You're on autopilot, working on tickets from one sprint to another. You take on tasks as they're assigned to you, and you oblige as you are expected to do. No questions asked. You may have had a product strategy overview given to you that outlines the sequence in which features are mapped to release dates. A PM has done their due diligence on sequencing the features validated by factors such as: business or marketing requirements, market differentiation, competitor parity, company's KPIs or ROIs, speed to market, and other factors. These are all key to growth from a business and product strategy perspective. So how do you reconcile new product UX requirements with back-logged features, and when to work on what? As a design leader, you can influence your feature pipeline and prioritize them in a strategic way.
Mission
To ensure product success, strategically sequence your feature roadmap. Measuring the product requirements based on criteria will help you build the right features at the right time.
The Kano model
The Kano model has been generally used to prioritize features. For a full breakdown, refer to Kano Model Analysis in Product Design. This will help you determine the user's satisfaction based on the availability of a feature, leading to an understanding of your product outcomes and impacts.
In parallel to the Kano Model, here are key criteria that will help to prioritize your features.
Criteria 1
Immediate client requirements
It's imperative to support your current client needs. They have bought on and made the deliberate choice to use your product. They are paying your company already. They are fully in operations and need to fulfill certain goals and tasks. Ensure you deliver on integrity and customer support.
A feature is needed to enable your client to use your product effectively.
A feature is needed to support your client's functional operations.
A feature is needed to unblock your client.
Criteria 2
Jobs-To-Be-Done success
Your product is being used to complete a job. Your users are using your workflows to help them succeed in accomplishing a task. Ensure you are building the right features to help them be successful in completing their job.
The feature is needed to fulfill user tasks successfully.
Feature optimization is needed to make a current function usable and simple.
The feature streamlines functions that the user is using other multiple tools to execute.
Criteria 3
Development LOE
A feature has been validated as needed by your users. Your team assesses that they are able to build the feature quickly within a sprint. You may be able to knock this out quickly, along with other small scope features at the same time. Multiple updates show progression to your users, as opposed to one big feature update.
A needed feature can be built quickly and support high percentage of user needs.
A needed feature can leverage a pre-existing design pattern or micro-interaction.
A needed feature can leverage a pre-existing component or code.
Criteria 4
Reduces KPI
Your product KPIs are the most important metrics to measure against. Your key objective is to improve these metrics through your UX as much as possible. Improving this means enabling your user to fulfill their tasks quickly.
A feature is needed to reduce the time to fulfill a task.
A feature must be a streamlined process that combines multiple actions into one or reduces the number of steps.
A feature must be a system automation that does the process on its own without requiring manual user action(s).
A feature helps to optimize or completely eliminate laborious and complex workarounds.
Criteria 5
Increases ROI
Your product is aligned with your company's business goals. Ensure you measure your product success based on how it attributes to the company's revenue growth. Prioritize features based on how it may positively impact your ROIs.
The feature increases your company's or your client's business revenue.
The feature decreases your company's or your client's cost spendings.
The feature enables B2B partnerships.
The feature enables acquisition, adoption, and retention.
Summary
Use this criteria to prioritize your features by understanding the needs and purpose, determining efforts, and identifying positive KPI impacts and ROI outcomes. Be curious and question the sequence and priorities of your features. Socialize this criteria to ensure appropriate timing, sequence, and rationale. Schedule meetings to discuss with your PM, dev teams, and users for alignment.
About the author
Sean Lazo is a Principal UX Designer at [24]7.ai who leads the inception, assembly, and design of [24]7.ai Conversations, an industry-leading, omni-channel, AI chatbot, SAAS platform. His passions are DesignOps, detailed design, research, and human relations
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