Opportunity Solution Trees

February 5, 2024

Happy Monday everyone! There is lots going on in the Cleveland Product scene, so let’s get to it!

Article of the Week

We Product people have lots of tools at our disposal to assess solutions and problems. One of the best ones is a Opportunity Solution Tree, popularized by Teresa Torres.

An Opportunity Solution Tree allows you to look at the problem from lots of angles, explore opportunities and challenges, and tie solutions and experiments to business goals. I have used this tool with numerous clients recently and of all the benefits, these are the three that have stood out to me:

  1. Clearly Defined Outcome - This is prerequisite for building an opportunity solution tree, and it is essential. All the challenges and opportunities are associated with this, and if they don’t ladder up to the outcome, then it’s not something that should be a priority right now. Having alignment on the outcome helps to, “resolve the tension between business value and customer value“.

  2. Opportunity Space - This section is where you see the opportunity or challenges with the current solution - or lack thereof. These opportunities must align with the stated business outcomes and if they don’t, then they either aren’t important, or need to be part of a different opportunity solution tree. This part takes time to get right.

  3. Managing Expectations with Stakeholders - Every stakeholder is different, requires a different level of detail, and has a different way of viewing a problem. Just like a roadmap or a burndown chart, you should tailor your messaging to your stakeholders so that they can get the maximum impact of your message. Having them onboard as you explore opportunities, talk to customers, and brainstorm solutions takes time but will increase trust and alignment.

This tool isn’t for every scenario, but when used judiciously, it is very powerful. Read the full article from Teresa to learn more about the intricacies of this method!

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About the Author

My name is Shawn Leitner. I started the Cleveland Product networking group in 2017, which helps to connect Product professionals around Cleveland, providing them with a forum to network, learn, and share stories. For my day job, I'm a Product Consultant & Coach for Pathfinder Product and help clients implement strong Product practices so they can create products that their teams love building and their customers love using. Connect with me on LinkedIn or feel free to attend one of my events either virtually or in-person. Always up for meeting for a cup of coffee also!