You’re in the right place if you’re looking to understand the Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) inside and out. We’ve got you covered.
What is the Opportunity Solution Tree?
The Opportunity Solution Tree is a visual framework designed to guide product teams through the discovery process. It serves as a roadmap for achieving specific outcomes by identifying opportunities and potential solutions. Created by Teresa Torres in 2016, the OST has become an indispensable tool for modern product management.
Why Use the Opportunity Solution Tree?
The OST offers a structured approach to product discovery, helping teams focus on what truly matters: the desired outcome. It aids in making implicit assumptions explicit and provides a shared understanding among team members. The framework is particularly useful for navigating opinion battles and aligning decisions around opportunities rather than solutions.
How to Create an Opportunity Solution Tree
Step 1: Define the Desired Outcome
Start by narrowing down your goal to a single metric you aim to improve, such as revenue or customer satisfaction.
Step 2: Identify Opportunities
Conduct generative research to understand customer needs and pain points. These pain points are your opportunities.
Step 3: Generate Solutions
Be open to solutions from various sources, ensuring they directly link to an identified opportunity.
Step 4: Experiment and Iterate
Test your solutions through a series of experiments to evaluate their effectiveness.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
While the OST is a powerful tool, it’s not without its challenges. Teams often find themselves overwhelmed with opportunities or fixated on a single solution. The key is to maintain a balanced approach and continuously refer back to your OST for guidance.
Understanding the Opportunity Solution Tree
The Opportunity Solution Tree serves as a strategic blueprint for achieving specific goals. It is a tool that helps product teams navigate the complexities of the discovery phase by clearly outlining opportunities and potential solutions.
Crafting an Opportunity Solution Tree: The Structure
The Opportunity Solution Tree is built on four foundational layers: Desired Outcomes, Opportunities, Solutions, and Experiments. Each layer serves a specific purpose in guiding the team toward achieving the end goal.
The Endgame: What Does the Opportunity Solution Tree Aim to Achieve?
The primary objective of using an Opportunity Solution Tree is to provide a clear roadmap for reaching a specific desired outcome. It also serves as a communication tool that outlines the challenges and strategies involved in achieving that outcome.
Opportunity Discovery vs. Solution Discovery: What’s the Difference?
Opportunity Discovery focuses on identifying which customer problems or opportunities are worth pursuing. Solution Discovery, on the other hand, is about finding the most effective solutions for the opportunities already identified.
The Role of the Product Trio in Opportunity Solution Trees
The Product Trio—comprising the Product Manager, Designer, and Architect—is a collaborative framework that plays a crucial role in the successful development and implementation of an Opportunity Solution Tree.
A Four-Step Guide to Discovery
The discovery process can be broken down into four key steps: Hypothesis Formation, Assumption Identification, Questioning, and Evaluation & Refinement. Each step is essential for a thorough understanding of both the problem and the proposed solution.
Additional Resources
For those looking to dive deeper into the OST, numerous resources are available, including masterclasses and books focused on continuous discovery habits.