theSkimm: Product Vision & Development
Crafting the vision for the future of theSkimm.
Background
theSkimm’s flagship product is a daily newsletter giving readers the information they need to start their day. Following the success of the Daily Skimm newsletter, theSkimm expanded to web, podcasts, events, and commerce.
The Challenge
In mid 2023, theSkimm shifted its focus from not only informing readers to educating them, connecting them with tools and resources, and driving them to take action that makes a meaningful impact in their lives. My team was tasked with developing a product to accomplish that end.
To comply with my non-disclosure agreement, I have omitted and obfuscated confidential information in this case study. All information in this case study is my own and does not necessarily reflect the views of theSkimm.
Vision Week
In August of 2023, I led a week-long workshop with members of the Product, Data, Engineering, and Content teams to create a product vision statement (a short statement that articulates the product’s purpose and the picture of a better future it hopes to help create.) Crafting and sticking to the product’s vision statement is a crucial part of its inception and growth.
Although an important piece for aligning the key stakeholders, the vision statement by itself does not go far enough. People are visual creatures. Enter: the tangible vision, a story-led visual representation of the vision statement. Where the vision statement is the elevator pitch for the vision, we needed to be at the point where when a teammate or stakeholder hears the vision statement, they immediately visualize the tangible vision.
After writing personal vision statements, crafting a value proposition canvas, and creating aspirational storyboards, the team aligned on a final product vision canvas identifying our users needs, features, experience principles and more.
Tangible Vision
The team aligned on "empower millennial women to get ahead in life" as the vision statement and my next task was to design this vision into a prototype. Typically, the tangible vision is a high-fidelity storyboard. However, my stakeholders felt a prototype would help communicate what we were working toward more holistically. My process for creating the prototype began with competitive research, iterating on potential user flows, and aligning on wireframes to move forward with.
Conclusion
This work became the North Star that our team looked to while building the MVP. While not perfect, it absolutely achieved our goal of alignment for the future of theSkimm.
- Anticipatory information and experiences that know her life stage, needs, and wants
- Tools that reduce her mental load
- Access to experts for education and coaching
- Pathways to achieve her personal goals
- A closer relationship with our user
- Multiple touch points that can be monetized
- A revenue model that has 3 significant revenue streams
- A platform to gather and utilize zero party data
- A defensible moat
After wrapping up the vision work, we went heads down on the MVP. Check out the live beta site here.