Opportunity Solution Tree (Teresa Torres)

The Opportunity Solution Tree is a visual framework for structuring product discovery. It connects desired outcomes to opportunities to solutions to experiments, ensuring every feature maps back to a real user need.

Structure

Desired Outcome (business/product goal)
├── Opportunity 1 (user need or pain point)
│   ├── Solution A
│   │   ├── Experiment 1
│   │   └── Experiment 2
│   └── Solution B
│       └── Experiment 3
├── Opportunity 2
│   └── Solution C
│       └── Experiment 4
└── Opportunity 3
    ├── Solution D
    └── Solution E

How to Use in PRDs

1. Start with the desired outcome — This is your success metric from Section 3. "Increase trial-to-paid conversion from 12% to 18%."

2. Map opportunities — These are the user needs or pain points you've discovered through research. Each opportunity should be:

   • Framed from the user's perspective ("I can't figure out which plan is right for me")
   • Supported by evidence (interviews, data, support tickets)
   • Independent enough to pursue separately

3. Generate solutions per opportunity — For each opportunity, brainstorm multiple solutions. The PRD will focus on your chosen solution, but documenting alternatives shows you've considered the space.

4. Design experiments — Before building the full solution, what's the smallest thing you can test to validate the approach?

Why This Matters for PRDs

The most common PRD failure mode is jumping straight from "stakeholder request" to "solution spec." The OST forces you to:

• Verify the opportunity is real (evidence-backed)
• Consider alternative solutions (not just the first idea)
• Connect everything back to a measurable outcome

Key Principle from Torres

"If you can't draw a line from your solution back to a desired outcome through a specific opportunity, you're building something nobody asked for."

Application to Section 1 (Problem Statement)

When writing the Problem Statement, use the OST to frame it:

• Desired Outcome becomes your goal
• Opportunity becomes your problem statement
• Solution becomes Section 5
• Experiments inform your rollout plan