Week 27 · learning day 1
Problem and outcome
Capstone Project: New Product Proposal (Part 1) · 45–60 minutes
Today’s outcomes
- Explain problem and outcome in the context of capstone project: new product proposal (part 1).
- Frame a product decision using the source outcome rather than intuition alone.
- Produce a reusable section of a capstone checkpoint.
Source trace
W27-O01Recall and apply the skills learned as part of the concepts covered in the previous eight weeks.
Core lesson
Make the choice inspectable
Problem and outcome matters when it changes a real allocation of attention, money, time, or delivery capacity. A strong proposal makes the problem, evidence, choices, and open risks inspectable.
Start by naming the decision and the uncertainty around it. Separate evidence from assumptions, compare at least one alternative, and state what would make you revise the choice.
The source outcome for today is: Recall and apply the skills learned as part of the concepts covered in the previous eight weeks.
What decision will problem and outcome improve, what evidence is sufficient for that decision, and what is the cost of being wrong?
Worked example
Problem and outcome in practice
For your proposed new product, the product manager must frame a choice about problem and outcome. The team records the target user and outcome, the evidence currently available, the strongest alternative, and the next reversible test. The recommendation is written as a choice with a reason—not as a list of features.
Do the work · 20 minutes
Turn the idea into a decision
- Choose a product you know and write the specific decision that problem and outcome should support.
- List two pieces of evidence, two assumptions, and one credible alternative.
- Make a recommendation in three sentences and add one condition that would change it.
Save to your portfolio
A capstone checkpoint — section: Problem and outcome
Knowledge check
Answer before opening
What is the decision at the centre of problem and outcome?
A good answer names an accountable choice, not merely an activity or output.
How should evidence and assumptions be separated?
Label observed facts, interpretations, and untested beliefs explicitly so the next learning step is visible.
What makes the recommendation revisable?
It includes a trigger, threshold, or new evidence that would justify changing course.
What should the portfolio artefact communicate?
The context, considered alternatives, chosen direction, rationale, evidence, and remaining risk.
Spaced review
Reconnect the learning
Reflection