Ethical opportunity sizing

Opportunity sizing estimates potential market value, but the methods used and populations counted reveal ethical priorities. Teams often size opportunities by counting only users they understand or markets they find attractive. This means underserved populations get labeled as "small opportunities" not because they lack needs, but because teams lack familiarity or perceive them as less profitable.

Ethical opportunity sizing questions whose needs count as valuable. When teams only measure markets with high purchasing power, they ignore people with genuine needs who could benefit from products. Sizing methods that only count current users of similar products miss people excluded from existing solutions. Focusing solely on markets with easy distribution channels overlooks populations facing access barriers.

How teams size opportunities signals what they value. Sizing based purely on revenue potential differs from considering social impact, accessibility improvements, or serving underserved communities. Teams should be honest about these priorities rather than hiding value judgments behind numbers that appear objective.