520 lines
17 KiB
Markdown
520 lines
17 KiB
Markdown
# Brainstorm Diverge-Converge Template
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## Workflow
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Copy this checklist and track your progress:
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```
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Brainstorm Progress:
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- [ ] Step 1: Define problem and criteria using template structure
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- [ ] Step 2: Diverge with creative prompts and techniques
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- [ ] Step 3: Cluster using bottom-up or top-down methods
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- [ ] Step 4: Converge with systematic scoring
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- [ ] Step 5: Document selections and next steps
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```
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**Step 1: Define problem and criteria using template structure**
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Fill in problem statement, decision context, constraints, and evaluation criteria (3-5 criteria that matter for your context). Use [Quick Template](#quick-template) to structure. See [Detailed Guidance](#detailed-guidance) for criteria selection.
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**Step 2: Diverge with creative prompts and techniques**
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Generate 20-50 ideas using SCAMPER prompts, perspective shifting, constraint removal, and analogies. Suspend judgment, aim for quantity and variety. See [Phase 1: Diverge](#phase-1-diverge-generate-ideas) for stimulation techniques and quality checks.
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**Step 3: Cluster using bottom-up or top-down methods**
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Group similar ideas into 4-8 distinct clusters. Use bottom-up clustering (identify natural groupings) or top-down (predefined categories). Name clusters clearly and specifically. See [Phase 2: Cluster](#phase-2-cluster-organize-themes) for methods and quality checks.
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**Step 4: Converge with systematic scoring**
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Score ideas on defined criteria (1-10 scale or Low/Med/High), rank by total/weighted score, and select top 3-5. Document tradeoffs and runner-ups. See [Phase 3: Converge](#phase-3-converge-evaluate--select) for scoring approaches and selection guidelines.
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**Step 5: Document selections and next steps**
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Fill in top selections with rationale, next steps, and timeline. Include runner-ups for future consideration and measurement plan. See [Worked Example](#worked-example) for complete example.
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## Quick Template
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```markdown
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# Brainstorm: {Topic}
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## Problem Statement
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**What we're solving**: {Clear description of problem or opportunity}
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**Decision to make**: {What will we do with the output?}
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**Constraints**: {Must-haves, no-gos, boundaries}
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---
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## Diverge: Generate Ideas
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**Target**: {20-50 ideas}
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**Prompt**: Generate as many ideas as possible for {topic}. Suspend judgment. All ideas are valid.
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### All Ideas
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1. {Idea 1}
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2. {Idea 2}
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3. {Idea 3}
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... (continue to target number)
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**Total generated**: {N} ideas
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---
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## Cluster: Organize Themes
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**Goal**: Group similar ideas into 4-8 distinct categories
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### Cluster 1: {Theme Name}
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- {Idea A}
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- {Idea B}
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- {Idea C}
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### Cluster 2: {Theme Name}
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- {Idea D}
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- {Idea E}
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... (continue for all clusters)
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**Total clusters**: {N} themes
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---
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## Converge: Evaluate & Select
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**Evaluation Criteria**:
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1. {Criterion 1} (weight: {X}x)
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2. {Criterion 2} (weight: {X}x)
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3. {Criterion 3} (weight: {X}x)
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### Scored Ideas
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| Idea | {Criterion 1} | {Criterion 2} | {Criterion 3} | Total |
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|------|--------------|--------------|--------------|-------|
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| {Top idea 1} | {score} | {score} | {score} | {total} |
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| {Top idea 2} | {score} | {score} | {score} | {total} |
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| {Top idea 3} | {score} | {score} | {score} | {total} |
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### Top Selections
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**1. {Idea Name}** (Score: {X}/10)
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- Why selected: {Rationale}
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- Next steps: {Immediate actions}
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**2. {Idea Name}** (Score: {X}/10)
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- Why selected: {Rationale}
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- Next steps: {Immediate actions}
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**3. {Idea Name}** (Score: {X}/10)
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- Why selected: {Rationale}
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- Next steps: {Immediate actions}
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### Runner-Ups (For Future Consideration)
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- {Idea with potential but not top priority}
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- {Another promising idea}
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---
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## Next Steps
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**Immediate**:
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- {Action 1 based on top selection}
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- {Action 2}
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**Short-term** (next 2-4 weeks):
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- {Action for second priority}
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**Parking lot** (revisit later):
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- {Ideas to reconsider in different context}
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```
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---
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## Detailed Guidance
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### Phase 1: Diverge (Generate Ideas)
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**Goal**: Generate maximum quantity and variety of ideas
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**Techniques to stimulate ideas**:
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1. **Classic brainstorming**: Free-flow idea generation
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2. **SCAMPER prompts**:
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- Substitute: What could we replace?
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- Combine: What could we merge?
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- Adapt: What could we adjust?
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- Modify: What could we change?
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- Put to other uses: What else could this do?
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- Eliminate: What could we remove?
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- Reverse: What if we did the opposite?
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3. **Perspective shifting**:
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- "What would {competitor/expert/user type} do?"
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- "What if we had 10x the budget?"
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- "What if we had 1/10th the budget?"
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- "What if we had to launch tomorrow?"
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- "What's the most unconventional approach?"
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4. **Constraint removal**:
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- "What if technical limitations didn't exist?"
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- "What if we didn't care about cost?"
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- "What if we ignored industry norms?"
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5. **Analogies**:
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- "How do other industries solve similar problems?"
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- "What can we learn from nature?"
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- "What historical precedents exist?"
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**Divergence quality checks**:
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- [ ] Generated at least 20 ideas (minimum)
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- [ ] Ideas vary in type/approach (not all incremental or all radical)
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- [ ] Included "wild" ideas (push boundaries)
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- [ ] Included "safe" ideas (low risk)
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- [ ] Covered different scales (quick wins and long-term bets)
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- [ ] No premature filtering (saved criticism for converge phase)
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**Common divergence mistakes**:
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- Stopping too early (quantity breeds quality)
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- Self-censoring "bad" ideas (they often spark good ones)
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- Focusing only on obvious solutions
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- Letting one person/perspective dominate
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- Jumping to evaluation too quickly
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---
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### Phase 2: Cluster (Organize Themes)
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**Goal**: Create meaningful structure from raw ideas
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**Clustering methods**:
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1. **Bottom-up clustering** (recommended for most cases):
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- Read through all ideas
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- Identify natural groupings (2-3 similar ideas)
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- Label each group
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- Assign remaining ideas to groups
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- Refine group labels for clarity
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2. **Top-down clustering**:
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- Define categories upfront (e.g., short-term/long-term, user types, etc.)
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- Assign ideas to predefined categories
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- Adjust categories if many ideas don't fit
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3. **Affinity mapping** (for large idea sets):
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- Group ideas that "feel similar"
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- Name groups after grouping (not before)
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- Create sub-clusters if main clusters are too large
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**Cluster naming guidelines**:
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- Use descriptive, specific labels (not generic)
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- Good: "Automated self-service tools", Bad: "Automation"
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- Good: "Human high-touch onboarding", Bad: "Customer service"
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- Include mechanism or approach in name when possible
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**Cluster quality checks**:
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- [ ] 4-8 clusters (sweet spot for most topics)
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- [ ] Clusters are distinct (minimal overlap)
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- [ ] Clusters are balanced (not 1 idea in one cluster, 20 in another)
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- [ ] Cluster names are clear and specific
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- [ ] All ideas assigned to a cluster
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- [ ] Clusters represent meaningfully different approaches
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**Handling edge cases**:
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- **Outliers**: Create "Other/Misc" cluster for ideas that don't fit, or leave unclustered if very few
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- **Ideas that fit multiple clusters**: Assign to best-fit cluster, note cross-cluster themes
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- **Too many clusters** (>10): Merge similar clusters or create super-clusters
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- **Too few clusters** (<4): Consider whether ideas truly vary, or subdivide large clusters
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---
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### Phase 3: Converge (Evaluate & Select)
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**Goal**: Systematically identify strongest ideas
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**Step 1: Define Evaluation Criteria**
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Choose 3-5 criteria that matter for your context:
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**Common criteria**:
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| Criterion | Description | When to use |
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| **Impact** | How much value does this create? | Almost always |
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| **Feasibility** | How easy is this to implement? | When resources are constrained |
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| **Cost** | What's the financial investment? | When budget is limited |
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| **Speed** | How quickly can we do this? | When time is critical |
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| **Risk** | What could go wrong? | For high-stakes decisions |
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| **Alignment** | Does this fit our strategy? | For strategic decisions |
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| **Novelty** | How unique/innovative is this? | For competitive differentiation |
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| **Reversibility** | Can we undo this if wrong? | For experimental approaches |
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| **Learning value** | What will we learn? | For research/exploration |
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| **User value** | How much do users benefit? | Product/feature decisions |
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**Weighting criteria** (optional):
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- Assign importance weights (e.g., 3x for impact, 2x for feasibility, 1x for speed)
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- Multiply scores by weights before summing
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- Use when some criteria matter much more than others
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**Step 2: Score Ideas**
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**Scoring approaches**:
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1. **Simple 1-10 scale** (recommended for most cases):
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- 1-3: Low (weak on this criterion)
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- 4-6: Medium (moderate on this criterion)
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- 7-9: High (strong on this criterion)
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- 10: Exceptional (best possible)
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2. **Low/Medium/High**:
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- Faster but less precise
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- Convert to numbers for ranking (Low=2, Med=5, High=8)
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3. **Pairwise comparison**:
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- Compare each idea to every other idea
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- Count "wins" for each idea
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- Slower but more thorough (good for critical decisions)
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**Scoring tips**:
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- Score all ideas on Criterion 1, then all on Criterion 2, etc. (maintains consistency)
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- Use reference points ("This idea is more impactful than X but less than Y")
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- Document reasoning for extreme scores (1-2 or 9-10)
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- Consider both upside (best case) and downside (worst case)
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**Step 3: Rank and Select**
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**Ranking methods**:
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1. **Total score ranking**:
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- Sum scores across all criteria
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- Sort by total score (highest to lowest)
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- Select top 3-5
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2. **Must-have filtering + scoring**:
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- First, eliminate ideas that violate must-have constraints
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- Then score remaining ideas
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- Select top scorers
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3. **Two-dimensional prioritization**:
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- Plot ideas on 2x2 matrix (e.g., Impact vs. Feasibility)
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- Prioritize high-impact, high-feasibility quadrant
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- Common matrices:
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- Impact / Effort (classic prioritization)
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- Risk / Reward (for innovation)
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- Cost / Value (for ROI focus)
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**Selection guidelines**:
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- **Diversify**: Don't just pick the top 3 if they're all in same cluster
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- **Balance**: Mix quick wins (fast, low-risk) with big bets (high-impact, longer-term)
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- **Consider dependencies**: Some ideas may enable or enhance others
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- **Document tradeoffs**: Why did 4th place not make the cut?
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**Convergence quality checks**:
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- [ ] Evaluation criteria are explicit and relevant
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- [ ] All top ideas scored on all criteria
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- [ ] Scores are justified (not arbitrary)
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- [ ] Top selections clearly outperform alternatives
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- [ ] Tradeoffs are documented
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- [ ] Runner-up ideas noted for future consideration
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---
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## Worked Example
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### Problem: How to increase user retention in first 30 days?
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**Context**: SaaS product, 100k users, 40% churn in first month, limited eng resources
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**Constraints**:
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- Must ship within 3 months
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- No more than 2 engineer-months of work
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- Must work for both free and paid users
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**Criteria**:
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- Impact on retention (weight: 3x)
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- Feasibility with current team (weight: 2x)
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- Speed to ship (weight: 1x)
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---
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### Diverge: 32 Ideas Generated
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1. Email drip campaign with usage tips
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2. In-app interactive tutorial
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3. Weekly webinar for new users
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4. Gamification with achievement badges
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5. 1-on-1 onboarding calls for high-value users
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6. Contextual tooltips for key features
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7. Progress tracking dashboard
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8. Community forum for peer help
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9. AI chatbot for instant support
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10. Daily usage streak rewards
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11. Personalized feature recommendations
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12. "Success checklist" in first 7 days
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13. Video library of use cases
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14. Slack/Discord community
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15. Monthly power-user showcase
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16. Referral rewards program
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17. Usage analytics dashboard for users
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18. Mobile app push notifications
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19. SMS reminders for inactive users
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20. Quarterly user survey with gift card
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21. In-app messaging for tips
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22. Certification program for expertise
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23. Template library for quick starts
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24. Integration marketplace
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25. Office hours with product team
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26. User-generated content showcase
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27. Automated workflow suggestions
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28. Milestone celebrations (email)
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29. Cohort-based onboarding groups
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30. Seasonal feature highlights
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31. Feedback loop with product updates
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32. Partnership with complementary tools
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---
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### Cluster: 6 Themes
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**1. Guided Learning** (8 ideas)
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- Email drip campaign with usage tips
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- In-app interactive tutorial
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- Contextual tooltips for key features
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- "Success checklist" in first 7 days
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- Video library of use cases
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- In-app messaging for tips
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- Automated workflow suggestions
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- Template library for quick starts
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**2. Community & Social** (7 ideas)
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- Community forum for peer help
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- Slack/Discord community
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- Monthly power-user showcase
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- Office hours with product team
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- User-generated content showcase
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- Cohort-based onboarding groups
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- Partnership with complementary tools
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**3. Motivation & Gamification** (5 ideas)
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- Gamification with achievement badges
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- Daily usage streak rewards
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- Progress tracking dashboard
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- Milestone celebrations (email)
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- Certification program for expertise
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**4. Personalization & AI** (4 ideas)
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- AI chatbot for instant support
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- Personalized feature recommendations
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- Usage analytics dashboard for users
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- Seasonal feature highlights
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**5. Proactive Engagement** (5 ideas)
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- Weekly webinar for new users
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- Mobile app push notifications
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- SMS reminders for inactive users
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- Quarterly user survey with gift card
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- Feedback loop with product updates
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**6. High-Touch Service** (3 ideas)
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- 1-on-1 onboarding calls for high-value users
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- Referral rewards program
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- Integration marketplace
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---
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### Converge: Evaluation & Selection
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**Scoring** (Impact: 1-10, Feasibility: 1-10, Speed: 1-10):
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| Idea | Impact (3x) | Feasibility (2x) | Speed (1x) | Weighted Total |
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|------|-------------|------------------|------------|----------------|
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| In-app interactive tutorial | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9×3 + 6×2 + 7×1 = 46 |
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| Email drip campaign | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7×3 + 9×2 + 9×1 = 48 |
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| Success checklist (first 7 days) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8×3 + 8×2 + 8×1 = 48 |
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| Contextual tooltips | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6×3 + 9×2 + 9×1 = 45 |
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| Progress tracking dashboard | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8×3 + 7×2 + 6×1 = 44 |
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| Template library | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7×3 + 7×2 + 8×1 = 43 |
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| Community forum | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6×3 + 4×2 + 3×1 = 29 |
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| AI chatbot | 7 | 3 | 2 | 7×3 + 3×2 + 2×1 = 29 |
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| 1-on-1 calls | 9 | 5 | 8 | 9×3 + 5×2 + 8×1 = 45 |
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---
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### Top 3 Selections
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**1. Email Drip Campaign** (Score: 48)
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- **Why**: Highest feasibility and speed, good impact. Can implement with existing tools (no eng time).
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- **Rationale**:
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- Impact (7/10): Proven tactic, industry benchmarks show 10-15% retention improvement
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- Feasibility (9/10): Use existing Mailchimp setup, just need copy + timing
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- Speed (9/10): Can launch in 2 weeks with marketing team
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- **Next steps**:
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- Draft 7-email sequence (days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 30)
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- A/B test subject lines and CTAs
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- Measure open rates and feature adoption
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**2. Success Checklist (First 7 Days)** (Score: 48, tie)
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- **Why**: Balanced impact, feasibility, and speed. Clear value for new users.
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- **Rationale**:
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- Impact (8/10): Gives users clear path to value, reduces overwhelm
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- Feasibility (8/10): 1 engineer-week for UI + backend tracking
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- Speed (8/10): Can ship in 4 weeks
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- **Next steps**:
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- Define 5-7 "success milestones" (e.g., complete profile, create first project, invite teammate)
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- Build in-app checklist UI
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- Track completion rates per milestone
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**3. In-App Interactive Tutorial** (Score: 46)
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- **Why**: Highest impact potential, moderate feasibility and speed.
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- **Rationale**:
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- Impact (9/10): Shows users value immediately, reduces "blank slate" problem
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- Feasibility (6/10): Requires 3-4 engineer-weeks (tooltips + guided flow)
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- Speed (7/10): Can ship MVP in 8 weeks
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- **Next steps**:
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- Design 3-5 step tutorial for core workflow
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- Use existing tooltip library to reduce build time
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- Make tutorial skippable but prominent
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---
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### Runner-Ups (For Future Consideration)
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**Progress Tracking Dashboard** (Score: 44)
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- High impact but slightly slower to build (6-8 weeks)
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- Revisit in Q3 after core onboarding stabilizes
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**Template Library** (Score: 43)
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- Good balance, but requires content creation (not just eng work)
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- Explore in parallel with email campaign (marketing can create templates)
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**1-on-1 Onboarding Calls** (Score: 45, but doesn't scale)
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- Very high impact for high-value users
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- Consider as premium offering for enterprise tier only
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---
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## Next Steps
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**Immediate** (next 2 weeks):
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- Finalize email drip sequence copy
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- Design success checklist UI mockups
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- Scope interactive tutorial feature requirements
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**Short-term** (next 1-3 months):
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- Launch email drip campaign (week 2)
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- Ship success checklist (week 6)
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- Ship interactive tutorial MVP (week 10)
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**Measurement plan**:
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- Track 30-day retention rate weekly
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- Target: Improve from 60% to 70% retention
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- Break down by cohort (email recipients vs. non-recipients, etc.)
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**Parking lot** (revisit Q3):
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- Progress tracking dashboard
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- Template library
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- Community forum (once we hit 200k users)
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