Teresa Torres

Overview

Teresa Torres is a product discovery evangelist and strategist known for developing the Continuous Discovery Habits framework and the Opportunity Solution Tree (OST). Her work emphasizes making customer discovery an ongoing practice rather than a one-time project phase, enabling teams to stay aligned with evolving customer needs through a sustainable weekly rhythm.

Core Philosophy

Every assumption represents a risk that your solution won’t succeed. Torres advocates for testing assumptions early and cheaply before committing resources to full product development. She challenges the traditional approach of building complete solutions based on untested hypotheses.

Key principle: Without ongoing discovery practices, companies cannot keep up with customer needs and desires.

Continuous Discovery Habits Framework

The Weekly Rhythm

Torres’ methodology centers on a sustainable weekly cycle:

1. Start with a clear, measurable business outcome
2. Conduct customer interviews (no less than once per week)
3. Map insights into opportunity space
4. Select one opportunity to focus on
5. Brainstorm multiple possible solutions
6. Run small assumption tests before committing

This loop prevents outdated assumptions from lingering and ensures roadmaps are shaped by evidence rather than guesswork.

Five-Step Product Discovery Process

Step 1: Learn About Customers

• Conduct weekly customer interviews
• Use story-based interviewing rather than direct questions
• Technique: “Excavate the story” - ask customers to describe specific, recent experiences
• Ask timeline questions: “What happened first?” “Then what happened?”
• Request customers show artifacts (emails, screens) rather than recall behavior

Step 2: Brainstorm Solutions

• Generate at least 15 ideas (first/second ideas are rarely best)
• Alternate between individual and group brainstorming
• Conduct multiple group votes to eliminate weakest options
• Narrow down to three for deeper examination

Step 3: Identify Assumptions

• Use story mapping to reveal hidden assumptions
• Map each step users must take to get value from solution
• Identify assumptions across five key categories:
  • Desirability: Will customers want and value this?
  • Viability: Does this make business sense?
  • Feasibility: Can we build it technically?
  • Usability: Can customers actually use it?
  • Ethical: What potential harms exist?

Step 4: Test Assumptions

• Simulate customer experiences rather than ask hypothetical questions
• Recruit customers to demonstrate actual behavior
• Start with small-scale tests before larger experiments
• Accept false positives/negatives at low cost
• Focus on risk mitigation, not scientific rigor

Step 5: Measure and Refine

• Use real-world data collection (not experimental)
• Evaluate whether tests move toward end goals
• Identify metrics needed for current assumption tests

The Opportunity Solution Tree (OST)

A living map connecting:

• Top: Business outcome
• Middle: Opportunities (unmet customer needs)
• Bottom: Solutions

Benefits:

• Forces focus on problem space before jumping to solutions
• Reveals whether team is exploring multiple solutions or stuck on one idea
• Creates shared understanding across product teams
• Guides continuous discovery work

Key Methodologies

Story-Based Customer Interviewing

Instead of surveys or direct questions about preferences, Torres emphasizes chronological storytelling where customers describe recent, specific experiences. This behavioral approach yields richer, more actionable insights than abstract discussions.

Why it works: Customers struggle to accurately describe general behavior but can vividly recount specific recent events.

Risk-Based Assumption Prioritization

Rather than testing all assumptions equally, identify which assumptions would kill the entire solution if false. These highest-risk beliefs get tested first, enabling teams to fail fast and cheaply before investing in features with critical flawed foundations.

Continuous Habits Mindset

Discovery isn’t a project phase—it’s an embedded practice. Weekly customer touchpoints, regular assumption testing, and ongoing synthesis create sustainable rhythm that prevents teams from drifting away from customer reality.

Shift in Product Development Approach

Torres represents a fundamental shift from:

• Traditional: Build first, learn later
• Torres’ Model: Learn and validate before or alongside building

This approach reduces wasted effort, accelerates time to market fit, and keeps teams focused on solving real customer problems.

Resources and Publications

• Continuous Discovery Habits - Primary framework book
• Opportunity Solution Tree - Visual tool for discovery work
• Speaking and consulting on product discovery practices
• Website: https://www.teresatorres.com

Influence and Application

Her framework has become widely adopted in:

• Product Management organizations
• Agile/Lean development teams
• Enterprise product strategy
• Startup product development
• Cross-functional product teams

Related Concepts

• Product Strategy
• Customer Research
• Agile methodologies
• Lean product development
• Assumption testing
• Evidence-based decision making

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Last updated: 2026-01-23