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Lesson 3: Workshop 1 - Business Goals

Define What Winning Looks Like

Overview

Workshop 1 is where you establish the strategic foundation for your entire Trigger Map. You'll define both your aspirational vision and concrete measurable objectives that prove you're succeeding.

Duration: 15-20 minutes
Format: Conversational with Saga
Output: Vision statement + 3-5 strategic objectives

Understanding the Two Levels

Business goals work on two distinct levels:

1. Vision (Visionary Statements)

What it is:

Aspirational and motivational
Grand ambitions that reflect focus and direction
Not exact or measurable
Examples: "Be the best," "Fastest in market," "Top of mind"

Characteristics:

Easy to set, hard to measure
Provides the "why" and emotional drive
Inspires and motivates the team
Gives direction without rigid constraints

2. Strategic Objectives

What it is:

Specific and measurable (expressed using SMART method)
Observable evidence that vision is being realized
Concrete milestones you can track
Examples: "10,000 users by Q4," "70% retention rate"

Characteristics:

Harder to set, easy to measure
Provides the "what" and accountability
Enables progress tracking
Creates clear success criteria

Why both matter: Visionary statements provide motivation and direction. Objectives provide accountability and proof of progress. Together they create both inspiration and measurement.

The Workshop Flow

Step 1: Start with Vision

Capture the grand ambition:

What's the aspirational future state?
What motivates the team?
What's the "why" behind this project?
Don't worry about exact measurement yet

Example: "Make remote work sustainable and healthy for distributed teams"

Step 2: Ask "What Will We Observe?"

Bridge from soft to hard goals:

When this vision is being realized, what will we see in the world?
What measurable evidence proves we're succeeding?
What observable changes indicate progress?

This is the critical bridging question that transforms aspiration into measurable reality.

Example: "When remote work is sustainable and healthy, we'll observe teams using tools daily, staying engaged long-term, and growing their usage. We'll see business metrics that prove the model works."

Step 3: Define Strategic Objectives

Transform observations into specific goals:

3-5 concrete objectives
Each expressed using SMART method (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
Focus on what's truly measurable
Set realistic timeframes

See SMART Method Reference for detailed guidance on creating strategic objectives.

Example:

Achieve 5,000 active teams by Q4 2024
Increase average session time to 15 minutes daily
Reach 70% weekly retention rate
Generate $50K MRR by end of year

Key Questions Saga Asks

For Vision (Visionary Statements)

"What's the grand ambition behind this project?"
"What does 'winning' look like at the highest level?"
"What vision motivates your team?"
"Why does this project matter?"

Bridging to Objectives

"When this vision is being realized, what will we observe in the world?"
"What measurable evidence would prove you're succeeding?"
"What would we see that indicates progress toward this vision?"

For Strategic Objectives (using SMART method)

"What specific, measurable outcomes would prove success?"
"By when do you need to achieve these objectives?"
"How will you measure progress?"
"What counts as 'active' or 'successful' in your context?"

Generic Example Walkthrough

Vision (Soft Goal)

"Make remote work sustainable and healthy for distributed teams"

Why this works:

Aspirational and motivating
Clear direction without rigid constraints
Easy to communicate and remember
Inspires the team

Bridging Question

"When remote work is sustainable and healthy, what will we observe?"

Observations:

Teams using our solution daily
High retention rates (people stay)
Growing usage patterns
Sustainable business model (revenue)

Strategic Objectives (using SMART method)

Achieve 5,000 active teams by Q4 2024
- Specific: Active teams (defined metric)
- Measurable: 5,000 teams
- Achievable: Based on market size and growth rate
- Relevant: Proves market adoption
- Time-bound: Q4 2024
Increase average session time to 15 minutes daily
- Specific: Session time metric
- Measurable: 15 minutes
- Achievable: Industry benchmarks
- Relevant: Indicates engagement
- Time-bound: Daily measurement
Reach 70% weekly retention rate
- Specific: Weekly retention
- Measurable: 70% rate
- Achievable: Above industry average
- Relevant: Proves value delivery
- Time-bound: Weekly tracking
Generate $50K MRR by end of year
- Specific: Monthly recurring revenue
- Measurable: $50K
- Achievable: Based on pricing and targets
- Relevant: Business sustainability
- Time-bound: End of year

What You Get from Workshop 1

✅ Inspiring vision that motivates the team
✅ Measurable objectives that prove progress
✅ Clear connection between ambition and accountability
✅ Foundation for all strategic decisions
✅ Alignment on both "why" and "what"

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Skipping the Vision

Problem: Jumping straight to metrics without capturing the aspiration
Why it fails: Team loses motivation, no emotional connection
Fix: Start with the grand ambition, then bridge to metrics

Mistake 2: Vague Objectives

Problem: "Improve user experience" or "Get more customers"
Why it fails: Can't measure progress, no accountability
Fix: Make every objective SMART with specific numbers

Mistake 3: Too Many Objectives

Problem: Listing 15 different metrics to track
Why it fails: Dilutes focus, creates confusion
Fix: Limit to 3-5 most critical objectives

Mistake 4: Unrealistic Targets

Problem: "Become #1 in the world in 30 days"
Why it fails: Demoralizes team, loses credibility
Fix: Set challenging but achievable goals based on resources

Mistake 5: Missing the Bridge

Problem: Vision and objectives feel disconnected
Why it fails: Team doesn't see how metrics prove vision
Fix: Use the bridging question to connect them explicitly

How This Feeds Into Next Workshops

Workshop 1 creates the foundation:

Business Goals (Vision + Objectives)
    ↓
Workshop 2: Which user groups can help achieve these?
    ↓
Workshop 3: What drives those groups' behavior?
    ↓
Workshop 4: Which groups and drivers matter most?
    ↓
Workshop 5: Which features address top priorities?

Everything traces back to the goals you define here.

Tips for Success

DO:

✅ Start with aspiration before metrics
✅ Use the bridging question explicitly
✅ Make objectives truly SMART
✅ Limit to 3-5 key objectives
✅ Reference your Product Brief

DON'T:

❌ Skip the vision (just list metrics)
❌ Accept vague objectives
❌ Set unrealistic targets
❌ Create too many objectives
❌ Forget to connect vision to objectives

What's Next

Workshop 2 identifies WHO can help you achieve these goals - your target groups. You'll create prioritized personas that become the foundation for understanding user psychology.

Key Takeaways

✅ Two levels of goals - Vision (visionary/aspirational) + Strategic Objectives (measurable using SMART method)
✅ Bridging question is critical - "What will we observe when vision is realized?"
✅ Strategic objectives using SMART method - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound
✅ 3-5 objectives maximum - Focus on what truly matters
✅ Foundation for everything - All workshops build from here

← Back to Lesson 3 | Next: Lesson 5 - Workshop 2: Target Groups →

Part of Module 05: Trigger Mapping

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