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DISCOVERY WAYPOINT — OPPORTUNITY SOLUTION TREE (LIGHTWEIGHT)
Opportunity-solution tree | 90–120 min | 4–10 people | Difficulty: Moderate
discoverywaypoint.com/techniques/opportunity-solution-tree-lightweight
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BEFORE YOU START
  Product / initiative: ___________________________________
  Date: _______________  Facilitator: _____________________
  Participants: ___________________________________________
  Target outcome metric: _________________________________

  Rule: Keep the outcome metric visible throughout the session.
  Every branch must connect back to the outcome.

⚠ Do not run this session without a clear outcome metric.
  An OST with no north star is just a brainstorm.

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STEP 1 — OUTCOME  [0–15 min]
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  North-star / desired outcome:
  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
  │ Outcome: ______________________________________________ │
  │ Current: _____________  Target: ___________  By: _____ │
  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

  Post this at the top of the board. Keep it visible.

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STEP 2 — OPPORTUNITY BRANCHES  [15–50 min]
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Format: "Users can't [achieve progress] because [barrier]"
Each branch is an opportunity — not a solution.

  OUTCOME
    │
    ├── Opportunity 1: _____________________________________
    │   Evidence: _________________________________________
    │
    ├── Opportunity 2: _____________________________________
    │   Evidence: _________________________________________
    │
    ├── Opportunity 3: _____________________________________
    │   Evidence: _________________________________________
    │
    ├── Opportunity 4: _____________________________________
    │   Evidence: _________________________________________
    │
    └── Opportunity 5: _____________________________________
        Evidence: _________________________________________

  Sub-opportunities (if any opportunity branches further):
  Opp ___: └── Sub-opp: _________________________________
  Opp ___: └── Sub-opp: _________________________________

⚠ "Build a better onboarding" is a solution.
  "Users don't reach activation because they don't understand the first step" is an opportunity.

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STEP 3 — SOLUTION OPTIONS  [50–90 min]
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Attach 2–4 solution candidates to each priority opportunity.

  Opportunity 1: _________________________________________
  ├── Solution A: ________________________________________
  ├── Solution B: ________________________________________
  └── Solution C: ________________________________________

  Opportunity 2: _________________________________________
  ├── Solution A: ________________________________________
  ├── Solution B: ________________________________________
  └── Solution C: ________________________________________

  Opportunity 3: _________________________________________
  ├── Solution A: ________________________________________
  └── Solution B: ________________________________________

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STEP 4 — PRIORITIZE BY EVIDENCE  [90–120 min]
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Mark each opportunity-solution branch by confidence level.

  Branch                      | Confidence | Evidence gap | Next experiment
  ___________________________ | H / M / L  | ____________ | _______________
  ___________________________ | H / M / L  | ____________ | _______________
  ___________________________ | H / M / L  | ____________ | _______________
  ___________________________ | H / M / L  | ____________ | _______________

  Priority branches to pursue now:
  1. _____________________ | Owner: _________ | Next test: _______
  2. _____________________ | Owner: _________ | Next test: _______

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QUALITY CHECK
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
  ☐ Outcome metric was visible throughout the session
  ☐ All opportunities are framed as user progress gaps, not solutions
  ☐ Every branch has at least one evidence note
  ☐ Priority branches have named owners and next experiments

Full facilitation guide: discoverywaypoint.com/techniques/opportunity-solution-tree-lightweight
Discovery Waypoint — discoverywaypoint.com