Summary of the article "A primer on strategy for software engineers"
Here’s a summary of the article “A primer on strategy for software engineers”:
The article addresses the common feedback given to senior engineers to “be more strategic” and offers a concrete definition of strategy as a framework that guides decision-making, encompassing both a path forward and explicit trade-offs aligned with core objectives. It distinguishes strategy from long-term planning or roadmaps, emphasizing its role in shaping decisions and prioritizing actions.
The author introduces three frameworks for strategic thinking:
Rumelt’s Kernel of Strategy: This framework involves diagnosing the biggest obstacle to reaching a goal, establishing a guiding policy to address the challenge, and taking coherent actions aligned with the policy.
Playing to Win: This framework focuses on defining a winning aspiration, identifying where to play, determining how to win, and outlining the necessary capabilities and management systems.
Three Horizons: This model breaks down the strategic outlook into three timeframes: optimizing existing systems (H1), exploring emerging opportunities (H2), and creating entirely new capabilities (H3).
The article emphasizes that these frameworks help break down complex problems into actionable steps, guiding the diagnosis of issues, definition of a winning approach, and balancing immediate fixes with future opportunities. It concludes by noting that effective strategy requires both good tactics and strong execution. Link to the article: A primer on strategy for software engineers