product-discovery

Overview

Based on Inspired by Marty Cagan (Silicon Valley Product Group). Cagan's central argument: the biggest risk in product is not execution risk - it's value risk (will users buy it?), usability risk (can users figure it out?), feasibility risk (can we build it?), and business viability risk (does it work for the business?). Discovery is how you tackle all four before writing a line of code.

The best product teams run discovery and delivery in parallel. Discovery is not a phase - it's a continuous habit.

Workflow

Step 1: Identify the four risks

For the idea or problem at hand, assess:

• Value risk - Do users actually want this? Will they use it?
• Usability risk - Will users understand how to use it?
• Feasibility risk - Can the team build it with current skills and tech?
• Viability risk - Does it work legally, financially, and ethically for the business?

Rate each: High / Medium / Low. Focus discovery on High risks.