ideate-solutions
npx machina-cli add skill kasperjunge/agent-resources/ideate-solutions --openclawIdeate Solutions
Generate multiple product solution concepts grounded in outcomes and opportunities before validating assumptions.
Position in Workflow
Step 3 of product strategy workflow:
/discover-outcomes- Define outcomes/discover-opportunities- Identify opportunities/ideate-solutions- Explore solution concepts (THIS)/discover-assumptions- Validate with experiments
Core Principle
Diverge before you converge. Create several distinct solutions, then evaluate them against outcomes and constraints.
Input
Default: Use outcomes and opportunities from the current conversation.
If argument provided:
- File path: Read the file for context
- Notion/Doc URL: Summarize relevant outcomes and opportunities
Workflow
1. Gather Context
- Restate the target outcomes and top opportunities.
- List constraints (time, budget, compliance, positioning).
- Clarify what is in scope vs out of scope.
2. Ask Clarifying Questions
Ask what improves ideation quality:
- Which outcomes matter most right now?
- What constraints are non-negotiable?
- What segments or use cases are priority?
- What current alternatives must be beaten?
3. Ideate Multiple Solutions
Generate 3-5 distinct solution concepts. Vary across:
| Dimension | Examples |
|---|---|
| Approach | Self-serve tool, concierge, marketplace, automation |
| Value prop | Speed, cost reduction, risk reduction, delight |
| Delivery model | Feature, workflow, service, integration |
| Adoption path | Low-friction trial, assisted onboarding, pilots |
Avoid anchoring on the first idea. Make the options meaningfully different.
4. Evaluate Trade-offs
For each solution, assess:
- Pros: How it advances outcomes
- Cons: Risks or limitations
- Evidence fit: What assumptions it relies on
- Feasibility: Rough effort and dependencies
- Differentiation: Why it wins vs alternatives
5. Pick a Leading Concept
Rank the options and select a leading concept to validate next.
Output Format
## Solution Ideation
### Context Summary
[Target outcomes + top opportunities]
### Clarifying Questions
[Questions about priorities or constraints - if any]
---
### Concepts
#### Concept 1: [Name] - Leading
[Description]
**Pros:**
- ...
**Cons:**
- ...
**Evidence fit:** [Key assumptions this relies on]
**Feasibility:** [Low/Medium/High]
**Differentiation:** [Why this wins vs alternatives]
#### Concept 2: [Name]
[Same structure]
#### Concept 3: [Name]
[Same structure]
---
### Recommendation
[Why the leading concept wins, and when you'd choose differently]
### Open Questions
[Assumptions or unknowns to validate]
### Next Step
Validate assumptions. Run `/discover-assumptions`.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Jumping to one idea | Generate 3-5 concepts first |
| Concepts too similar | Force meaningful variation |
| Ignoring constraints | State non-negotiables early |
| No link to outcomes | Tie each concept to outcomes |
What NOT to Do
- Do NOT define experiments yet
- Do NOT commit to a solution without assumptions
- Do NOT skip trade-off analysis
Source
git clone https://github.com/kasperjunge/agent-resources/blob/main/skills/product-strategy/ideate-solutions/SKILL.mdView on GitHub Overview
Ideate-Solutions is Step 3 in the product strategy workflow. It helps after outcomes and opportunities are defined to generate 3-5 distinct solution concepts grounded in those outcomes. The goal is to diverge on options before converging on a leading concept for validation.
How This Skill Works
Begin by gathering context and restating target outcomes and top opportunities. Generate 3-5 distinct concepts across dimensions (approach, value prop, delivery, adoption), then evaluate each against pros, cons, evidence fit, feasibility, and differentiation. Rank and pick a leading concept to take forward for assumption validation.
When to Use It
- After outcomes and opportunities are defined, to surface 3–5 distinct concepts.
- When opportunities are broad and you want competitive alternatives across approaches.
- Before validating assumptions, to surface trade-offs and feasibility early.
- When constraints (time, budget, compliance) must be factored into concept design.
- When preparing to run experiments, to select a leading concept for validation.
Quick Start
- Step 1: Gather context – restate outcomes and top opportunities; list constraints.
- Step 2: Ideate 3–5 distinct concepts across dimensions (approach, value prop, delivery, adoption).
- Step 3: Evaluate trade-offs and pick a leading concept to take into validation next (via /discover-assumptions).
Best Practices
- Generate 3–5 distinct concepts with meaningful variation across dimensions (approach, value prop, delivery, adoption).
- Tie each concept to defined outcomes and stated constraints.
- Explicitly document pros, cons, evidence fit, feasibility, and differentiation for every concept.
- Avoid anchoring on the first idea; rank concepts and choose a leading one.
- Capture context, clarifying questions, and next steps to guide validation.
Example Use Cases
- A SaaS org defines an outcome to reduce onboarding time by 40% and ideates concepts like a self-serve onboarding flow, guided setup wizard, and HRIS integration.
- An e-commerce platform explores increasing average order value and generates concepts such as personalized bundles, price-anchored recommendations, and a subscription model.
- A fintech team targets risk reduction and creates concepts including automated fraud checks, manual review fallback, and risk-scoring dashboards.
- A consumer app evaluates adoption paths with concepts like a low-friction pilot, assisted onboarding, and a staged rollout.
- A platform business surfaces alternative delivery models: feature-first integration, workflow-based solutions, concierge service, and marketplace partnerships.
