Characteristics of a Product Vision

The detail of a Product Vision will depend on the situation. For example, a Product Vision for a new corporate loan tool would differ significantly from one created for the next generation of online football games. Not only is the subject matter different, but the audience is as well. The Product Vision should be stated in a way that the Scrum Teams working on the product and the stakeholders involved in the work have a shared understanding of it. It should be written in the language of its audience. 

A Product Vision should provide the glue that connects the work of the Developers with the strategy of the business and organization. 

A good Product Vision should be:

• Compelling and aspirational - The number one responsibility of a Product Vision is to encourage others to join the journey. That means that the vision must connect to the people reviewing it. It must describe a cause that is worthy and inspiring. This can be challenging for the Product Owner for more traditional products within existing situations. In those situations, it is essential to focus the vision on the users and the value that the product creates for them.
   
• Aligned and connected - A product needs to fit the business strategy. Using language that aligns the Product Vision with how the organization describes the strategy is essential. Using the exact words can help provide that alignment and ensure that the stories that describe the Product Vision connect to stories about the business strategy. 
   
• Transparent and concise - A Product Vision does not sit on a shelf, gathering dust, but should be available and accessible for everyone. This transparency ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal. It should also be stated simply  allowing people to consume its information quickly. It also can change and will change as our understanding of the marketplace changes or the opportunity that technology provides. 
   
• Human and relatable - By connecting the product to the people using it, the Product Vision can be more compelling and understandable. The audience for a Product Vision may have many different levels of technical and business knowledge however, the one universal connection point is the people benefiting from the Product. By drawing that connection, the vision is more transparent and better understood.
   
• Clear and unambiguous - Often easier said than done, but the Product Vision must provide guardrails for what will be worked on. Saying no to Product Backlog items is one of the most valuable things a Product Vision can provide. As much as a Product Vision says what the product will achieve, it also says what the Product will not do. A good Product Vision constrains the Product Strategy and provides focus.