The Next Right Solution
Small Steps To Navigate Uncertainty
The Next Right Solution: How to Navigate Uncertainty with Confidence
Uncertainty is a given in product development. The path to success isn’t a straight line—it’s a series of small, deliberate steps. Each step is an experiment, a chance to learn and adapt, to lift the fog of uncertainty and move forward with confidence. This is the essence of the Next Right Solution Canvas, a powerful tool designed to help you navigate the complexities of product development incrementally.
The Airbnb Pivot: A Case Study in Adaptation
Imagine this: the pandemic hits, and Airbnb’s business model is threatened. With travel restrictions and safety concerns at an all-time high, their reliance on air and train travel becomes a significant challenge. Faced with this crisis, Airbnb needed to pivot quickly. While Airbnb did not actually use these templates, we are using their scenario as an illustrative example of how the Next Right Solution Canvas could be applied to navigate such challenges efficiently.
Step 1: Customer Job Description
Airbnb’s journey started with a deep dive into understanding their customers' new reality. Travel was restricted, safety was paramount, and the desire for a safe escape was high. Using the Customer Job Description template, based on Jobs-To-Be-Done, Airbnb could clearly define these new customer needs, focusing on the functional, emotional, and social jobs their customers needed to accomplish.
Step 2: Next Right Solution Canvas
With these insights, Airbnb identified the key customer outcomes to address and filled out the NRS Canvas:
Customer & Business Outcomes: Minimize time to find nearby places and ensure safety during booking.
Solution Approach: Highlight safe, nearby destinations.
Key Features: Autodetect location, list top nearby destinations, and emphasize safety in design.
Experiments and Learning: Initially, Airbnb considered driving distances of up to 8-10 hours. However, through data and customer interviews, they learned that this was too far for most weekend getaways. They adjusted the driving distance to 5-6 hours or less.
Value Validation: Assess safety perceptions throughout the booking journey and track click-through rates on recommendations.
Instead of attempting a massive overhaul, Airbnb focused on smaller, more manageable outcomes. This strategy allowed them to release solutions incrementally, learning and adapting quickly.
Step 3: Implementation
The Airbnb homepage evolved to reflect this approach. It prominently featured nearby destinations, catering to the need for safe, accessible travel. By highlighting driving distance options and promoting safety, Airbnb addressed their customers' immediate concerns and desires.
Benefits of the Next Right Solution Canvas
The Next Right Solution Canvas is more than just a tool—it’s a mindset. It encourages you to:
Focus on Customer and Business Outcomes Before Solutioning: Ensure that efforts are aligned with what truly matters to users and the business.
Alignment with a Simple One-Pager: Keep everyone on the same page with a clear, concise plan.
Take Small, Manageable Steps: Reduce risk by validating assumptions incrementally.
Learn and Adapt Quickly: Implement and test solutions to gather feedback and refine your approach.
Deliver Value Continuously: Ensure each step drives real, measurable impact.
Conclusion
The Next Right Solution Canvas offers a clear path forward amid uncertainty. This template can help guide your thinking, but it is not a substitute for thinking. The real key is to clearly articulate the outcomes to focus on and work in small steps to learn and add value. If you can do that, you are on the right path. Templates like this might help you get there a bit more smoothly.
Download the Next Right Solution Canvas at https://learn.agileclassrooms.com/next-right-solution-canvas and start navigating uncertainty with confidence today.
