Strategic Thinking 2: Understand

Imagine so many people knowing what is going on by reading the product development blog that I described in Strategic Thinking 1.

Keep in mind that this is Bloom’s definition of knowing, the actual acquisition of knowledge. This is knowledge that can be measured in recall and recognition of information, not the “knowing about” that is the usual passing on of broad brush sketches in a monthly run-down of what a department might be doing.

That key group of stakeholders invited to participate in the team development blog becomes a valuable asset to the product through their ability to provide unabashed feedback using their knowledge.

In their search to reach Bloom’s second level, Comprehension or Understanding, they’ll ask questions and interpret meaning. The critiques, summaries, and translations they offer will take their understanding deeper and at the same time challenge the developers to look more closely at what they are developing.

Deeper comprehension becomes contagious.

Higher-level questions bring higher-level answers, which cause higher level questions again. The entire enterprise becomes a thinking-through writing being.

This is not a far-fetched idea. People are doing it already.

Deep thinking is satisfying.

Liz Strauss