
From the library
Teresa Torres, 2021
In one paragraph
Torres turns customer discovery from an occasional research project into a weekly habit, with the opportunity solution tree as the device that keeps interviews connected to a decision. The contribution is cadence: small, continuous contact with customers by the team that will build the thing. Most useful for product teams who already ship and cannot say who asked for it. Least useful outside software, where the interview rhythm is harder to sustain.
Where this sits in the operating system
Systems Over Goals
Systems Over Goals
Systems Over Goals
Systems Over Goals
Key insights
Discovery is a weekly habit, not a research project. Small and continuous beats large and occasional.
The opportunity solution tree keeps interviews tied to a decision, which is what separates discovery from customer theatre.
The team that will build the thing must have the customer contact. Handing it to a research function breaks the loop.
Recognise it early
The failure and the correction sit side by side deliberately. Read the left column asking whether any of it is already true of you.
Feature-first thinking
Sporadic research
Big, slow bets
Opinion wars
Discovery vs. delivery split
The same idea, argued differently
Julie Zhuo
Masaaki Imai
Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, George Spafford
Ryan Deiss
The full breakdown
Before you close this
Naming the specific moment you will act roughly doubles the odds you do.
Reference
We use cookies to enhance your experience, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. You can manage your preferences or learn more in our Privacy Policy.