When we work in complex environments, we continuously balance three forces: Strategy, Tactics, and Risk. These forces form a natural triad — and understanding their interplay helps us steer products empirically rather than reactively.
In Scrum, this triad is made explicit through three levels of goals:
- Vision (strategic)
- EachSprint Goal (tactical)
- Product Goal (strategic-tactical bridge)
Each goal represents a different level of focus, commitment, and risk exposure.
The Triangle Explained
At the top of the triangle sits Strategy — where we define the Vision.
A Vision describes the world we want to create and the outcomes we aim to achieve. It is inherently high-risk and long-term. We can’t predict how to get there; we only now that want to play there and can only experiment toward it.
At the bottom left, we find Tactics — that is the area of the the Sprint Goal.
This is where the work happens: concrete, actionable, and measurable. Sprint Goals guide daily decisions, minimize uncertainty, and generate learning. But they are limited in scope and time; they can’t carry the full weight of a Vision.
At the bottom right, we acknowledge Risk. Every move we make — whether strategic or tactical — carries uncertainty. The closer we operate to the Vision, the higher the risk. The closer we stay to the Sprint, the lower the risk — but also the lower the potential impact.
It is a continuous trade-off.
The Product Goal: Connecting the Dots
The Product Goal sits right in the middle — the sweet spot between Vision and Sprint Goal.
It provides direction without prescription.
Without a Product Goal, the stretch between Vision and Sprint Goal becomes too wide. Teams either lose sight of the big picture (becoming delivery machines aka feature factories) or float too far into abstraction (getting stuck in strategy debates).
The Product Goal bridges that gap. It:
- Connects strategic intent (the Vision) to tactical execution (the Sprint).
- Enables empirical progress through measurable outcomes.
- Reduces strategic risk by validating direction incrementally.
- Creates alignment and focus across multiple Sprints.
In short, it gives purpose to each Sprint while keeping risk at a manageable level.
Working with the Triad
- Start with the Vision – Define a bold, outcome-oriented picture of the future. Accept that it carries uncertainty.
- Set a Product Goal – Translate that Vision into a tangible intermediate state. It’s ambitious but achievable within months, not years.
- Commit to Sprint Goals – Each Sprint delivers increments that move you empirically toward the Product Goal.
Each inspection and adaptation reduces uncertainty and realigns strategy, tactics, and risk in real time. That’s empiricism at work.
Why This Matters
Many organizations operate either too tactically or too strategically.
- Too tactical: Teams chase tickets without understanding the “why.”
- Too strategic: Leaders craft visions disconnected from delivery.
Scrum offers a balanced system — a chain of purpose from Vision → Product Goal → Sprint Goal — embedded within the Strategy–Tactics–Risk triad.
The Product Goal is the stabilizer in this system. It keeps strategy honest, tactics meaningful, and risk visible.
Ralph Jocham is the founder of effective agile, a Scrum.org Professional Scrum Trainer, ICF ACC coach, and co-author of The Professional Product Owner. He co-created the Scrum Guide Expansion Pack (scrumexpansion.org) with Jeff Sutherland and John Coleman.