Opportunity Solution Tree

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In short: An Opportunity Solution Tree (OST) is a structured framework for managing discovery work, linking Opportunities and Solutions to strategic Key Results. The [OSTs] module allows teams to view, organize, and maintain multiple OSTs, each tied to specific goals. This setup provides a clear visual layout for tracking progress from high-level objectives to tested solutions.

What are Opportunity Solution Trees?

Opportunity Solution Trees (OSTs) are a structured approach to discovery work in product management. The OST helps product teams identify, prioritize, and explore opportunities that align with their overarching goals. At its core, the OST is a visual representation of potential solutions linked to specific problems or opportunities. This structure enables teams to focus on the highest-impact ideas, ensuring their solutions are directly tied to well-defined objectives and measurable outcomes.

OSTs act as containers for Timebook’s discovery objects: Opportunities and Solutions. Additionally, each OST container can be organized around a Key Result, bridging the strategy and discovery together. This approach enables teams to visually map and manage the progression from high-level objectives to tested solutions, ensuring that each discovery effort remains aligned with organizational strategy.

We recommend using the [Tree] layout to present the contents of an OST container.

This layout seems the most natural in this context, as it visually represents the branching relationships between discovery objects, starting from the desired outcome as the root.

The [OSTs] module in Timebook provides an organized view of all OST containers, allowing you to manage them and quickly access the discovery objects they contain. In this module, you can create, store, organize OST containers and link them to Goals via Key Results.

As a Team Admin or Owner, you must first enable [Discovery] in your Team’s settings to enjoy the OST-related features and their dedicated module.

For more information, see Opportunity settings

Managing OSTs in a dedicated module

Timebook has a dedicated module for managing Opportunity Solution Trees, providing multiple perspectives through various data layouts. The [OSTs] module is designed to help you interact with OST containers, allowing you to explore and organize discovery objects in a structured way.

You can access OST-related data in two ways:

From the Discovery section: Open the [OSTs] module in the [Discovery] section of the Navigator to view all Opportunity Solution Trees across your entire Timebook Workplace.
From a specific Team: Open the [OSTs] module within a Team to see only the Opportunity Solution Trees assigned to that Team, offering a more focused view.

As a Product Owner, you can use the [OSTs] module to connect strategic goals with actionable discovery work. By managing multiple OST containers, you can keep track of how Opportunities, Solutions, and Assumption align with Key Results.
As a Product Researcher, you can use the [OSTs] module to have a centralized space to explore, document, and refine ideas during the discovery phase. The different data layouts allow you to view relationships among discovery objects in a way that best fits your needs.

This module holds all the OST-related data, which you can customize using various layouts, filters, and grouping options. Additionally, you can save these customized views as public for all members to access or keep them private for your personal use.

We have dedicated articles that explain how to manage data views and layouts in several Timebook modules, including this one.

For more information, see Layouts & views

Creating an OST and adding discovery objects to it

You can create OSTs in the following ways:

At the Team level: Use the [OSTs] module within a specific Team.
From the Discovery section: Access the dedicated entry point in the [Discovery] section of the Navigator.

No matter where you begin, the creation process remains nearly identical to the steps outlined below:

Click the [+] button at the top of the list of OSTs. The button placement may vary depending on your chosen data layout.
Name this OST by entering the outcome it focuses on.
At this stage, you can also:
Link Key Results to your OST using the dedicated button. You can browse Goals to select one or more of their Key Results and link them to your OST.
Assign this OST to a specific Team using the dedicated button.
Click [Save] to confirm. Your OST’s card opens in the [Tree] layout, showing the desired outcome as the root element. You can now add your first Opportunity to the OST using the icon below the Key Result.

Creating an Opportunity Solution Tree with a defined outcome is your starting point when managing your discovery process. You can then add Opportunities and Solutions using the dedicated buttons below each element of your Opportunity Solution Tree. This way, you can explore, organize, and validate ideas systematically, moving from discovery to actionable insights. For more information, see Opportunity and Solution

In the Tree layout, you can rename the outcome of your OST directly by editing the title field of the OST card.

OST cards

Each OST card in Timebook has two areas of focus:

The main area displays the contents of one of the tabs you can select at the top, next to the OST’s name. See below for more information on available tabs.
You can also expand the OST’s drawer using the dedicated button in the top-right corner. The drawer will occupy the right side of the screen, showing the OST’s basic properties, such as Status or Owner, and linked Goals. See below for more information on the drawer’s contents.

In the top-left corner of the card, breadcrumbs help you navigate related content. Depending on your access point, they adjust to guide you back to the most relevant location within your Team or Workplace. This ensures quick access to OST-related information based on your context.

In the top-right corner of the card, you’ll find additional options to quickly access, track, and share your OST:

[Add to Bookmarks] saves the OST for future reference. You can find it by opening the [Bookmarks] module in the Navigator.
[Pin to Navigator] adds the OST to the [Pinned items] area of the Navigator. You can quickly jump to the pinned OST using the menu on the left, no matter where you are in Timebook.
[Copy link] generates a direct link to the OST, making it easy to share with teammates or reference later.
[Watch] enables notifications for this OST, so you’ll be alerted about important updates or changes. You can manage watched items in the [Watched] tab of My Work.

We have a dedicated article on how to use pins and bookmarks to keep your important objects always within easy reach.

For more information, see Bookmarks & pins

OST card: Tabs

Each OST has three tabs located at the top, next to the OST’s name:

The [Summary] tab in OSTs

You can use this tab to add text, images, and references to provide additional OST information. Think of this tab as a canvas for describing and showcasing your OST. The [Summary] tab functions like a page in Timebook Documents. For more details on working with page content, see Blocks

The [Work] tab in OSTs

This tab is where you manage all discovery objects within an OST. You can open any object to view or edit its details. To create a discovery object inside an OST, click the [+] button at the top of the list.

You can also use the [Manage view] button to apply different layouts or filters and view your work from various perspectives. We have dedicated articles that explain how to manage data views and layouts in several Timebook modules, including this one. For more information, see Layouts & views

The [Updates] tab in OSTs

This tab is a collaborative space where anyone can share information, provide feedback, and post important news about the OST. It serves as a message board, allowing everyone involved to stay updated. You can create new posts, reply to existing ones, add reactions, and mention specific Team members using the @ key.

The tabs presented above are not exclusive to OST cards.

Cards of other object types in Timebook, such as Sprints or Projects, have nearly identical designs.

OST card: Drawer

The main area primarily helps you manage discovery objects within an OST, while the drawer allows you to define properties and link the OST to a Goal via its Key Result. You can open the drawer using the button in the top-right corner of the OST card and collapse it again when you want to focus more on the work itself.

The OST drawer consists of the following sections:

The [Properties] section provides key details for defining and managing the OST effectively. It includes options to set the OST’s status, assign a date range, and designate its owner.
The [Linked Goals] section allows you to associate the OST with a specific Goal. The card of the linked Goal displays its title and a Key Result that helps track progress toward achieving the Goal.

When creating an OST, you must link it to a Goal through one of its Key Results. You can, however, change the linked Goal at any time.

To change the Goal linked to your OST:

Open the drawer of an OST.
In the [Linked Goals] section, click the [...] button on the card of the currently linked Goal, and select [Unlink]
Click the [+] button next to the section name.
You can now browse Workplace and Team Goals. Select a Goal and use the checkbox next to one of its Key Results to link it to your OST.

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Last updated 4 months ago

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