There are numerous ways to come up with a product vision. Hopes and Fears is a simple exercise where each individual writes their hopes for the product’s future on one color of Post-it note or index card and then writes their fears on another color.
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The objective here is to draw out everyone’s emotional aspirations and fears and see how they align with each other and with the established business objectives.
When I have run this exercise, many types of visions (hopes) and roadblocks (fears) surface that otherwise would remain hidden or unsaid. Sometimes you just need to give people a platform to open up! See Chapter 8: Achieving Alignment and Buy-in, in my book, Product Roadmaps Relaunched. Other ways to reach a vision? Tell me a story.