Alignment
Alignment is when team members share a common understanding and are moving in the same direction toward shared goals.
How do teams find alignment in product discovery?
Teams find alignment by focusing on the customer and developing a shared understanding of what customers need and want, rather than trying to reconcile personal preferences.
What tools help teams create and maintain alignment?
Visual tools help teams create and maintain alignment. Experience maps, opportunity solution trees, and user story maps help teams align around different aspects of the work—customer context, the path to desired outcomes, and specific solutions. OKRs help get alignment and transparency on what teams are working toward.
Why does team alignment matter?
When everyone is going in different directions, it's demotivating. Alignment helps teams stay motivated and productive.
What causes team misalignment?
However, misalignment can occur due to competing incentives. This often happens when there's misalignment on the executive team, creating conflicting signals for product teams through competing reward systems or mixed messages about priorities.
Learn more:
- Product Trios: What They Are, Why They Matter, and How to Get Started
- Shifting from Outputs to Outcomes: Why It Matters and How to Get Started
Related terms:
- Product Trio
- Opportunity Solution Tree
- OKRs
- Shared Understanding
Last Updated: October 25, 2025