What steps do you take to reduce risks and assumptions in your product vision?

To mitigate risks and assumptions in a product vision, start by precisely defining the problem space. In the Indian market, Ola, the ride-hailing service, before expanding to smaller towns, thoroughly understood local transportation challenges. By mapping out the specific needs and constraints within the problem space, Ola minimized assumptions and tailored its product vision to address the nuanced requirements of diverse regions, reducing the risk of mismatched solutions and enhancing overall success.

To mitigate risks and assumptions, start by precisely defining your problem space. This involves understanding the specific problems your product aims to solve. ?? Use tools like customer personas and jobs-to-be-done frameworks to map out the needs and constraints of your target audience. In my experience, clearly defining the problem space ensures you focus on creating value for users, rather than just adding features. ?? This step is crucial for aligning your product vision with real user needs. A well-defined problem space reduces the likelihood of making incorrect assumptions, setting a solid foundation for your product vision. ??

Validating your problem and solution assumptions is crucial. ?? Start with customer interviews, surveys, and experiments to gather real-world feedback. Tools like MVPs and prototypes help test feasibility and desirability early, reducing risks and guiding informed decisions. ?? Gather qualitative and quantitative data to understand user needs and pain points better. ?? Techniques like A/B testing and usability testing provide insights into user behavior and preferences, ensuring your solution addresses the actual problem effectively. Regularly iterate based on feedback to refine your product vision. ?? Continual validation helps you stay aligned with market demands and user expectations, keeping your product relevant and impactful. ??

I funnily used this idea about validating a product vision with stakeholders 3 times this week with different companies / startups. I call it stakeholders radar analysis. But I use the term stakeholders in a wider sense I guess, it includes more external entities like potential clients/buyers very often in both a B2B and B2C manner. Basically a test to see if you are convicned that each of the actors who will need to buy into or buy the product will perceive the value that you are proposing. It's good to have all questions asked and possibly have all your answers ready. Often I see great ideas but with overestimated assumptions on how others really value them at least at the stage where the idea/product is currently at.

Aligning your vision with stakeholders helps gain support and resources. ?? Use tools like vision statements, roadmaps, and OKRs to communicate and align your vision with your team, management, partners, and investors. In my experience, engaging stakeholders early and regularly ensures that everyone is on the same page and that potential conflicts are addressed proactively. This alignment helps in securing the necessary buy-in and feedback, making your vision more robust. Fostering open dialogue and using tools like pitch decks can help illustrate your vision's value and feasibility to stakeholders, ensuring comprehensive support. ??

Craft a compelling story ??: Use storytelling techniques to make your vision relatable and engaging. Share the "why" behind your vision to inspire and connect with your audience emotionally. Leverage visuals and metaphors ???: Simplify complex ideas with visuals and metaphors. Diagrams, roadmaps, and infographics can make your vision more tangible and easier to grasp. Foster open dialogue ??: Encourage feedback and discussions to ensure everyone feels involved and aligned. Regular check-ins and updates keep the vision top of mind and allow for adjustments based on collective insights.

Regularly review and update your vision to keep it relevant. ?? Use frameworks like lean canvas, pivot, and build-measure-learn to evaluate and adjust your vision based on new data, insights, and feedback. In my experience, this iterative process helps in staying responsive to changing market conditions and customer needs. Regular updates ensure that your vision remains realistic and achievable, adapting to new challenges and opportunities. Continually aligning your vision with current data helps in maintaining its effectiveness and relevance, driving long-term success. ??

Learning from others' successful product visions can provide valuable insights. ?? Study case studies, books, podcasts, and blogs to understand best practices and avoid common pitfalls. In my experience, benchmarking against successful products in other industries can inspire new ideas and strategies. This practice helps in refining your own vision by incorporating proven techniques and insights. Adopting and adapting strategies that have worked well for others can enhance your product vision's robustness and alignment with market trends. ??

To reduce risks and assumptions in my product vision, try I following some of the below steps: - Validate the problem and the solution with real users and stakeholders ( Customer voice programs are fantastic platforms to leverage) - Define clear and measurable goals and success criteria (OKRs) - Prioritize the most important and impactful features and user stories (Sem planning) - Test and iterate on prototypes and MVPs with feedback loops (Public previews) - Communicate the vision and roadmap to the team and align on expectations (onboard dev team on the roadmap before committing)