Product Vision: Where it All Starts and Ends for Your Software Launch

By Moshe Mikanovsky
Founder, Products for Good |mmikanovsky@gmail.com

When launching a new product, especially in the software space, the excitement of the journey can sometimes overshadow one crucial factor: the product’s vision. While there are numerous reasons why products fail—ranging from market readiness to competition—the underlying cause often boils down to one thing: a lack of clear product vision.

Imagine you’re an entrepreneur with a first product ready for market launch. Now, picture the potential of a clear and compelling product vision. It’s not just a mission statement; it’s the guiding star that can lead your efforts to success. Let’s explore why your product vision matters, the common challenges you might face, and how to craft a vision that inspires and steers your product toward long-term success.

Why Product Vision Matters

The reasons for product launch failure are often easy to list. In my own informal survey with hundreds of startup founders, common answers included:

• “The market wasn’t ready for it.”
• “We didn’t have enough resources to build it.”
• “We couldn’t figure out how to reach users.”
• “Decision-makers didn’t understand its value.”
• “There was too much competition.”
• “The technology was too complicated.”

While these are all valid challenges, they tend to overlook a more profound question: Why are we building this product in the first place?

The actual root cause of many failed products lies in the failure to answer this question. Without a clear vision, your product may lack direction, making it challenging to align efforts, attract customers, or secure buy-in from stakeholders. This usually leads to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and, ultimately, product failure.

Consider a common business to business (B2B) software challenge: convincing buyers to pay for a product employees need to help them do their work, and ultimately, would love using.

In B2B environments, purchasing decisions are often made by executives who are not the end-users of the software. Your users may love your product, but getting a sale can be a challenge if it doesn’t align with the business goals of decision-makers. To overcome this, you must deeply understand the users and the buyers. Often, early-stage startups focus too heavily on solving a problem for individual users without considering the broader business goals of the purchasing organization. A strong product vision helps ensure you’re solving the right problem for all audiences.

Common Ways Product Visions Go Wrong

The product vision should act as a North Star, guiding all your decisions, from design to marketing. However, startups often face several challenges when it comes to their visions.

Not Having a Product Vision at All

It’s surprisingly common for organizations—especially early-stage startups—to start building a product without clearly defining its vision. This can lead to a lack of focus and wasted resources. A product vision sets clear expectations for what the product aims to achieve, which is critical for both internal alignment and external communication.

The Product Vision is Too Narrow

A narrowly defined vision may solve a minor problem for a specific user but fail to address broader needs within the target organization. This could limit the product’s potential market and leave significant pain points unaddressed. For example, if you’re only focusing on the needs of individual users within a department, you might miss the bigger picture—how your solution could benefit the organization as a whole.

The Product Vision is Too Broad

Conversely, a vision that is too wide can be equally problematic. Trying to solve too many problems for too many different audiences can dilute your efforts, making it difficult to build a product that truly resonates with any one group. A focused vision helps you stay aligned with your core market’s needs, especially in the early stages of development.

Confusing Product Vision with Company Vision

Many startup founders assume that the company’s overall vision automatically covers the product vision. While there should be alignment between the two, they are not the same. Your company vision might outline long-term objectives, such as becoming an industry leader. In contrast, your product vision should focus on how your specific product contributes to that larger mission. In other words, a company vision is broad, while the product vision is more targeted.

Poor Communication of the Product Vision

Having a great product vision is one thing, but communicating it effectively is another.
Everyone in your organization—from developers to sales teams—must understand the product vision and how their work contributes to it. Externally, your vision should also be clear to potential customers and investors, who will be more likely to engage with a product that has a compelling, well-articulated purpose.

A Formula to Craft a Solid Product Vision

When it comes to defining your product vision, it’s essential to be both concise and strategic. One simple formula to get started is:

[Product] is for [Target Customer] who [statement of need or opportunity].
The [Product Name] is a [Product Category] that [Key Benefit].
Unlike [Primary Competitive Alternative], our product [Primary Differentiation].

This straightforward approach provides a framework for articulating the problem your product solves, who it solves this challenge for, and why it’s unique. It helps ensure that your vision is clear, concise, and aligned with market needs and business goals.

There are other, more sophisticated ways to define your vision, such as a storyboard, a visiontype (a prototype that focuses on the long term vision), and videos. The more visual, the easier it is to communicate your product vision.

4 Tips to Get Your Product Vision Right

Once you’ve defined your product vision, keeping it aligned with your broader company vision and adjusting it as you learn more about the market is critical. Here are a few steps to ensure your product vision remains on track:

1. Align Your Product Vision with Company Vision and Strategy

Ensure your product vision not only solves a problem but also supports the company’s long-term goals. If the product doesn’t align with the broader business strategy, it can lead to friction and wasted resources. A product vision that aligns with the company’s strategy ensures the product’s relevance and long-term success.

2. Validate the Vision with Real Market Needs

Ensure your product vision addresses a genuine problem and that the market is ready for your solution. This continues also when searching for the product-market fit. This step is crucial as it ensures the product’s viability and potential for success.

3. Regularly Communicate the Vision

It’s not enough to have a great product vision; you need to ensure your team is aligned with it. Everyone in your company should understand and be engaged with the vision to help them align their respective efforts toward the same direction. Regularly revisit the vision and keep it at the top of the organization’s mind. This ongoing communication will keep everyone connected and engaged with the product’s purpose.

4. Iterate Based on Learning

The product vision isn’t static. Revisit it regularly—at least quarterly—and adjust it as necessary based on feedback, market changes, and new learning.

It’s Never Too Late to Craft Your Vision

In the fast-paced world of software, the importance of a well-defined product vision cannot be overstated. It’s the cornerstone upon which your product’s success will be built. By clearly understanding the problem, who you’re solving it for, and why your solution is better, you can align your team, attract the right customers, and ultimately drive growth. Take the time now to define your product vision clearly—and your product’s future success will be all the more likely.

Got your product vision defined? Share it with me for feedback.