Strategic Roadmapping Through Interactive Gameplay

This workshop is designed for Product Managers and teams who want to move beyond feature-list roadmaps and adopt a more resilient, problem-focused approach to planning.

The Core Idea

Participants act as a single "product team" directing a live game of StarCraft. The facilitator acts as the "engineering team," executing their commands in rapid, 2-minute "sprints."

The game provides a high-stakes, consequence-rich environment where strategic decisions have immediate, visible outcomes. This time-compressed feedback loop makes abstract roadmapping principles tangible and memorable.

What Participants Will Learn

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Distinguish Between Problem-Focused vs. Solution-Focused Roadmaps: Understand why framing a roadmap around "problems to be solved" is more resilient than a simple list of "features to build."
  2. Apply Kent Beck's 3X Framework: Use the Explore, Expand, and Extract phases as a mental model to structure strategy, manage uncertainty, and guide a product from initial discovery to mature optimization.
  3. Appreciate the Critical Role of Domain Knowledge: Experience firsthand how a lack of domain knowledge (in this case, StarCraft mechanics) leads to flawed initial plans, reinforcing the need to involve experts, customers, and engineers in the planning process.
  4. Embrace Uncertainty with Planning Horizons: Learn to create roadmaps where near-term plans are concrete and detailed, while long-term plans remain directional and flexible, avoiding the trap of false precision.
  5. Master the Rhythm of Strategy and Execution: Internalize the relationship between a stable Roadmap (the problems), a flexible Backlog (the potential solutions), and rapid Execution (the tasks), and learn how to refine the strategy based on execution feedback.

Workshop Structure (3-Hour Flow)

  1. Domain Knowledge Primer (20 min): A quick introduction to the core concepts of StarCraft—enough to make informed decisions.
  2. The Pre-Game Roadmap (30 min): Participants build their first "problem roadmap," mapping the game's phases to the 3X framework and identifying key problems to solve.
  3. Live Gameplay & Sprint Cycles (80 min): The core of the workshop. The team directs the game through a series of 2-minute cycles (30s planning -> 60s execution -> 30s retro), constantly updating their plan based on what they learn.
  4. Post-Game Debrief (30 min): A structured discussion connecting the in-game experiences to real--world product management challenges.
  5. Bridge to Real Work (20 min): Participants apply the lessons by reframing their actual product roadmaps through a problem-focused lens.

Hire Me to Facilitate

I can facilitate this workshop for your team, either in-person or remotely. I will work with you to customize the workshop to your specific needs and goals.

Contact me for a free consultation

Open Source Workshop Materials

The complete curriculum and materials for this workshop are available on my GitHub repository.

View on GitHub

Requirements to Run the Workshop

Technical Setup

  • A projector or large screen visible to all participants.
  • A computer with StarCraft II installed and tested.
  • Game Configuration:
    • 1v1 match vs. a Medium AI opponent.
    • Recommended matchup: Terran (player) vs. Zerg (AI).
    • A standard, symmetrical map.
    • Game speed set to "Normal."

Physical Materials

  • A large whiteboard or digital equivalent (e.g., Miro).
  • Sticky notes in at least three different colors (for Problems, Solutions, and Tasks).
  • Markers for the facilitator and participants.
  • A large, visible timer for the sprint cycles.

Limitations & Intellectual Honesty

A key principle of this workshop is intellectual honesty. It is crucial to understand and communicate the following:

The 3X framework is a pedagogical tool, not a professional StarCraft strategy.

As detailed in professional-starcraft-strategies.md, elite players do not think in terms of Explore, Expand, and Extract. Their strategies are far more fluid, dynamic, and integrated.

However, as argued in 3x-beginner-strategy.md, beginners naturally stumble through 3X-like phases. They start by cautiously exploring the map, then expanding their economy and army once they feel safe, and finally attempting to extract a win once they have an advantage.

Therefore, the workshop does not teach authentic StarCraft strategy. It uses the game as a thematic backdrop to let participants experience the strategic shifts that the 3X framework describes. This framing is critical for the workshop's integrity and effectiveness.

Files in This Repository

  • Readme.md: This file.
  • workshop-overview.md: The master document detailing the workshop's flow, objectives, and minute-by-minute plan.
  • facilitator-notes.md: A detailed guide for the workshop facilitator, including scripts, key reminders, and activity instructions.
  • 3x-framework.md: A reference guide on Kent Beck's 3X framework.
  • problem-roadmap-suggestions.md: A "problem library" with over 150 potential in-game challenges to help the facilitator guide participants.
  • professional-starcraft-strategies.md: An analysis of why the 3X framework is a forced analogy for professional play.
  • 3x-beginner-strategy.md: The pedagogical justification for using the 3X framework with beginners.
  • handout-*.md: A set of handouts for participants to quickly learn the game mechanics for the Terran vs. Zerg matchup.

License

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

CC BY 4.0

This means you are free to:

  • Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
  • Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Under the following terms:

  • Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.

Please attribute the original work to Bartlomiej Czarnecki - taktyk.pl.

For the full license text, see the LICENSE file in this repository.