Product Development
Product Vision Board
Align everyone on where the product is going: vision, target group, needs, product and business goals.
- Time: 45 to 60 min
- With: Product owner with key stakeholders
- You get: A vision the team can use to say yes or no to ideas
How to use this worksheet
- Write the vision first: the long-term change you want, in one inspiring sentence.
- Then describe the target group, their needs, and the product that meets them. Keep each answer short.
- Finish with business goals: how does this create value for the organisation?
- Read it as a chain: does the product meet the needs of the target group, and does that serve the vision and the goals?
Why are we creating this product, and what positive change should it bring?
Prompts and example
Ask yourself
- Would it still inspire you in five years?
- Can you say it in one sentence?
Example
Every shift worker knows their schedule a month ahead and can swap shifts in two taps.
Who is the product for? Who are the primary users and customers?
Prompts and example
Ask yourself
- Which market or segment are you aiming at?
- Who is the buyer, who is the user?
Example
Managers of independent restaurants (10 to 50 staff) and their shift workers.
Which problem does it solve or which benefit does it give?
Prompts and example
Ask yourself
- What do users need, want or struggle with?
- What is the top need?
Example
- Plan a week in minutes - Avoid conflicts and unfair shifts - Let staff swap without phone calls
What is it, and what makes it stand out? The top three features.
Prompts and example
Ask yourself
- Is it feasible to build?
- What is the differentiator?
Example
Web app with a drag-and-drop planner, automatic conflict check and staff swap requests.
How does the product benefit the company? Revenue, growth, strategic goals.
Prompts and example
Ask yourself
- How will you know it succeeded?
- What is the main business goal, and which are secondary?
Example
- 150 paying locations in year one - 80% retention after six months - Basis for payroll add-on
Before you finish
- The vision describes change for people, not features.
- The needs are the customer's, not your solution's.
- Every feature maps to a need.
- The business goals are measurable.
About the Product Vision Board
Roman Pichler designed the Product Vision Board as a lightweight tool to describe a product vision and test it against the market.
Return to it whenever you are asked to say yes to a request. If it does not serve the vision, the target group or the goals, the answer is probably no.
Recommended reading
Werbung / Ad: Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
- Start with WhySimon Sinek
Clarifying the purpose that a compelling vision is built around.
- The Vision Driven LeaderMichael Hyatt
Practical questions for crafting and communicating a vision that motivates.