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opportunity-solution-tree

opportunity-solution-tree

Build Opportunity Solution Trees using Teresa Torres' framework for structured product discovery. Use this skill when: - You need to map a desired outcome to opportunities, solutions, and experiments - You want to decide WHAT to build next based on user research and discovery data - You have workshop findings, pilot feedback, or user research to structure i…

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name: opportunity-solution-tree description: | Build Opportunity Solution Trees using Teresa Torres' framework for structured product discovery. Use this skill when:

  • You need to map a desired outcome to opportunities, solutions, and experiments
  • You want to decide WHAT to build next based on user research and discovery data
  • You have workshop findings, pilot feedback, or user research to structure into actionable options
  • You need a visual tree diagram showing the path from outcome to testable experiments

Opportunity Solution Tree

Interactive skill that builds an OST (Teresa Torres' framework). Maps: Desired Outcome -> Opportunities -> Solutions -> Experiments.

Workflow

  1. Define outcome — Ask user, or read from spec success metrics / roadmap goals
  2. Read input data — Workshop findings, pilot feedback, user research, feedback files
  3. Identify opportunities — Unmet needs and pain points from the data
  4. Brainstorm solutions — 2-3 solutions per opportunity
  5. Define experiments — 1-2 validation experiments per solution
  6. Build tree — Mermaid diagram + detailed breakdown
  7. Output — Print to conversation or write to file

The 4 Levels

Level 1: Desired Outcome

The measurable business/product outcome.

  • Must be specific and measurable: "Increase WAU/MAU ratio by 15%"
  • Pull from spec success metrics or roadmap goals
  • One tree per outcome

Level 2: Opportunities

Unmet needs, pain points, desires — NOT solutions.

  • Frame as user needs: "Users lose motivation after breaks"
  • Or as "How might we..." questions
  • Pull from: workshops, feedback, pilot data, persona pain points
  • 3-5 opportunities per outcome

Level 3: Solutions

Feature ideas that address specific opportunities.

  • Each solution addresses ONE opportunity
  • 2-3 solutions per opportunity (avoid fixating on one idea)
  • Can include features already on the roadmap
  • Name concretely: "Recovery Mechanic" not "engagement improvement"

Level 4: Experiments

How to validate each solution before building.

  • Types: prototype test, A/B test, user interview, pilot, data analysis, fake door test
  • Each experiment has: hypothesis, method, success criteria, effort level
  • 1-2 experiments per solution

Output Format

# Opportunity Solution Tree — {Outcome}

**Date:** {DD-MM-YYYY}
**Desired Outcome:** {specific measurable outcome}

## Tree Diagram

```mermaid
graph TD
  O["Outcome: Increase retention by 15%"]
  O --> OP1["Users lose motivation after breaks"]
  O --> OP2["Parents unaware of progress"]
  OP1 --> S1["Recovery mechanic"]
  OP1 --> S2["Progress protection"]
  OP2 --> S3["Parent dashboard"]
  S1 --> E1["Pilot with 50 users"]
  S2 --> E2["User interviews"]
  S3 --> E3["Parent survey"]

Detailed Breakdown

Opportunity 1: {description}

Source: {workshop/feedback/pilot} Evidence: {supporting data}

Solution 1a: {name}

  • Description: {brief}
  • Effort: Low/Medium/High
  • Experiment:
    • Hypothesis: If we {action}, then {expected result}
    • Method: {prototype/interview/pilot/data analysis}
    • Success Criteria: {measurable threshold}
    • Effort: {days/weeks}

Priority Matrix

SolutionOpportunityConfidenceEffortPriority
{name}{which}H/M/LH/M/L{1-N}

Recommended Next Steps

  1. {highest priority experiment to run first}
  2. {second priority}
  3. {third priority}

## Anti-Patterns

- Don't jump to solutions without defining opportunities first
- Don't have only one solution per opportunity — that's not discovery, that's a feature request
- Don't skip experiments — untested solutions are guesses
- Don't define vague outcomes — "improve engagement" is not measurable

## Quality Checklist

- [ ] Outcome is specific and measurable
- [ ] Opportunities are user needs, not solutions in disguise
- [ ] Each opportunity has 2-3 solutions
- [ ] Each solution has at least 1 experiment
- [ ] Mermaid tree diagram is included
- [ ] Priority matrix ranks solutions
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