Vision provides the organization with clarity about the ultimate destination.  It answers the following questions:

  • What product and/or service are we building?
  • Who is it for?  Why do they need it?
  • What problem are we solving? What makes it special?

Usually, the product manager, or the case of Scrum, the Product Owner, develops the vision in consultation with various stakeholders, senior leaders, customers, end users and even members of the development team.  The best product visions are often accompanied by a clear definition of success, how the business will know that have achieved the success and are co-creation between the product manger and the various stakeholders.

Once the vision is created, the story does not end there.  Vision is dynamic concept that grows and evolves with the product and the product manager’s, or Product Owner’s, understanding of the market, the customer, their needs and the technology.  As a result, Product Owners and product managers have a responsibility to communicate, improve and promote the vision to the development team, to stakeholders and most importantly to customers!