Nailing Your Product Vision with The 5 Whys

As an experienced product manager, I’ve seen firsthand how a well-crafted product vision can transform not just a product, but an entire organization. I want to share a story that illustrates the profound impact of getting your product vision right.

The Crucial Role of Product Vision

Before we dive into the story, let’s clarify why product vision is so critical:

It Guides Strategy: Your vision shapes every strategic decision you make.
It Aligns Teams: A clear vision ensures everyone is working towards the same goal.
It Empowers Decision-Making: Team members can make better choices when they understand the ultimate goal.
It Inspires Innovation: A compelling vision motivates teams to think creatively and push boundaries.
It Connects with Users: The right vision resonates with your users’ deepest needs and aspirations.

A Tale of Transformation: Redefining Our Product Vision

A couple years ago, I was working on a product designed to help academic researchers prepare their manuscripts for publication in academic journals. Our initial product vision was straightforward:

“We help researchers get published.”

It seemed logical. After all, wasn’t publication the ultimate goal for these researchers? We built our entire strategy around this vision, focusing on features that streamlined the publication process, improved manuscript formatting, and increased the chances of acceptance.

But then came a conversation that changed everything.

The Pivotal Moment

One day, I was chatting with a user researcher from another team. Curious about her insights, I asked her a simple question:

“If you had to name the single biggest thing that academic researchers care about, what would it be?”

Her answer surprised me. After some thought, she said:

“Recognition. They want to get recognition for their work.”

This response caught me off guard. I had expected something along the lines of “getting published,” “getting manuscripts accepted,” or “getting citations.” But recognition? This was a game-changer.

The Realization

At that moment, I realized our product vision was fundamentally flawed. Academic researchers don’t ultimately care about getting published for the sake of publication itself. Publication is merely a means to an end – a way to gain recognition for their work.

This insight shifted our entire perspective. We now understood that the published manuscript is essentially a communication device, not the end goal. Our users weren’t just looking to get their papers into journals; they were seeking to make the world aware of their research results and gain acknowledgement for their contributions.

Digging Deeper: The Power of “The 5 Whys”

In retrospect, a tool that could have helped us uncover this insight sooner is the “5 Whys” technique. This simple but powerful method, originally developed by Sakichi Toyoda for Toyota, helps dig beneath surface-level observations to uncover root causes and deeper motivations.

Here’s how we could have applied the 5 Whys to our initial assumption about academic researchers:

Why do researchers want to get published?
- To share their research findings.
Why do they want to share their research findings?
- To contribute to their field of study.
Why do they want to contribute to their field of study?
- To advance knowledge in their area of expertise.
Why do they want to advance knowledge in their area of expertise?
- To be seen as an authority in their field.
Why do they want to be seen as an authority in their field?
- To gain recognition for their work and contributions.

This exercise clearly leads us to the same conclusion we eventually reached: researchers ultimately seek recognition for their work. The publication is merely a means to that end.

Applying the 5 Whys to Your Product Vision

The 5 Whys technique can be a valuable tool in refining your product vision:

Start with Your Initial Vision: Begin with your current understanding of what your product aims to achieve.
Ask “Why?” Repeatedly: For each answer, ask “Why is this important?” or “Why do users want this?”
Be Open to Surprises: The final answer might be quite different from your initial assumption.
Involve Your Team: This can be a great group exercise, bringing in diverse perspectives.
Use the Insights: Use the deeper understanding you gain to refine your product vision and strategy.

Remember, you don’t always need to ask “Why?” exactly five times. The key is to continue probing until you reach an insight that feels like the core motivation or need.

Putting It All Together

In our case, applying the 5 Whys might have led us to our realization about recognition much sooner. It would have pushed us to question our initial assumption about publication being the end goal, leading us to the deeper motivation of recognition.

This refined understanding would have allowed us to craft a more resonant product vision earlier in our development process:

“We help researchers gain recognition for their work.”

With this vision, we could have:

Developed features that not only facilitate publication but also increase the visibility and impact of research
Created tools to help researchers communicate their findings more effectively to a broader audience
Built networking features to connect researchers with peers and potential collaborators
Integrated metrics that showcase the reach and influence of published work

The Impact of a Refined Vision

This new vision had far-reaching implications:

Product Design: We shifted focus from just facilitating publication to enhancing the impact of research.
Feature Prioritization: We began prioritizing features that would help research stand out and reach a broader audience.
Team Empowerment: The entire team, including myself, felt more empowered. Decision-making became clearer as we all understood what we were truly working towards.
User Resonance: Our messaging and product positioning resonated more deeply with our users, as we were now addressing their core motivations.
Innovation: This new perspective opened up new avenues for innovation that we hadn’t considered before.

The Lesson: Dig Deeper for Your True Product Vision

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: always dig deeper to uncover the true motivations and needs of your users. Your initial product vision might be good, but there’s often a more profound, more resonant vision waiting to be discovered.

To find this deeper vision:

Talk to Users: Engage in meaningful conversations with your users, not just about what they do, but why they do it.
Question Assumptions: Be willing to challenge your initial assumptions about what your users want.
Look for Emotional Drivers: Often, the most powerful visions connect with emotional or aspirational needs.
Iterate Your Vision: Don’t be afraid to refine and evolve your vision as you gain new insights.
Use Tools Like the 5 Whys: Employ techniques that help you dig beneath surface-level observations.

Conclusion: The Power of the Right Vision

A well-defined product vision is more than just a statement – it’s a powerful tool that can transform your product strategy, empower your team, and create a deep connection with your users. It’s worth investing the time and effort to get it right.

Remember, your product isn’t just about features or functionalities. It’s about understanding and fulfilling the deeper needs and aspirations of your users. When you nail your product vision, you set the stage for truly impactful product development and lasting success.

So, I challenge you: Take a fresh look at your product vision. Are you addressing the surface-level needs of your users, or have you tapped into their deeper motivations? The answer could be the key to unlocking your product’s full potential.