Betting On Q4, Or Planning It?
September arrives and Q4 planning picks up steam. Leadership has reiterated ambitious goals. Teams rally to define initiatives that they can deliver. Budgets are allocated, and you're eager for meaningful impact.
This seasonal shift feels familiar, and so does the approach. That's worrying.
For most folks, this year's performance hasn't met expectations. New tech, politics, consumer spending - external factors share the blame. But could we have done better this year? Will we do better this quarter?
Looking back and forward, you know something needs to change - but, what? That uncertainty is evidence of an outdated or absent strategic foundation. You find yourself doing what you've always done - betting significant time and money on execution that keeps the machine moving and only MIGHT bring the impact you need.
Prioritizing What You Know
Without a clear strategic foundation, teams prioritize based on whatever feels most urgent: bugs creating support tickets, defects frustrating users, negative reviews worrying leadership, marketplace threats demanding response, executive whims shifting priorities, institutional bias toward familiar solutions, and personal preferences from whoever has the loudest voice in planning meetings.
These reactive priorities aren't wrong individually - they're likely very necessary. But collectively, they don't compound into the business progress you need. You're addressing symptoms rather than root-level challenges and the unknown opportunities that will drive meaningful impact.
It's a reactive approach that guarantees innovation and true success will remain just out of reach.
Adding Strategic Foundation
If you have research: You may have hired a consultancy that left you with decks and piles of data, and wished you luck. It’s not uncommon. Most specialists don't think broadly about your business - they don't consider how your teams function or how might they leverage the intelligence. Strategic design leadership is your missing piece. Folks like me interpret existing research and create frameworks that guide planning decisions and execution. We make insights actionable, helping your product team create requirements that inspire teams to innovate and build solutions to drive business results.
If you don't have research: “Now” is the best time to launch a research program - better than later, better than never. No matter when you start, the results will be immediately impactful. Planning Q4 while also initiating research means we can expect actionable insights by mid-October. In our PI, we will reserve capacity for yet-to-be-discovered features, sliding them into sprints without threatening existing commitments.
Both scenarios require thoughtful coordination and balancing of priorities, timelines, and team capabilities & capacity. Strategic design leadership (what I do) activates and guides the right people to perform the right functions at the right time.
The best part: once these enhancements are in place, you're positioned for Q1's fresh budgets with more mature strategic design and delivery processes in place. You'll have taken baby-steps toward true innovation through systematic approaches whose value compounds quarter after quarter.
Strategic Investment vs. Expensive Bets
Planning with a more strategic foundation is both an investment and insurance. You're ensuring initiatives are prioritized with precision and teams are empowered to craft solutions against root-level challenges. Your organization moves with greater confidence, even when challenging the status quo.
Without a strategic foundation, planning remains an expensive expression of hope - betting on what might matter, what might make an impact, and hoping your bets pay off.
If your plan feels more hopeful than confident, let's partner to ensure we succeed together, as a team.