynicism. The failure isn't in the idea of strategy itself. It’s in how we practise it.
So, what is strategy and how should we practise it? Let’s dive in.
What is a strategy
The world you’re competing in is far more complex than the scenario above—a competitive, ever-changing environment where everyone is navigating the same unknown path. In this environment, relying on luck isn’t an option. We believe you need a strategy but the real question is: How perfect does that strategy need to be before you start walking?
Strategy is the art and science of sketching a map that guides you from point A to point B. Point A is where you are today, and point B is where you want to be. A well-crafted strategy should have four key components:
Solution - You must first understand what you offer, who you offer it to and who else is in the market providing similar products or services. Only by gaining this clarity can you identify your unique value and competitive advantage and decide whether you want to engage in the game at all.
Direction - From there, strategy involves setting a direction through vision, mission and positioning. Many strategies stop at this high level, broad direction but this is where the real work begins. While the direction is essential, it’s only the starting point. To be effective, this direction must be broken down into clear, actionable steps.
Action - Once the direction is set, the next step is to design a set of coordinated, integrated and coherent actions. These actions must align with your strategic direction, preserve your unique value, sustain your competitive advantage along the way and ultimately drive you towards your goal. Actions can range from high-level initiatives to very granular decisions—for example, in the world of digital products, it can be as specific as the name of a feature.
Execution - Execution is where strategy comes to life. It’s about turning planned actions into reality—and that means aligning people, processes and resources from the outset. Execution shouldn’t be treated as a separate downstream activity; it must be built into the strategy itself. That’s why a good strategy includes an execution plan—such as a roadmap in the world of digital products. But regardless of the domain, this phase is about ensuring a coordinated, integrated and coherent effort that brings the strategy to life.
Coordination, integration and coherence from top to bottom
Throughout the entire strategy, especially in the action and execution planning stages, coordination, integration and coherence are absolutely critical. It's as if you need to constantly test your own logic, challenging your assumptions and ensuring that everything makes sense and is connected.
Why is this so important?
Firstly, your strategy is essentially a hypothesis. While it doesn’t need to be perfect, it must be solid—essentially saying: by doing X, we will achieve Y. When you step into the real world with this hypothesis, you will inevitably face challenges that require adaptation. However, by ensuring coordination, integration and coherence upfront, you empower yourself to make adjustments with confidence. It’s not just about being confident; it’s about preventing problems. You’ll know where, when and how to adjust while also being able to anticipate the ripple effect of any changes. This allows you to stay aligned with your overarching direction and ensures that every decision you make helps you stay on course rather than veering off-track.
Secondly, coordination, integration and coherence across all levels become a competitive advantage in their own right. This is the hidden strength beneath the surface—an intricate system that competitors cannot easily replicate without a substantial investment of budget and resources. Many organisations struggle with disconnected objectives and competing agendas which fragment their efforts, slow down decision-making, create inefficiencies and ultimately lead to wasted resources—and even shift them away from their intended destination.
A leader's role in strategy
A leader’s role in strategy is multifaceted, blending both visionary and strategic elements, though they are not the same. While a leader can certainly be both visionary and strategic, the combination of these qualities makes them a powerful force in steering an organisation towards its goals. A visionary leader sets the direction and inspires others to follow. However, being strategic requires a distinct skill set, one that enables the leader to understand the components of a strategy. Although a leader may not be an expert in every field, they must possess the ability to make informed decisions about what works and what doesn’t within the strategy.
Digital product strategy
In digital product design, strategy is key to creating successful, user-focused, and profitable products.
A strong digital product strategy defines value, aligns with customer needs, and balances commercial goals for long-term success. When done right, it drives outcomes like product-market fit, better user experience, team productivity, stakeholder alignment, and scalability—key to sustainable growth. Without a clear strategy, organizations risk poor market fit, wasted resources, and low adoption, leading to inefficiencies and unmet business goals.
A solid strategy keeps you on track to deliver real value.
For an in-depth exploration, download the 30-page white paper "The Ultimate Guide to Crafting a Successful Digital Product Strategy in 2025"
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.
Discover how our 6 week Digital Product Strategy Engagement can make it happen.
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