Defining the Minimum Winning Game in High-Technology Ventures

Based on a combination of exploratory field research and executive experience, we propose that defining the Minimum Winning Game (WMG) is a difficult yet critical responsibility of top management to keep a high-technology venture focused and able to learn from its ongoing efforts in the face of rapidly evolving technological and market uncertainties. We also propose that achieving the MWG requires the intelligent balancing of three key drivers of strategic action: technology development, product development, and strategy development. Finally, we propose that instilling the discipline necessary to define the MWG and balance the drivers of strategic action is facilitated by the use of a strategy-making process informed by key data gathering and analysis tools such as the market requirement document (MRD) and the product requirement document (PRD).