A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Vision Specification for Your Product

A strategic product vision can cut through so many of the roadblocks that typically hamper the creation and introduction of new products to the marketplace. It’s a clearly defined statement that declares, long-term, what the product will do, who will use it, and the value it brings. Having a product vision is a tool that helps keep every member of the development team on the same page as the process moves along.

What is Product Vision?

A product vision is an aspirational statement that concisely describes the long-term purpose, benefits, and audience for a new product. It essentially answers the question of “why” you’re creating this product.

A product development company like Enki uses a strategic product vision to inform all the different stakeholders (from design to marketing) about their shared objective.

Why Do You Need a Product Vision?

A product vision clarifies the roadmap for creating the product itself. From that comes a strategic action plan. It’s a tool to better understand where to focus resources and when to do what in a more organized fashion.

The product vision also makes decision-making at every step more effective and efficient and helps your team articulate the high-level vision of the project.

What Makes a Good Product Vision?

The most important thing about a product vision is for it to be clear and concise; that makes it easier for team members to understand and communicate it, especially over time. It should be inspiring and ambitious, but also attainable. That provides the emotional jet fuel to keep stakeholders engaged over the lifecycle of the development process.

A strategic product vision should also emphasize the user experience and benefits. It’s an essential tool for creating a shared focus for every member of the team.

How to Create a Product Vision That Rocks

Think of your product vision as an essential first step in the development process. It inspires both the practical roadmap and articulates a high-level, aspirational vision for the team to understand the “why” behind the product.  What is it meant to do? Who will be using it and why? What makes it better? Define how it will work for the user and the design principles that will make that happen.

It’s important to outline the main features and functionality, as well as the standards expected for performance. 

An effective product vision will lay out what “success” will look like and by what metrics will be determined.

Again, all of these elements must be clearly and concisely communicated, but in a way that excites and inspires the team. Bringing all of this together effectively requires a product development company like Enki that understands how to craft the perfect product vision.

Step 1: Define Your Product’s Purpose

The main ingredient in a product vision is a very clear statement of what the product will do, who it will benefit, and in what way(s). That statement should have an inspiring quality, and be simple enough for every team member to refer to over the long period of development.

It will serve as an immediate way to maintain focus and purpose at every stage..

Step 2: Outline Key Product Features & Functionalities

The product vision must describe its key features and functionalities. Part of that vision should include exactly why these features are better or needed in the marketplace.

Step 3: Establish Performance & Quality Standards

An effective product vision notes what will be expected in both the performance and the quality of the finished product.

Step 4: Define the User Experience (Ux) & Design Principles

What will be the user experience of the product? This is a broad term that can encompass anything from how the product will make the user feel, how easy it is to use, or how relevant it is to their life. What design elements will make that happen?

Step 5: Set Technical & Development Constraints

The product vision is part of creating an effective development strategy. Outlining any technical constraints at the start helps keep the process between the guardrails.

Step 6: Define Success Metrics & Validation Process

The product vision is the beginning of the process, but how will you know that the goals have been met? What defines “success”? And where does that validation come from?

Step 7: Document & Share Your Vision Specification

The last step in creating an effective, strategic product vision is combining these various details into a concise document that will both guide practical “next steps” and inspire throughout the process. Make it simple and clear enough to provide focus for every member of your team. Make it aspirational, but achievable with definable metrics that can be reached.

Final Thoughts

Bringing an idea to life – and achieving success in the marketplace with it – can seem daunting. However, it’s really just a matter of well-thought-out steps that are executed in an efficient, disciplined process. A roadmap is needed to keep that process moving forward without unnecessary stops or costly detours. That begins with the product vision.

This statement is a concise description of the product, what it will do, and who it’s designed for. The product vision statement is crafted in a way that’s clear and easy to understand. This simple format makes it easy to remember and brings focus during various stages of the product development process, especially in its straightforward description of usage, performance, and any technical expectations. Returning to the product vision keeps everyone’s “eye on the prize.”

Besides the practical focus, this statement has an inspiring, aspirational tone that keeps stakeholders engaged over the long term.

A well-crafted product vision is the starting point for creating a more detailed development schedule. It allows you to more effectively determine timing, strategy, allocation of resources, and more. 

Of course, pulling all these essentials into a succinct document that will maintain focus over time requires expertise. As an established product development company, Enki has years of combined experience in this crucial part of the process. We understand what’s required to take a new product from the idea stage all the way to a successful market launch. Creating a strategic product vision is part of that!