> My take is the optimum is in-between. Engineers should have an understanding and input on the business impact. But the strategy and prioritisation framework does need to come top-down, aligned with the long-term goals of the business.

I used to work for a small-ish Dutch energy company, and they went to a great effort at implementing this kind of framework, I thought it was great. We basically had huge quarterly roadmaps pasted onto one big wall of the office, and you would frequently see the product, marketing, sales and C-level people stood there discussing and prioritising. The transparency here meant anyone could wander up and see what the strategy was for the quarter and therefore what would be prioritised. It was sometimes gloriously messy but you really felt included and incentivised to work towards the company's common goals. Wish everyone did this.