How do you keep your product on track with user feedback?

1 Define your feedback goals

Before you start gathering feedback, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to learn from your users and how you will use that information. Do you want to validate a problem, test a solution, measure satisfaction, or discover new opportunities? Depending on your feedback goals, you will need different types of feedback, such as surveys, interviews, usability tests, reviews, or analytics. You will also need to define your target audience, the questions you want to ask, and the metrics you want to track.

2 Choose the right feedback channels

There are many ways to collect feedback from your users, but not all of them are equally suitable for your product and goals. You need to choose the feedback channels that match your user profile, your product stage, and your feedback type. For example, if you want to get qualitative feedback from early adopters, you might use email, social media, or in-app messages. If you want to get quantitative feedback from a large and diverse user base, you might use online surveys, ratings, or analytics tools.

3 Organize and prioritize feedback

Once you have collected feedback, you need to organize and prioritize it to make sense of it and act on it. You can use various tools and methods to sort and categorize feedback, such as spreadsheets, databases, or feedback management platforms. You can also use frameworks and criteria to prioritize feedback, such as the Kano model, the RICE score, or the MoSCoW method. The key is to align your feedback priorities with your product goals, your user needs, and your available resources.

4 Communicate and act on feedback

Feedback is useless if you don't communicate and act on it. You need to share feedback with your team and stakeholders, and involve them in the decision-making process. You also need to communicate feedback with your users, and show them that you appreciate their input and that you are working on improving your product based on their suggestions. You can use various channels and formats to communicate feedback, such as newsletters, blogs, social media, or release notes.

5 Measure and iterate on feedback

Feedback is not a one-time activity, but a continuous cycle of learning and improvement. You need to measure the impact of your feedback actions on your product performance and user satisfaction. You also need to iterate on your feedback process and methods, and refine them based on your results and learnings. You can use tools and metrics to measure and iterate on feedback, such as A/B testing, user testing, NPS, or retention rate.

Feedback is a valuable source of insight and direction for product managers, but it can also be overwhelming and distracting if not managed properly. By following these tips, you can keep your product on track with user feedback and deliver a product that meets and exceeds your user expectations.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?