Opportunity Solution Tree
Link outcomes to opportunities, solutions, and experiments.
The Opportunity Solution Tree links a desired outcome → opportunities (customer needs) → solutions → experiments — structuring continuous discovery.
Jumping to solutions skips problem understanding. OST keeps teams honest about assumptions.
Ongoing discovery cadence with product trio; after north star/OKR set.
- State measurable outcome.
- Map opportunities from interviews.
- Branch solution ideas per opportunity.
- Design experiments per promising solution.
- Kill branches when evidence fails.
- Opportunities in customer language.
- Multiple solutions considered per opportunity.
- Experiments specify learning goal.
- Single solution branch — bias.
- Outcomes not measurable.
- Tree decorative, not used weekly.
Northvale Systems opportunity: halve onboarding time. Solutions tested: wizard vs bulk CSV vs API — wizard won in supplier interviews.
PulseWell outcome: faster time-to-first insight. Opportunity: HRIS mapping pain. Solutions: wizard vs services — experiment: concierge vs self-serve cohort test.
Harbor Consulting outcome: higher diagnostic conversion. Opportunity: price shock at proposal. Solutions: milestone pricing vs money-back — A/B on two prospects (with consent).
Clearwater Initiative opportunity: faster repairs. Solutions: mechanic retainer vs spare parts cache — retainer tested first in one district.
/custval opportunity-solution-tree, IDs OST-O-01, OST-S-01, OST-E-01. Pairs impact-risk matrix.
Related techniques
Sources & further reading
- Torres, T. (2021). Continuous Discovery Habits. Product Talk LLC.