Opportunity solution tree
A tree diagram: the desired outcome at the top; below it, opportunities (needs, pain points and desires); under each, its solutions, and under those, tests of their assumptions.
What it’s for
It helps a product team see why it is working on each idea, compare solutions to the same problem and avoid jumping straight to building the first thing that comes to mind.
Key elements
From the outcome down
A single measurable outcome sits at the top; everything else is justified by how it contributes to it.
Opportunities before solutions
Opportunities come from research with people and describe their need, not a product feature.
Several solutions per opportunity
Each opportunity gets more than one idea, so you compare alternatives instead of settling on the first.
Test assumptions, not whole ideas
Under each solution go small tests of its riskiest assumptions.
How it’s done
Set the outcome the team wants to move, at the very top.
Branch out the opportunities that come up when talking to people, and several solutions under them.
Test the assumptions of the chosen solutions and update the tree with what you learn.
Applications in design
When to use it
When a team has a business goal and must decide which needs and which ideas to invest in.
Avoid
Putting solutions directly under the outcome, without the opportunity that justifies them.
Don’t fall for it
The tree isn’t a fixed plan; if it doesn’t change when you learn something new, it has stopped being useful.
Connections
Authors and works
- 2016
Teresa Torres
Introduced the tree to help teams structure their discovery work and connect their techniques in a single picture.
- 2021
Teresa Torres
Placed it at the center of her continuous discovery approach, with weekly interviews and assumption tests.
Sources
Original sources
- Torres, T. (2016, August 10). Why this opportunity solution tree is changing the way product teams work. Product Talk. View source: Torres, T. (2016, August 10)
- Torres, T. (2021). Continuous discovery habits: Discover products that create customer value and business value. Product Talk LLC.
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