Feature Prioritization

What is Feature Prioritization?

Feature prioritization is the process of deciding which features to include in a product. It is a trade-off between the cost of implementing a feature and the value that it will add to the product. Feature prioritization is the process of deciding which features to implement and which features to discard.

It is a way of making sure that the developers are not wasting time working on features that will never be used by the end users.

Feature prioritization helps in determining which features are most important for a product. It typically starts with an understanding of the customer’s need, followed by an analysis of the product’s capabilities.

The importance of feature prioritization is that it helps to keep the company focused on what they should be doing instead of working on all possible features at once. There are many different ways to prioritize features, but there are two main types:

The first type is called "ranking-based" and it sorts features according to their importance. The second type is called "scenario-based" and it sorts features according to how they will be used in various situations.

What are the three prioritization methods?

  1. MoSCoW method:

MoSCoW is an acronym for the prioritization technique.

MoSCoW is a prioritization technique that stands for Must, Should, Could and Would. It helps to prioritize items in a list by assigning them a letter from A to D according to their priority.

The Must-have items are those that must be done before anything else can be considered. The Should-have items are important but not as important as the Must-have items, so they should be done after the Must-have ones are completed. The Could-haves are nice to have but not necessary and can be done at any time. The Would like to haves are nice but not necessary and can be discarded if there is no time left or if there is an opportunity cost of doing it now versus later

  1. Kano Model: The Kano model is a customer satisfaction model that was developed by Professor Noriaki Kano. It divides customers into three groups:
  • Basic: The basic group has the most basic requirements for the product or service and are happy with it as long as it meets their needs.

  • Performance: The performance group has more advanced requirements for the product or service and are satisfied if they meet their expectations.

  • Delighted: The delighted group has more advanced requirements for the product or service and are satisfied if they exceed their expectations.

The Kano model is used to determine what features of a product should be improved in order to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

  1. RICE Model: The RICE model is a product management process that helps in developing new product ideas. The RICE model is a framework that is used in product management to identify the key elements of a new product. The model was developed by Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong in their book Principles of Marketing, 11th Edition. The acronym stands for:

-Reality: Define the market need or opportunity

-Idea: Generate the possible solutions

-Concept: Evaluate the solutions and choose one

-Execution: Implement the chosen solution

In this model:

  • The first step is to research the market and find out what customers need.
  • The second step is to identify gaps and opportunities in the market.
  • The third step is to create a prototype of the product by using the research findings.
  • The fourth step involves refining the prototype so that it meets customer needs and expectations better than any other existing products in the market.
  • And finally, once the prototype has met all these criteria, it becomes a product that can be sold in markets with success rates of up to 60%.

How do you prioritize feature requests?

Prioritization is an important part of product management. It helps you make decisions about what features to build next, which features should be improved, and which features should be removed. Prioritizing feature requests is a difficult task for any product manager. There are many factors to consider before deciding which features should be developed first.

The first thing to understand is that there will never be an ultimate ranking system for prioritizing feature requests. But there are some guidelines and tools to help you make the best decision for your specific product and situation. Product managers need to take into account the following:

  • The features that are most requested by users

  • The features that will make the biggest impact on the business and customer experience

  • The features that will provide competitive advantage

  • The features that are feasible and can be developed in a timely manner.

Who prioritize features in agile?

The product manager or the product owner is the one who prioritizes features in agile. They are the ones in charge of figuring out what the customer wants, and they usually have a good idea of what is feasible to build with the resources available. Product owners prioritize features in agile by looking at user stories, analyzing their complexity, and considering their business value.

How to prioritize feature requests using customer feedback?

Customer feedback is a powerful tool for prioritizing feature requests. It helps you understand what your customers need and want. With this information, you can prioritize the requests that will be most beneficial to your customers.

It is important to note that customer feedback should not be used as the only factor in prioritizing feature requests. Other factors such as business goals, product roadmap, and development resources should also be considered.

In order to use customer feedback effectively, you need to first identify the needs of your customers and then prioritize them accordingly. You should also identify the needs of your competitors’ customers and try to figure out how you can make their lives easier as well.

  • Survey customers and ask them what they would like to see from your company in the future.

  • Use a live chat tool and ask customers what they are struggling with and what features would make their experience better.

  • Use a dedicated customer feedback system in place for collecting and analyzing the feedback and a process for categorizing the feedback and for prioritizing the most common requests.

I believe that this method of prioritizing features provides the best results because it gives you insights into what your customers want from you, which will ultimately help you grow your business more efficiently.

Customer feedback can help you understand what features customers want and it can also show you what features they do not want. This way, your team will be able to focus on building the features that customers find valuable and ignore those that they don't care about in order to deliver an app that customers love.

Build better products with user feedback

Rapidr helps SaaS companies understand what customers need through feedback, prioritize what to build next, inform the roadmap, and notify customers on product releases

Get Started