Teams that commit to continuous improvement make frequent, incremental changes. This gives them more opportunities to learn, and adjust course. It can also invite aimless wandering. Teams need a compelling vision of where they are going in the long run—a northstar inspired by the company’s shared purpose that helps to guide their way.
The northstar vision takes different forms. Words can paint a vivid picture. A well-made video has the power to inspire and motivate. Prototypes can be tested with customers, yielding valuable data and mitigating risk before the team commits to expensive execution.
The most important requirement is that the vision is shared: everyone needed to build the product should help create the vision too. A day spent mapping the experience is an effective way to accomplish this. The team leaves with a joint understanding of the desired customer experience, what it will take to build it and—most valuably—a shared belief and a collective will to get the work done.