A good idea isn’t enough. To build a successful app, you need a clear product vision that communicates what it is you’re trying to achieve. Without one, your users and your product team will drift without direction.
Without a clear product vision, it’s impossible to know where to focus your resources or which features should take precedence in your roadmap.
Important strategic decisions end up getting bogged down by day-to-day operational issues. Discussions get derailed. Focus fades and different departments begin to move in different directions.
This isn’t just detrimental to your team. It creates a confused message for your users. Feature updates soon start to become less useful. The emotional connection you’ve built up breaks down and loyalists become less likely to advocate for you.
This is why product vision is so important.
Creating a Clear Product Vision Statement
A shared understanding of the overarching, long-term vision for your product is essential.
Defining this in a clear statement that you communicate out to your product team (as well your early adopters) makes sure everyone is on the same page and invested in the idea.
A good vision statement is described as:
- Ambitious and inspiring
- Clear and concise
- Goes beyond the product and considers the world your product exists in
- An actionable and useful tool for your day-to-day.
The Vision Statement Template
If you’re unsure of where to start, Geoffry Moore (Crossing the Chasm) has a simple template:
For [our target user], who [user’s need], the [product] is a [product category or description] that [unique benefits and selling points].
Unlike [competitors or current methods], our product [main differentiators].
Defining the target users, their frustrations, and your solution is why a discovery workshop is so important before you begin development.