Opportunity
Also called: Customer opportunity, Customer need
Last reviewed
In an Opportunity Solution Tree, an opportunity is a customer need, pain point or desire that, if addressed, would move the desired outcome. Opportunities are phrased in the customer's language and describe a problem rather than a fix. They form the middle layer of the tree and are the unit that teams actually prioritise.
Opportunities are problems, not solutions in disguise
The most common mistake when drawing a tree is writing solutions in the opportunity layer. "Add a bulk import" is a solution. The opportunity behind it might be "I have to re-enter data I already have somewhere else". The difference matters, because a single well-framed opportunity usually has several possible solutions, and committing to one too early throws the others away.
A quick test: if there is exactly one obvious thing to build in response, it is probably a solution wearing an opportunity's clothes.
Where opportunities come from
Opportunities are discovered, not invented. They surface in customer interviews, support conversations, sales calls, usage data and churn reasons. The stronger the sourcing, the more defensible the tree, which is why continuous interviewing is the habit that keeps the opportunity space honest.
Structuring the opportunity space
Opportunities nest. A broad opportunity can be broken into narrower ones until each is small enough to attack with a concrete solution. Good trees group siblings that are genuinely comparable, so the team can make a real choice between them rather than comparing a vague theme against a specific complaint.
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell an opportunity from a solution?
An opportunity describes something the customer experiences; a solution describes something you would build. If the statement contains a feature, a screen or a technology, it is a solution. Rewriting it as the underlying need usually reveals several alternative solutions you had not considered.
Should opportunities be written in the customer's words?
Yes, as closely as possible. Phrasing an opportunity the way a customer described it keeps the team anchored to evidence and makes it obvious when an entry is really an internal assumption rather than something anyone actually said.
Related terms
See how opportunity fits the whole tree
The full guide covers all four layers and how they connect.