Sprint 26 : What is Product Discovery?
Product discovery is an essential process in product management. It is how product managers understand the customer needs and identify opportunities to solve their problems with a product. The goal of product discovery is to create something that meets customer needs, is desirable, and has a viable business model.
The product discovery process involves several steps, including:
Identify customer needs and problems
Develop a Possibility
Research and validate that Possibility
Create a MVP
Test and iterate
Let's take a closer look at each of these steps.
Step 1: Identify Customer Needs and Problems
The first step in product discovery is to identify customer needs and problems. This involves understanding the customer's perspective and identifying their pain points. This can be done through:
Customer Interviews
Data analysis
Competitor analysis
Industry Trend analysis
Observing Customers
But most of all, by staying connected to the market, in order to understand it better.
The goal of this step is to gain a deeper understanding of the customer's needs and to identify potential opportunities for a product. It's important to focus on the customer's problem rather than the product idea itself. This approach helps to ensure that the product meets the customer's needs and is not just a solution in search of a problem.
Step 2: Develop a Hypothesis
Once you have identified customer needs and problems, the next step is to develop a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an assumption that you believe to be true but that needs to be tested. It's a starting point for your research and validation.
Your hypothesis should be based on the customer needs and problems you have identified. It should clearly state what problem your product will solve and for whom. For example, your hypothesis might be: "We believe that busy parents would benefit from a meal delivery service that provides healthy, affordable meals to their doorstep."
Step 3: Conduct Research and Validation
The next step is to conduct research and validation to test your hypothesis. This involves gathering feedback from potential customers to understand whether your product idea is viable. You can use a variety of research methods, such as surveys, user testing, or interviews.
The goal of this step is to validate your hypothesis and to identify potential improvements to your product idea. It's important to involve customers in this process to ensure that the product meets their needs and is desirable.
Step 4: Create an MVP
Based on the feedback you have received, the next step is to create an MVP. An MVP is a simplified version of your product that allows you to test your assumptions and gather more feedback from customers.
The goal of the MVP is to test the viability of your product idea and to identify any additional improvements that need to be made. The MVP should be a simple, functional version of your product that can be tested with customers.
Step 5: Test and Iterate
Once you have created an MVP, the final step is to test and iterate. This involves gathering feedback from customers and making changes to your product based on that feedback. The goal is to continue to improve the product until it meets the needs of your customers and is desirable.
It's important to use an iterative approach to product development. This means that you should continually gather feedback, make changes, and test again. By using this approach, you can ensure that your product is continually improving and meeting the needs of your customers.
In conclusion, product discovery is an essential process in agile product management. It involves understanding customer needs, developing a hypothesis, conducting research and validation, creating an MVP, and testing and iterating. By following these steps, you can ensure that your product meets the needs of your customers, is desirable, and has a viable business model.
Now roll your sleeves and start that product discovery path! Let’s solve Problems together!
The Product Land ⛰️
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