Opportunity Solution Tree

What is Opportunity Solution Tree?

The Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) is a visual framework used by product managers and teams to identify, prioritize, and explore various opportunities and solutions to achieve a specific product goal. It helps teams to focus on the most promising opportunities and encourages them to consider multiple solutions before committing to a particular approach. The OST fosters collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning, making it an essential tool for effective product management.

Components of an Opportunity Solution Tree

An Opportunity Solution Tree consists of four main components:

1. Product Goal: The desired outcome or objective that the product team aims to achieve. It serves as the starting point and the guiding light for the entire OST.
2. Opportunities: The various customer needs, pain points, or market gaps that, if addressed, can contribute to achieving the product goal. Opportunities are typically derived from user research, customer feedback, and market analysis.
3. Solutions: The different approaches, features, or enhancements that can address the identified opportunities. Each opportunity can have multiple potential solutions, and the OST encourages teams to explore various options before settling on one.
4. Experiments: The tests or validations that the team can conduct to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solutions. Experiments help teams to learn and iterate quickly, reducing the risk of investing in the wrong solution.

Benefits of Using an Opportunity Solution Tree

Implementing an Opportunity Solution Tree in your product management process offers several benefits:

• Focus on the goal: By starting with a clear product goal, the OST ensures that all opportunities and solutions are aligned with the desired outcome, keeping the team focused on what truly matters.
• Encourages innovation: The OST promotes the exploration of multiple solutions for each opportunity, fostering creativity and innovation within the team.
• Enhances collaboration: The visual nature of the OST makes it easy for team members to contribute ideas, discuss options, and reach a consensus on the best course of action.
• Supports data-driven decision-making: By incorporating experiments into the process, the OST encourages teams to validate their assumptions and make informed decisions based on data and insights.
• Facilitates continuous learning: The iterative nature of the OST enables teams to learn from their experiments, refine their solutions, and adapt their approach as needed to achieve the product goal.

How to Create an Opportunity Solution Tree

Follow these steps to create an Opportunity Solution Tree for your product:

1. Define the product goal: Clearly articulate the desired outcome or objective that your product aims to achieve.
2. Identify opportunities: Conduct user research, gather customer feedback, and analyze market trends to uncover the most promising opportunities that can contribute to your product goal.
3. Brainstorm solutions: For each identified opportunity, brainstorm multiple potential solutions that can address the customer needs or market gaps.
4. Design experiments: Develop a series of experiments to test and validate the feasibility and effectiveness of your proposed solutions.
5. Iterate and refine: Based on the results of your experiments, iterate and refine your solutions as needed to ensure they align with your product goal and deliver maximum value to your customers.

In conclusion, the Opportunity Solution Tree is a powerful framework that can help product managers and teams to stay focused on their goals, foster innovation, and make data-driven decisions. By incorporating the OST into your product management process, you can improve collaboration, accelerate learning, and increase your chances of success.