Communicating your Product Vision

Lack of clarity for your product vision is the single biggest obstacle to rapid and successful product development.

Basically, the swiftest way to eradicate this problem is to visualize your product vision as early on in the process as possible.

There are many techniques that can help you with this. Marty Cagan refers to a range of rapid-prototyping techniques to get a quick and dirty representation of the product vision you are trying to build.

At its simplest though, you are after a few select high-definition visuals that paint a very clear picture of your product vision.

Why is creating at-least a high-definition visual important?

• People generally don’t get excited by power-point or excel. A few high-definition visuals stand more chance of achieving excitement and buy-in.
• Visuals describe functionality in a way that is very hard to convey in a requirements document. (I am less and less convinced by long lists of requirements, does anyone ever read them?)
• You have to assume that everyone you present your vision to is disinterested, confused or dumb. So, if they are not listening – a visual representation is at least something that is harder to ignore.
• Visuals do help estimation. How can you estimate if you don’t understand the vision? A clear visual help people understand the vision and therefore, break it down.
• Most importantly, the sooner your Product Vision is visualized, the sooner you get an idea of whether it is a good idea or not!

Comments

[Verity]

Indeed - a picture paints a thousand words:)

[Lena]

Have never experienced a situation where visuals haven't helped.
Easier to explain, easier to understand, easier to spot problems.

[Carl]

Thanks Lena and Verity. Almost seems obvious to say, but actually it's quite an easy thing to overlook. I think it is something product managers and designers need to work together on to get it right.

[Cindy Alvarez]

Visuals are great. Narrative PLUS visual is even better. The combination allows you to pitch "this is what life will be like / what you will be able to accomplish, when you have this product".

Telling the story invites them to join in, and it's surprisingly the amount of raw "THAT would never work for us because X" or "If only it had feature Y..." feedback you can get out of people who otherwise would've sat there, eyes glazed over.

[Carl Knibbs]

Hi Cindy, thanks for the post. I definitely agree that the combination of a clear narrative and clear visuals are key. I could have used both in a few recent product meetings, that much I know...
Carl