Quarterly planning often feels heavier than it needs to be. Long meetings, OKRs that nobody remembers by mid‑quarter, and plans that go stale as soon as priorities shift I’ve seen it all.
PostHog’s approach to planning is refreshingly simple and still manages to keep everyone aligned. Here’s what stood out to me:
1. Don’t aim for perfect plans
Plans change. PostHog keeps planning lean: about an hour of individual prep, followed by a 90‑minute discussion. Enough structure to align, not enough to slow things down.
2. Prepare asynchronously
Before the meeting, everyone writes down what worked, what didn’t, and what they hope to tackle next. The meeting is then focused on making decisions, not brainstorming from scratch.
3. Set product‑level context, then let teams plan
One insight I’d add: not every team owns the full product. It helps to define a product‑level objective rooted in customer needs or business priorities first. That context guides teams so they can decide what to build — without leadership dictating the how.
4. Focus on what you’ll ship
Goals are framed around deliverables, not just metrics. PostHog even defines “anti‑goals” to make it clear what’s out of scope, which helps avoid distraction mid‑quarter.
5. Keep goals alive
Instead of filing plans away, they review them every sprint using a simple traffic‑light status (green/yellow/red). It keeps everyone aligned and makes it easier to adjust in real time.
6. Empower the team
Leadership shares the big picture; teams own their piece of the plan. That trust leads to more realistic goals and higher motivation.
This approach feels lighter and more practical than the typical quarterly planning marathons. If your team is burned out on OKRs and endless alignment meetings, try borrowing some of these ideas — keep the context clear, let teams lead on execution, and focus on what you’ll actually ship.