Mapping assumptions is a critical part of product development, helping teams to identify potential risks and opportunities before they commit to a course of action. This process involves three key steps: identifying assumptions, prioritising them, and testing them.
Identifying assumptions requires teams to brainstorm and list all the hypotheses that underpin their product strategy. These could relate to customer behaviour, market conditions, or the technical feasibility of the product.
Once identified, the team needs to prioritise these assumptions based on their impact and uncertainty. The assumptions with the highest impact and uncertainty are the riskiest and should be tested first.
Testing assumptions involves creating a minimum viable product (MVP) or prototype and gathering data to confirm or refute the assumption. This could involve customer interviews, surveys, or A/B testing.
Ultimately, mapping assumptions helps teams to make informed decisions, reduce risk, and increase the likelihood of product success. It allows for a more proactive approach to product development, enabling teams to anticipate and address potential issues before they become significant problems.
Go to source article: https://blog.mural.co/2017/01/31/how-to-look-before-you-leap-a-guide-to-mapping-assumptions-for-product-development-teams