As a product developer, you want to build features that solve real problems for your customers and deliver value for your business. But how do you know which features to focus on, and how do you validate them before investing too much time and resources? In this article, we'll explore some practical methods to test and prioritize features based on customer feedback, data, and impact.
Before you start testing and prioritizing features, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with your product and how you'll measure success. What are the main problems you're trying to solve, and who are you solving them for? What are the key outcomes you expect from your features, and how will you track them? Having a well-defined goal and a set of relevant metrics will help you align your features with your strategy and evaluate their performance.
Before launching any new capability, we need to clearly define both the inputs and expected outputs that tie to our core goals. Some suggestions on how to do this effectively: 1. Identify 2-3 key input metrics that will drive the performance of each planned feature such as number of active users etc. 2. Set specific, measurable goals for each input metric that align to the outcomes we want to see. Make sure these are realistic yet challenging. Setting a "stretch goal" is also a good idea. 3. Communicate these goals and metrics clearly to all stakeholders involved so everyone understands how we will measure success. 4. Track both input and output metrics over time to assess if our features are moving the needle. Review and tweak as needed.
Once you have your goals and metrics, you can start generating hypotheses for potential features. A hypothesis is a testable statement that describes how a feature will solve a problem, benefit a customer, or improve a metric. For example, a hypothesis could be: "By adding a chat feature, we will increase customer engagement and retention." To validate your hypotheses, you need to gather evidence from your customers, users, or market. You can use various methods, such as surveys, interviews, landing pages, prototypes, or experiments, to test your assumptions and collect feedback.
After you have validated your hypotheses, you need to prioritize them based on their impact and effort. Impact is the potential value that a feature will create for your customers and your business, while effort is the amount of time, money, and resources that it will take to build and launch. You can use a simple framework, such as the ICE score, to rank your features based on these criteria. The ICE score is calculated by multiplying the impact, confidence, and ease of each feature, and then sorting them from highest to lowest. The higher the score, the more priority the feature should have.
1. MoSCoW Method: Use the MoSCoW method (Must-Have, Should-Have, Could-Have, Won't-Have) to prioritize features based on their importance and complexity. Must-haves are critical features that customers need to achieve their goals, while should-haves are important but not essential. 2. Kano Model: The Kano model categorizes features into three types: basic, performance, and excitement. Basic features meet customer needs, performance features exceed expectations, and excitement features delight customers. Prioritize features based on their type and impact on customer satisfaction.
When it comes to deciding which features should come first, there are two important strategies to consider: Firstly, it's super important to make sure the features we choose match up with our big goals as a company. Features that directly help us achieve those goals should naturally be given higher priority. Another approach is using information from how users interact. This comes from things like trying out different versions of features, listening to what users say, and looking at how they use things. This has helped me figure out how much each feature might help. Some features might be tricky to make or could cause problems for users. We need to think about if the benefits outweigh these possible issues.
Once you have prioritized your features, you can start building and testing minimum viable products (MVPs). An MVP is a version of your product that has enough functionality to deliver value to your customers and test your hypotheses, but with the least amount of effort. The goal of an MVP is to learn from your customers as quickly as possible, and iterate based on their feedback. You can use various tools, such as mockups, wireframes, or code snippets, to create and test your MVPs with your target audience.
After you have tested your MVPs, you need to analyze and optimize the results. You can use your metrics and feedback to measure how well your features performed against your goals and hypotheses. You can also use tools, such as analytics, heatmaps, or user testing, to understand how your customers interacted with your features and identify any issues or opportunities for improvement. Based on your analysis, you can decide whether to keep, modify, or discard your features, and plan your next steps.
Testing and prioritizing features is not a one-time activity, but a continuous process that requires constant learning and adaptation. You should always be on the lookout for new problems, needs, or trends that affect your customers and your market, and generate new hypotheses and features accordingly. You should also regularly review your goals and metrics, and adjust them as your product evolves and grows. By repeating and refining the process, you can ensure that you're building features that matter and achieve product-market fit.