Navigating “One to Ten”: How we do Product Discovery at Enterpret

I have always found the journey from "zero to one" to "one to ten" to be a fascinating one in the startup world. The challenges shift from finding market fit to managing and prioritizing a multitude of ideas and scaling the business. At Enterpret, this transition to the one to ten phase marked a critical juncture that demanded a structured approach to our product discovery and prioritization.

I recently shared our Product Discovery Template to share how we facilitate product discovery at Enterpret. After putting this together I wanted to share some thoughts and reflections in a post to provide a glimpse into how we are navigating this phase and some insight into how we’re using the template.

Note: I am a long time fan of Teresa Torres who’s advice and Continuous Discovery framework has helped shape my perspectives as a PM!

From Zero to One, to One to Ten

When we first hit broad market fit, the game changed. During the zero-to-one phase, the biggest problem is usually glaringly obvious. All your resources are laser-focused on solving that singular issue. But once you move past that milestone, you’re suddenly juggling multiple promising ideas. The challenge is to prioritize effectively. This is where a structured approach to discovery becomes crucial. It’s not just about growing financially; it’s about strategically allocating resources to maximize impact.

The Objective: Building Impactful Features

The primary objective behind developing our Product Discovery Template was to ensure we were building the most impactful features. The template helps operationalize this by enabling us to quickly identify and prioritize the right things to build. In essence, it’s about speed and efficiency in decision-making. You need a process that cuts through the noise and focuses on what truly matters.

And, of course we dogfood our own product at Enterpret, using insights on top themes to tackle we gather to help inform prioritization. See this example in the template:

The Iterative Process of Creation

Creating the template was far from straightforward. It involved a lot of iteration, experimentation, and adaptation. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to product discovery; it depends heavily on your team, market, and business context. We tried multiple strategies, and while some worked, others didn’t. It took time to refine a process that fit our needs. The key lesson here is that product discovery is inherently fuzzy. The best approach is to take elements from various methodologies and refine them to suit your specific context.

Tackling Key Challenges

One of the primary challenges we encountered was keeping “solutioning” out of the picture until we had prioritized the right problems. It’s all too easy to start with solutions and then look for problems that fit. To combat this, we actively and consciously focused on consuming customer feedback. This practice helped us stay grounded in real problems and avoid the trap of fitting problems to pre-conceived solutions. Here's an example of how we present our hypotheses and evidence:

Aligning Stakeholders as Part of the Product Discovery Process

Coordinating various stakeholders, such as product managers, UX designers, and data analysts, posed its own challenges. Often, different perceptions of the core problem made alignment difficult. Grounding the problem in customer feedback helped resolve these differences. Nothing builds empathy like actual user words expressing their pain points or requirements. Making customer feedback a cornerstone of the discovery template has been immensely helpful in aligning our team.

The reception of the product discovery process and template within Enterpret was overwhelmingly positive. Our CTO, Arnav, found it particularly useful as it streamlined communication and alignment across the team. The visual nature of the template made it easier to convey complex problems, investigations, and potential solutions. This clarity facilitated better discussions and more informed decision-making. It’s a win when your tools make life easier for everyone involved.

Impact of the Product Discovery Process

The insights and methodologies from this template have significantly influenced subsequent projects and initiatives within Enterpret. The process has helped us articulate the value of different parts of a solution and prioritize accordingly. By streamlining the discovery process, we’ve saved a lot of time. Previously, we’d draft lengthy documents and hold discussions to decide on prioritization. Now, with a more structured approach, we can quickly iterate on core problems and solutions. It’s about moving faster and being more efficient.

Advice for Implementing a Similar Template

If you’re considering undertaking a similar project for your organization, don’t expect a one-size-fits-all solution. This template won’t solve all your problems, but it has elements that can be incredibly useful. Take the best parts from various methodologies and adapt them to your context. The goal is to discover and prioritize effectively. Remember, the best process is the one that helps you identify and take the next steps. Be flexible, iterate, and apply what works best for your unique situation. That’s how you’ll get the most value.

Embracing Iteration and Flexibility

Navigating the “one to ten” phase is about strategic prioritization and efficient resource allocation and of course insights 🙂.  At Enterpret, our Product Discovery Template has been instrumental in our journey. By embracing an iterative approach and remaining flexible, we’ve been able to streamline our discovery process and build impactful features. If you’re on a similar path, I hope our experiences offer some valuable insights. If you’d like to chat more reach out at vivek@enterpret.com or tweet me at @vi_kaushal - I would love to hear from you!