Learning objective
Connect an outcome to customer opportunities, competing solutions and assumption tests.
Why it matters
Product teams accumulate feature ideas without a traceable reason to expect an outcome.
Core concept
Start with one measurable outcome, branch into observed customer needs and friction, branch again into possible responses, and attach cheap tests to the riskiest assumptions.
Scenario
A learning app targets better course completion. Users say reminders are noisy, but interviews show confusion about the next exercise and little feedback after attempts.
Worked decision
Map navigation and feedback as distinct opportunities; test an explicit next step and useful response before adding more reminders.
Decision rule
Test assumptions and update the tree with results.
Ethical boundary
Writing features as opportunities or treating a tree as proof of causality.
AI lens
Use AI to organize evidence, then verify its source and keep decision authority with people.
Quick check
What would invalidate the first proposed action? Writing features as opportunities or treating a tree as proof of causality.
Next step
Complete the Opportunity Solution Tree case.