How to manage un-used features in your software

As your software grows, there might be many features lying around. But you’re wondering, what should I do? Should I kill them, should I redesign them, or should we make new ones altogether?

This article will teach you the methodology and tools you need to handle unused features in your software.

1) Take stock

Use recording software like FullStory or HotJar to analyze your software areas that are lying dead — quickly.

Next, you could send out a survey asking your clients what features they are using the most and why they are not using the other features.

This will give you a clear understanding of where you are and what features you’ll need to re-design, kill, or merge with other features.

2) Forgive Sunken Costs

This is a mindset.

You might have spent many thousands of dollars and many years of development time, building your precious features on your software.

But I call that sunken costs.

Take a new fresh look at the future and start investing in features that your users actually want.

Forget about what you have built or spent in the past — this will set you on a mindset to succeed.

Agree?

3) Merge them into others.

As you kept on building out your software, you built one feature at a time.

Now is a great time to merge some scattered features — to improve its simplicity and design.

I hope this advice helps you and you’ll take action.

Let me know in the comments if you have several small features that are scattered within your app!

4) It’s time to redesign them

The reason why people are not using the features you have built might obviously be because it has a poor UX design.

Great Apps are constantly re-designing their signature features to improve their design and overall usability.

When the features were initially launched, your customers did not yet use them, and now their needs have shown more clearly.

A few little tweaks might do everything for you.

So take the time today and examine which features you can give a quick redesign and then let your customers know they should give it a spin.

If you need any help with redesigning certain software features, send me a direct message I will hop on a call!

5) Kill them!

Yes, you heard me right.

Sometimes it’s good to let go and kill the unused features.

Store them nicely so you can access them later if you decide to revive them.

The more you clean up your app, the better it will be for your users.

They should see only features that are useful to them, and the rest should not appear.

Some apps tend not to let go of their older/unused features and always keep them around — not healthy!

I would like to hear your thoughts on this!

—

I hope this article will help you better manage the unused features in your software or app.

Feel free to send me a message if you have any further questions.

If you want to set up a one-on-one phone call, please click on the link below.

https://www.intentux.com/contact