Real Leverage Lives Under the Roadmap

Why shallow optimizations stall product teams, and where deeper leverage actually lives.

Most product teams operate at the surface.

They adjust the roadmap, tune metrics, and reorganize rituals. But these moves often fail to produce meaningful change. That is because the real drivers of behavior and performance are structural. They are embedded in how the system is designed, how feedback flows, and what the system is ultimately trying to achieve.

This article applies Donella Meadows’ "12 Leverage Points" to product strategy. It explores how to identify intervention points that actually shift outcomes. Topics include feedback loops, information structure, system goals, and the mental models that shape decision-making.

You will find examples from urban transit, cloud platforms, and organizational behavior. The full version includes visuals, tables, and specific patterns that help product leaders focus their energy on what matters most.

Read the full version here:
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