Opportunity Solution Tree

Purpose

The Opportunity Solution Tree (OST), created by Teresa Torres, connects a clear product outcome to the customer opportunities (unmet needs, pain points, desires) that could move the metric, and then to the solutions that address each opportunity. By making the tree visible, the team avoids jumping to solutions and maintains a structured exploration of the problem space.

At a glance

How to run

1. Define the outcome (5 min): Write the measurable product outcome at the top of the tree (e.g., "Increase trial-to-paid conversion by 10%").
2. Map opportunities (15 min): Brainstorm customer opportunities that could drive that outcome. Place them as branches below the outcome. Group related opportunities.
3. Prioritise opportunities (5 min): Dot-vote or discuss which opportunity to explore first based on impact and evidence.
4. Generate solutions (10 min): For the top 2–3 opportunities, brainstorm potential solutions. Place them as branches below each opportunity.
5. Identify experiments (10 min): For each solution, identify the riskiest assumption and sketch a lightweight experiment to test it.

Materials needed

• Large whiteboard or digital canvas
• Sticky notes (colour-coded: one for outcome, one for opportunities, one for solutions)
• Markers
• Dot stickers

Pitfalls & common mistakes

• Skipping the outcome: Without a clear metric, the tree has no anchor.
• Solution-first thinking: Resist jumping to solutions before mapping opportunities.
• Too broad: Keep the tree focused on one outcome per session.
• Never updating: The tree is a living artefact — add opportunities from customer interviews over time.

Inclusion & accessibility

• Use colour coding and labels to make the hierarchy clear.
• Allow silent brainstorming for the opportunity and solution phases.
• Share the tree digitally so all team members can contribute asynchronously.

Variations

• Assumption-first OST: Start by listing key assumptions, then build the tree to address them.
• Customer Journey OST: Map opportunities along the customer journey instead of a flat list.
• Outcome Chain: Link multiple outcomes into a cascade.

When NOT to use this

• When the outcome is not measurable — define a metric first.
• When the team is in execution mode with a clear backlog — the tree is for discovery.
• When there is no access to customer insights — the tree becomes speculation.

Source & further reading

• Teresa Torres, *Continuous Discovery Habits* (2021)
• ProductTalk.org: Opportunity Solution Trees
• Marty Cagan, *Empowered* (2020)