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:
/discover-outcomes- Define outcomes/discover-opportunities- Identify opportunities (THIS)/ideate-solutions- Explore solution concepts/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
- 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.
- First-principles check
- Identify root frictions (physics, economics, human limits). - Separate real constraints from assumed constraints.
- Generate opportunities
- Produce 5-10 opportunity statements using the template below. - For each, note frequency, severity, and current workaround.
- Score and rank
- Score 0-3: impact, urgency/frequency, underservedness, feasibility/leverage, willingness to pay. - Rank top 3-5.
- 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.