Traction is crucial. Product strategy is inert if the team cannot make a simple series of moves and respond to changes in the playing field. Where traction is low, we identify what the team is responding to, and reshape the game or rebuild their view of the playing field. We get the team making deliberate moves, in useful sequence, toward a strategic direction.
Where traction is good, and an unclear path is ahead — new customer demand, major ecosystem shift, or a play into adjacent space — I consult on long-term directions and the short-term sequences which open them for play.
My clients tend to
Three ways to work together
- Strategic Sparring. We sharpen your thinking and increase your options for approaching a challenging stream of work. I am a map-maker and a critical thinking partner.
- Product Consulting. We find the best approach to a timely and high-value product challenge. I am an investigator and advisor, modeling streams of internal and external gameplay.
- Embedded Player-Coach. We help a team engage the gameplay-strategy engine, playing one good move at a time and learning to respond to the field. I am an embedded researcher, product coach, and design advisor.
My context
I've been working inside product org since 2010, initially building research programs. To weave research into product work, you need to research how product work works. The problems I found interesting — what caused my teams to struggle — kept appearing outside the scope of research itself.
In 2020, I shifted into independent consulting as Dave's Research Co. to explore that insight and change my focus. Good work, for me, is equipping product teams for success and helping leaders avoid the self-defeating aspects of top-down product strategy.
I work with a handful of clients each year. I write about what I'm learning in The Product Game. I'm always interested to talk about product org challenges and strategic problems.
Low in traction or high on strategy?
Send a note to dave@davesresearch.com and we can talk. You can tell me what you're seeing and I'll tell you what I see, no pressure or further expectations.
If you want help, and I can help, I'll describe how that might work.
If I'm not the right person, I'll point you toward someone smart who may be.
