“Build an online journey planner” names a solution, but not the value it should deliver. If commuters mainly struggle with missed connections and long waits, a stronger project vision is to reduce regular commuters’ average travel time by 10% within a year by helping them plan journeys more effectively. The target gives the team a direction and the organization a way to judge the result. section 3.2.1
A product vision is a short statement of the outcome a project seeks. It gives users, business stakeholders, and developers a shared reason for choosing what to build. During changing requirements, it helps the team return to the intended value rather than become absorbed in minor details. It describes the objective and the problem, not the technology, platform, or delivery schedule. section 4.2.3
Turn that direction into delivery decisions:
- Identify business goals that support the vision, then the capabilities users need to help achieve those goals. section 4.2.1
- Choose features that enable those capabilities; a capability need not imply a particular implementation or even software. section 4.2.1
- Draft the statement with users, stakeholders, and the development team; compare and refine proposals until the group agrees. section 4.2.4
FOR <target customer> #1 WHO <needs something> #2 THE <product name> is a <product category> #3 THAT <key benefit, compelling reason to buy> #4 UNLIKE <primary competitive alternative> #5 OUR PRODUCT <statement of primary differentiation> #6
This optional template prompts the team to name the target customer, need, product, key benefit, alternative, and distinguishing value. Use the prompts to sharpen the vision, not as a required format. section 4.2.4
A loyalty-program vision
For an airline loyalty program, a vision can name travelers who want rewards, explain the benefit of managing and spending points easily, and distinguish the program from alternatives. The statement provides a test for proposed features: will they help deliver that benefit? section 4.2.4 section 4.2.1
