Discover Opportunities

Discover Opportunities

Overview

Find real opportunities by reasoning from first principles and Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD). Focus on the user's job, context, and constraints before any solution ideas.

Position in Workflow

Step 2 of product strategy workflow:

1. /​discover-outcomes - Define outcomes
2. /​discover-opportunities - Identify opportunities (THIS)
3. /​ideate-solutions - Explore solution concepts
4. /​discover-assumptions - Validate with experiments

Inputs (ask if missing, max 5)

• Target user / segment
• Trigger and context (when the job arises)
• Desired outcomes (time, money, risk, effort, emotion)
• Current alternatives / workarounds
• Non-negotiable constraints (budget, regulation, tech, org)

Workflow

1. Frame the jobs
   • Define the core job as verb + outcome (not a solution).
   • Include functional, emotional, and social jobs.
   • Map the job journey: before / during / after.
2. First-principles check
   • Identify root frictions (physics, economics, human limits).
   • Separate real constraints from assumed constraints.
3. Generate opportunities
   • Produce 5-10 opportunity statements using the template below.
   • For each, note frequency, severity, and current workaround.
4. Score and rank
   • Score 0-3: impact, urgency/​frequency, underservedness, feasibility/​leverage, willingness to pay.
   • Rank top 3-5.
5. Output and validation
   • Present top opportunities with short rationale.
   • List key assumptions and missing evidence.
   • Suggest fastest validation tests (interviews, data checks, lightweight prototypes).

Opportunity Statement Template

Help [segment] achieve [job outcome] by reducing [specific friction] in [context].

Output Format

## Opportunity Discovery

### Context Summary
[1-3 sentences]

### JTBD Map
- Functional: ...
- Emotional: ...
- Social: ...
- Journey: before / during / after

### Opportunities (ranked)
1) [Statement]
   - Scores: impact X, urgency X, underservedness X, feasibility X, WTP X
   - Evidence: frequency, severity, workaround
   - Rationale: ...

### Assumptions / Gaps
- ...

### Fast Validation Tests
- ...

### Next Step
Proceed to solution ideation. Run `/​ideate-solutions`.

Quick Reference

• No solutions until opportunities are listed.
• Use concrete outcomes and observable behaviors.
• Always include alternatives and workarounds.

Common Mistakes

• Jumping to features instead of jobs
• Vague outcomes ("better UX")
• Ignoring current alternatives
• Mixing constraints with assumptions
• Too few opportunities (aim for 5-10)

Example

Input: "Independent designers need to invoice clients. They use spreadsheets and email, but late payments are common. They want faster payment and less admin. Budget is low."

Opportunity statement: Help independent designers get paid faster by reducing follow-up overhead when invoices go overdue in client email workflows.