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product vision

Also called: vision statement

A short statement of the future the product aims to create: who benefits, from what change, and why it matters to them and to the company. It is the anchor every roadmap item should trace back to.

A product vision describes the world the product is trying to create, in a sentence or two that anyone on the team can repeat. It names who benefits, what changes for them and, ideally, what makes this product different. It is not a feature list, a revenue target or a slogan about being "the best". It is the destination that makes the roadmap make sense.

A practical way to write one starts from a value proposition template:

For [target customer] who [need], [product] is a [category] that [benefit]. Unlike [alternatives], it [differentiator].

Then compress it into a vision:

A world where [customer] no longer [problem] because [product] [benefit].

Or, even shorter: To [benefit] by [differentiator].

Good visions are specific enough to rule things out: if a proposal doesn't move you towards the vision, that's a reason to say no. They also balance two sides, the benefit for customers and what success means for the company. A vision that talks only about the company ("become the market leader") gives the team no guidance about what customers need.

On the roadmap, the vision sits at the top of every version, for every audience. It's the first thing to agree on in a roadmap review, and when the roadmap changes, reminding people that the vision hasn't changed is often what keeps their trust.

Example

CatChow fills in the template:

  • For cat owners in Ukrainian cities who worry about running out of the right food,
  • CatChow is an online pet-food shop with subscriptions
  • that delivers the right food before the bag runs out.
  • Unlike supermarkets and marketplaces, it remembers each cat's diet and reorders at the right moment.

Vision: A world where no cat owner has to think about buying food, because CatChow takes care of it.

Short form: To keep every cat fed on time by remembering what each cat needs.

The test: a proposal to sell dog toys doesn't serve this vision; a feeding-schedule reminder does.

Common mistakes

  • Company-only visions. "Become number one in pet food" says nothing about customers.
  • Too broad to guide. "Make pets happy" can justify any project.
  • A feature list in disguise. "An app with subscriptions, chat and loyalty points" is a plan, not a vision.
  • Kept in the founder's head. If the team can't say it, it can't guide daily decisions.
  • Rewritten every quarter. Strategy and roadmap change often; the vision should stay stable for years.

Learn it in the course