Why goals and strategy matter, why goals, strategy and tactics should be visible to whole organization. Why while planing product changes you should balance between intuition, data and customer insights. How we learned that and what stages we passed till we started to use OKRs.

1. Setting the right Goals
How to convert good company strategy to right tactics
Mindaugas Jankauskas
Product Manager at Vinted

2. • Problem
• Things we tried and learned from
• What is our latest approach
• Learnings and impressions
• Questions

3. The Problem
Company Goal
[To Grow]
What
team should do
next?

4. Solutions we tried

5. Level 1
(basics)
NOW
1

6. Developing features
NOW
Developing features
1
Step 2. (Team)
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate
Step 1. (POs)
1. Brainstorm list of features
2. Prioritize

7. Learnings:
• Big features are not always important
features
• We need to decide what is important for the
company and how to measure that
• Need a common direction/goal
NOW
Developing features
1

8. Improving metrics
Step 2. (Team)
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics
1
Step 1. (POs)
1. Agree on a metric
2. Brainstorm list of features
3. Prioritize

9. Learnings:
• Improving metrics artificially can break the
product
• Data and intuition are not enough
• User experience matters
• Having a common goal helps teams to
collaborate better
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics
1

10. Solving user problems
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
1
Step 2. (Team)
1. Select a problem
2. Brainstorm a list of features
3. Prioritize
Step 1. (POs + research)
1. Talk to users
2. Build problem tree
Step 3. (Team)
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate

11. Learnings:
• Big user problem is not necessarily a big opportunity for
the company
• Need to analyze data in order to evaluate user problems
and to define what the real problem is
• Need a product strategy do define which problems and
how to solve
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
1

12. Data
How big opportunity/impact?
Intuition
How we should build it?
User feedback
What user problem does it solve?
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
1

13. Conclusions
• Have measurable goals and strategy how to achieve them
• There is always a balance between user feedback, intuition and
data
• Necessary to assess opportunity size and effort
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
1

14. Level 2
(Setting goals)
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2

15. Achieving KPIs
Step 2. (PO + team):
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate
Step 1. (PO + Management):
1. Pitch
2. Agree on goals (KPI)
3. Confirm strategy
4. Implement
5. Review bi-weekly
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2
Achieving KPIs

16. Learnings:
• Without a common goal we have multiple visions,
goals and strategies
• Need to have visible company goals and one
strategy
• Short term goals help to deliver and choose right
tactics
• Teams should help to develop company strategy
and set their own short term goals
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2
Achieving KPIs

17. Strategic directions
Step 3. (PO + team):
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate
Step 2. (PO + Management):
1. Confirm strategy for
selected direction
2. Build roadmap
3. Implement
Step 1. (Management):
1. Set Company Goal
2. Set Strategic directions
3. Set a long term goal for
each direction
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2
Achieving KPIs Strategic directions

18. Learnings:
• A common company strategy and goals help to
move to the same general direction
• Having too many parallel strategic directions makes
us slow therefore more focused strategy is
necessary
• More visibility on areas goals and strategies would
make our choices more effective
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2
Achieving KPIs Strategic directions

19. Conclusions
• Company strategy and goals should be transparent to the whole company
• Company strategy should be as focused as possible
• Team goals and strategy should also be visible to everyone
• Results should be easily measurable
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems
2
Achieving KPIs Strategic directions

20. Level 3
(Objectives and Key results)
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems Achieving KPIs Strategic directions
3

21. OKRs
Step 4. Deliver
1. Test
2. Build
3. Iterate
Step 2. Agree on OKRs
1. Measure last quarter KRs
2. Define objectives and KRs for
next quarter
Step 1. Goals & Strategy
1. CEO sets company goal
2. Management confirms company
strategy
Step 3. Plan
1. Review product strategy if
needed
2. Build a roadmap/backlog
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems Achieving KPIs Strategic directions OKRs
3

22. Objective
KR KR
Objective
KR KR KR
Objective
KR KR KR
Objective
KR KR KR
Objective
KR KR KR
Objective
KR KR KR
Area manager
Team 1
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems Achieving KPIs Strategic directions OKRs
3
Team 2
CEO

23. Objective KRs
CEO
Re-organize business model to
be growth oriented
2x Transactions (X to Y)
Income Z% from revenue
Area Manager
Ensure new user’s success to
accelerate growth
120% more first time sellers
30% more visits from SEO
PO 1
Re-organize new user’s
experience towards selling
Visit to reg +20%
New user listing to sale +40%
Number of old seller sales/AU same
PO 2
Organize CRM to help new
users to become successful
sellers
Welcome e-mail CTR +20%
+30% subscribers to product news
7d. Reg to Listing +30%
NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems Achieving KPIs Strategic directions OKRs
3

24. NOW
Developing features Improving metrics Solving user problems Achieving KPIs Strategic directions OKRs
3

25. First impressions
• Still takes a lot of time to set and review goals
• Need to agree on a company strategy before you set OKRs
• Top > down approach is not enough
• We tend to overcomplicate metrics
• OKR solves common goal, strategy and visibility issues

26. Q?

27. https://lt.linkedin.com/in/mjankauskas
mindaugasj@vinted.com
Mindaugas Jankauskas
Product Manager at Vinted