Prioritize Your Next Experiment with a Positioning Grid

Who This Helps

This is for Product Managers in the Market Intelligence & Positioning course who are stuck in endless debate. You have a list of possible experiments but no clear way to pick the one that actually moves your position. This turns that noise into a single, defendable decision.

Mini Case

Zaid’s team debated three positioning experiments for 3 weeks. One targeted a new user segment, another aimed to counter a competitor's claim, and a third refined their core message. By building a simple grid, he scored each option on two criteria: 'Evidence Strength' (from win-loss interviews) and 'Market Shift Impact.' The 'counter-claim' experiment scored highest. They ran it, saw a 15% increase in qualified leads within a month, and finally stopped the circular meetings.

Do This Now (5 Steps)

1. Grab your list of potential experiments or bets from your team's last discussion.
2. Define two scoring criteria. Use one from the course, like 'Evidence Strength' from your Win-Loss Evidence Cut mission. Pick a second, like 'Strategic Fit' or 'Ease of Test.'
3. Draw a simple 2x2 grid on a whiteboard or slide. Label your axes with your two criteria.
4. Plot each experiment as a dot on the grid. Do this with your core team in a 30-minute session. No overthinking.
5. Your winner is the dot in the top-right quadrant. That's your next experiment. Everything else goes into a 'later' list. Seriously, just pick one.

Avoid These Traps

• The Perfection Trap: Don't waste time finding the 'perfect' third criteria. Two good ones are enough to create clarity. You can always refine later.
• The Democracy Trap: This isn't a vote. The grid provides the evidence for a decision. You, as the PM, make the call.
• The Data Void Trap: If you have zero evidence for any option, your first experiment must be to gather that evidence. Go talk to 5 recent customers.
• The Feature Factory Trap: An experiment that just adds a small feature but doesn't shift how you're perceived is probably a low-impact move. Be ruthless.

Your Win by Friday

By Friday, you will have one prioritized experiment on the roadmap with clear reasoning (your grid). You'll have a 'later' list to quiet the 'what about...' questions. Your team will have a single focus, and you'll have reclaimed hours previously spent in debate. That's a win you can take to the weekend. Go make a decision.