Strategy: Review · Core
Decide when to change course
Strategies need changing when the facts change, but not every quarter. Agree in advance what would make you change course, and test plans for weak points.
About 1-2 daysEvergreenLast reviewed 5 November 2026
Who this applies to
- Skills it builds
- Strategy and vision
- PM types
- All
- Product types
- All
- Starting points
- All
- Ways of working
- All
- Experience
- Intermediate (1 to 4 years)Experienced (5+ years)
- Size of organisation
- All
Steps, by experience
Beginner (under 1 year)
- Write down the signals that would show a bet is failing.
- Agree them with the sponsor before results come in.
- Run a premortem: imagine the strategy failed, and list why.
- Fix the biggest risks the premortem found.
- Revisit the signals at each review.
Intermediate (1 to 4 years)
- Separate small adjustments from real changes of direction.
- Decide in advance who can change the strategy and how.
- Communicate changes clearly, with the reason.
Experienced (5+ years)
- Spot when the core challenge itself has changed.
- Stop sunk-cost thinking about failing bets.
- Lead the organisation through a change of direction.
Who can do this
Owner: Product manager
Reviewed by: Senior leader / sponsor
Tool examples
- Miro
- Run the premortem on a shared board.
- Confluence
- Record the change signals with the strategy.
Definition of done
- Change signals agreed in advance
- Premortem run
- Change process agreed
Common pitfalls
- Changing direction every quarter
- Never changing despite the evidence
- Changes without explanation