Small S vs Big S Strategy

Two complementary approaches to strategy—present-forward problem-solving vs future-backward aspiration

Chandra Janakiraman
An operator's guide to product strategy

Small S vs Big S Strategy

"There's this interesting quote by Elon Musk, which is, 'Life has to be about more than just solving problems.' I think this is true of every company, big or small. There needs to be an aspirational and cool component to strategy. And I call this big-S strategy." - Chandra Janakiraman

What It Is

Small S vs Big S distinguishes two fundamentally different approaches to product strategy that serve complementary purposes. Most companies need both running in parallel—they're like building a bridge from both sides of a river.

Small S Strategy is present-forward and problem-focused. You look at your current product, identify problems holding you back, and select strategic pillars that address the most impactful ones. Time horizon: 18-24 months. Led by Product Management.

Big S Strategy is future-backward and aspiration-focused. You imagine exciting futures for your product and work backward to identify elements worth pursuing. Time horizon: 5-10 years. Led by Design and UXR.

The distinction matters because each requires different mindsets, timelines, processes, and leadership. Trying to do both with the same approach produces mediocre results.

How It Works

Small S Strategy (Present-Forward)

Mindset: Analytical, problem-solving Time horizon: 18-24 months Key question: "What problems are holding us back, and which should we solve?" Led by: Product Management Process duration: 8-12 weeks

Process:

  1. Gather data and insights about current problems
  2. Cluster and prioritize problems
  3. Select strategic pillars using clear criteria
  4. Generate solutions within those pillars
  5. Roll out and execute

Big S Strategy (Future-Backward)

Mindset: Creative, aspirational, open-ended Time horizon: 5-10 years Key question: "What would be truly exciting? What would make the world better?" Led by: Design and UXR Process duration: Up to 6 months (ongoing)

Process:

  1. Ground in company mission and vision
  2. Research long-term trends (cultural, social, competitive, technological)
  3. Conduct leadership interviews focused on the future:
    • "What does a day in the life of a user look like in 5 years?"
    • "What does the product look like in 5-10 years?"
    • "Why is the world better in 10 years?"
    • "What is the most exciting version of that view?"
  4. Cluster into 3 distinct futures (meaningfully different visions)
  5. Create "concept car" prototypes for each future
  6. Test prototypes with users through UXR
  7. Identify winning elements
  8. Push promising elements into live product testing

The Concept Car Analogy: In the automobile industry, concept cars are never commercialized directly. They're produced for inspiration and to test specific technologies or features that might make it into mainstream production. Big S prototypes work the same way—they generate inspiration and surface specific elements worth pursuing, not complete solutions to ship.

Running Both in Parallel

The roadmap is built from a combination of both:

  • Small S feeds near-term roadmap with problem-solving priorities
  • Big S feeds inspiration and long-term direction
  • Over time, Big S elements that test well graduate into the main roadmap

At VRChat, Chandra runs both simultaneously: the PM team leads Small S work while the design team leads Big S work. The outputs merge into one roadmap—like two tributaries forming one river.

How to Apply It

  1. Assess what you have: Many companies only do Small S. If strategy feels incremental, you may be missing Big S

  2. Match the leader to the approach: Small S needs analytical PM mindset. Big S needs creative design mindset. Don't force the wrong person to lead

  3. Set appropriate time expectations: Small S takes 8-12 weeks. Big S takes up to 6 months. Rushing Big S defeats its purpose

  4. Create space for Big S: It requires more open-ended exploration. Don't force it into the same sprint cadence as Small S

  5. Protect Big S from optimization pressure: The value of Big S comes from imagining what's exciting, not what's efficient. Keep the two separate

  6. Connect them at the roadmap: Both should inform the roadmap, but through different mechanisms—Small S directly, Big S through concept testing and gradual incorporation

When to Use It

Use Small S when:

  • You have a product with known problems to solve
  • You need strategic clarity in the next 18-24 months
  • You're at a growth-stage company needing focus
  • Teams don't understand why they're working on what they're working on

Use Big S when:

  • Your industry is changing and you need to imagine different futures
  • You want to inspire the team with aspirational vision
  • Incremental improvement isn't enough—you need transformation
  • You have design/UXR capacity to lead exploratory work

Use both when:

  • You're a mature enough company to invest in both timelines
  • You want to build the bridge from both sides
  • You need both near-term focus and long-term inspiration

Source

  • Guest: Chandra Janakiraman
  • Episode: "An operator's guide to product strategy"
  • Key Discussion: (01:16:06) - Big S vs Small S strategy explained
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

Related Frameworks

Back to Product Strategy