We\u2019ve already discussed why continuous discovery is great<\/a>. So in this post, we\u2019ll explain the practical side of things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n The product discovery process helps teams uncover real user needs, define problems, and then refine solutions through testing and feedback. The product team seeks validation throughout the process \u2013 making hypotheses, iterating on the product, and testing with customers to create a viable product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This circular product development process helps confirm that an idea is the right thing to build, given current needs and constraints. You won\u2019t just add more features for the sake of it. The more testing and validation you do in product discovery, the more likely you are to actually solve problems and hit objectives!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow these 8 steps to implement a product discovery process, from identifying the problem area all the way to conducting a mini-retrospective of the solution:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step in any product discovery process is to identify a problem, from the perspective of either the user or the business. This can be a high-level assessment that asks the question: What is your product actually trying to do? What are your company\u2019s objectives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n By defining the problem area and identifying what the issue is that you’re looking to solve, you outline the general focus of the rest of your product discovery. It doesn\u2019t need to be exact. Further refinement comes later!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, where do you look to find a worthwhile problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Define success<\/strong> Uncover the Secret to Continuous Product Discovery with Teresa Torres<\/p>\n <\/div>\n The research stage takes you from identifying the problem area to truly understanding it. The goal is to understand your users\u2019 needs and behaviors so thoroughly that you can think about the problem from every angle with a deeper understanding of the customer demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on the high-level research, define who it is that you’re building for in this particular case. Consider your user personas<\/a>, if you use them. And then start the product discovery user research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 6 product discovery methods<\/a> your team could use at this stage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The methods you choose will depend on what your starting point is. Maybe you\u2019re striking out in a green field space, or maybe you\u2019re iterating on an existing product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter what, talk to your customers! Send out automated surveys, conduct in-person interviews, or whatever works for you. But you must <\/em>talk to your customers to actually understand them. Check out our in-depth guide on how to run customer feedback sessions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Define a hypothesis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on this user research, hone your assumptions into a very clear hypothesis, or set of hypotheses, about what could solve the problem. What would make a difference? You can frame the hypotheses like so: \u201cIf we were to do X, then Y could happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this stage, outline the potential actions and solutions you can try. Each potential solution is actually a product experiment<\/a> you can test. So think up experiments and define how you\u2019ll measure them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep an open mind at this stage! Remember that a potential solution isn\u2019t always building something. The experiment could be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like any good product person, you need to prioritize these experiments before you get started. Choose a prioritization model that works for the team, according to your constraints and your goals. If you need help choosing, or you\u2019re curious about alternatives, learn about which prioritization model is best for your product<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve prioritized your product ideas, the product discovery process accelerates!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start hashing out some mock-ups and prototypes of your ideas. The main goal of a prototype is to show how the thing might work. The prototype itself doesn\u2019t have to actually work! It could be a sketch on a piece of paper \u2013 or the classic startup napkin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The point is to lay out your assumptions in such a way that people can actually get an impression of your solution and articulate their feedback. If you\u2019re just using words to explain a concept, they\u2019re not going to grasp it and won\u2019t have much valuable input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Users are your gut check. Give them a physical, digital, and quasi-tangible representation of your idea so they can give you valuable feedback in return. Then you can iterate and improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out how to adapt MVP and prototypes<\/a> to your product discovery process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s where the circular process comes into play. You put your ideas down on paper, take it to the customer, then test, iterate, and improve on that prototype \u2013 and then bring it back to the customer, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might also begin tweaking things in the app or making tangible changes to your product, then observing behavior and speaking with customers afterward \u2013 then tweaking again, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more cycles, the better. The more you check your assumptions, the more likely you are to figure out which of those assumptions is right or wrong. This is why I think of the product roadmap as a tool for experimenting<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How many experiments can you run at once? Well, this depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Product teams often ship several things at the same time, where the work is not a single feature but rather a cluster of improvements in one area. You can test ideas together in a batch like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s nearly impossible to create the perfect environment for running single experiments. Isolating one change is really difficult unless you have a critical mass of users and you\u2019re getting valuable data within 24 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most products don’t have enough user traffic to create quantitative insights through statistical significance within a short period of time. And most companies can\u2019t wait indefinitely for that pure user data to amass over time. So the most practical advice is to run batch experiments and observe them collectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve validated your ideas, it\u2019s time to put them into practice for customers and ensure the solution is working properly. This means usability testing and yes \u2013 more iterations! You could choose from various usability techniques<\/a>, or you could run a beta program<\/a> with select users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At ProdPad we use a traffic light system to measure the usability of our product. When we set users on a task, they’re given the original interface, and they’re being watched, but they’re not being helped. We then assign a traffic light color to their behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this user test, our product designers see where users can complete tasks (green) and where they can\u2019t (red). We have a traffic light map of the product that guides our next iteration. And we continue testing with other users until hopefully, we\u2019ve achieved green lights consistently across the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then you launch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You knew this was coming! Build in time for a mini-retrospective on the solution and the process. You set your goals and objectives in step 1, you set your hypothesis in step 2. And now, your team should reflect on where you\u2019ve hit the mark \u2013 or missed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carve out time to ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you understand how to conduct continuous product discovery itself, but how do you fit it into the larger rhythms and processes of product development?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are 4 ways to embed a process of product discovery in your team\u2019s routine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
What is a product discovery process?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to implement a product discovery process, step by step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Identify the problem<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Once you\u2019ve defined the problem, you should also define what success looks like. Set some objectives around solving it. Is the goal to improve a particular user experience, increase activity by 15%, or hit a revenue goal?<\/p>\n\n\n2. Conduct user research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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3. Brainstorm potential solutions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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4. Prioritize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Prototype<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Experiment and iterate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Usability testing, iterate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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8. Hold a mini-retrospective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to embed a product discovery process in your routine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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