Operating & Alignment Model – Deep‑Dive
Comprehensive wiki page explaining each layer of the Operating & Alignment Model, including Product Canvas missions, Wardley‑mapped objectives and Domain‑driven organisational design.
Operating & Alignment Model Overview
This is the top-level guide to our operating and alignment model. Each section links to detailed wiki pages that dive deeper into specific aspects.
Visual Overview
Layer‑by‑Layer Explanation
Each layer of our operating model has its own detailed wiki page. Below is an overview with links to in-depth content:
Foundation Layer
| Layer | Purpose | Key Practices | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why & Purpose – Product Strategy | Sets the North‑Star: why we exist and where we play. | * Product Vision Board * Quarterly strategy review | Why & Purpose Deep-Dive |
| Govern with Culture | Scales behaviour through principles rather than rules. | * Decision principles * Engineering rituals | Culture Guide |
| Values | Shared beliefs that guide day‑to‑day trade‑offs. | * Hire & fire by values * Explicit behaviors | Values Framework |
Core Elements
| Layer | Purpose | Key Practices | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mission (Product Canvas) | Captures who, what, why for a product slice. | * Product Canvas * Assumption mapping | Mission & Product Canvas |
| Objectives (Wardley Mapping) | Stress‑test bets against landscape evolution. | * User‑need mapping * Strategic decisions | Objectives & Wardley Mapping |
| Organization (DDD) | Mirror domain boundaries in team topology. | * Context mapping * Team boundaries | Organization & DDD |
Optimization & Feedback
| Layer | Purpose | Key Practices | Detailed Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment & Feedback | Close strategy-execution gap. | * Health checks * Retros | Alignment & Feedback Loops |
| Optimise for Motivation | Keep humans engaged and creative. | * eNPS tracking * Squad health | Motivation Deep-Dive |
| Optimise for Flow | Ship value quickly & safely. | * CI/CD * DORA metrics | Flow Optimization |
| Optimise for Cost | Sustain profitability at scale. | * FinOps * Unit economics | Cost Optimization |
Advanced Topics
Implementation Guide
-
Start with Why
- Begin with Why & Purpose
- Establish Cultural Foundations
- Define Core Values
-
Build Core Elements
- Create Product Canvas
- Map Strategic Objectives
- Design Team Structure
-
Optimize & Align
- Implement Feedback Loops
- Balance Motivation, Flow, and Cost
- Monitor Team Dependencies
-
Advanced Implementation
- Apply Conway’s Law
- Align Missions & Objectives
Key Metrics Dashboard
| Category | Metrics | Target | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culture & Values | eNPS Value alignment score | > 50 > 80% | Culture surveys |
| Mission & Objectives | OKR completion Strategy-execution gap | > 70% < 20% | OKR tool |
| Flow & Delivery | DORA metrics Lead time | Elite < 1 day | DevOps platform |
| Cost & Efficiency | Cost per customer Engineering ROI | < industry avg > 3x | FinOps dashboard |
Further Reading & Resources
Internal References
External References
- Product Canvas – Roman Pichler
- Wardley Mapping – Simon Wardley
- Team Topologies – Skelton & Pais
- Accelerate – Forsgren, Humble & Kim
Note: This is a living document. Each linked page contains detailed implementation guides, examples, and metrics. Use the navigation above to dive deeper into specific areas of interest.