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Top-down Product Strategy

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What is a top-down product strategy?

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Definition of top-down product strategy

A top-down product strategy is a hierarchy, where leaders and decision-makers pass information and instruction down to the product manager regarding the outcomes of the product. This strategy may be flexible in some cases whereby decision-makers, senior management, and the product manager, all interact to design the strategy.

Constituents of a top-down product strategy

A strategy may contain features such as a vision, objectives, and initiative. The vision acts as the inspiration and sits on top of the strategy. The objectives provide a means by which to measure progress, such as performance indicators. The initiative proposes a product to be built or a problem to be overcome.

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General FAQ

What is a bottom-up product strategy?
A bottom-up product strategy draws on input from staff across different areas, utilizing specialized knowledge when relevant to the product and its audience. This gives product teams access to more diverse views, opinions, and data — and the product may be better suited to target users, as a result.
What are some disadvantages of a top-down product strategy?
One of the main disadvantages of a top-down product strategy is that managers areas susceptible to bad decisions as staff on lower rungs of the ladder. They may lack some of the hands-on knowledge and insights that front line, customer-facing staff bring in a bottom-up strategy.
What is a top-down marketing strategy?
A top-down marketing strategy is a traditional approach to promotion. The target audience plays a passive role in marketing and is expected to take action — think a TV or radio commercial. A bottom-up marketing strategy involves encouraging audiences to help spread the promotional material, thereby taking a more active role — e.g. referral marketing or social campaigns.

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