How do you prove this point to someone who subscribes the belief that everyone else who is solving the same problem must be doing it the right way? I keep hearing the argument that so many competitors can’t be making decisions willy nilly.

I believe both you and JJG are correct in the use of the word “strategy”. You can have a strategy for what you’re going to do today as well as a strategy for how to grow a business over the next two decades. It’s about planning and vision; the subject of that vision, the granularity thereof or the absolute timeframe referenced aren’t neccessary for something to be judged as strategy or tactic, in my opinion. A move in chess can be strategic or a short-sighted tactic that will hurt you later on.

Great article – useful in helping me gather my thoughts on how to approach a UX strategy I’m working on currently.