Are you struggling to decide which features your startup should focus on building? You’re not alone. Many founders grapple with this, especially when every dollar and minute count. So, how do you decide which features make the cut? It boils down to understanding value, balancing effort, and effectively integrating user research insights. Let’s dive into some strategies that can help you prioritize effectively.
Why prioritize?
Often, it feels like the pressure is on, every second and cent matter, especially for startups. With limited teams and tight budgets, you don’t have the luxury of spending time on features that won’t deliver real value to your users. Here are three crucial reasons to up your prioritization game:
1. Limited time, limited budget: You’re racing against time and funds. Prioritizing what’s truly necessary ensures you’re making the most of what you’ve got.
2. Delivering value: Products filled with low-value features end up unfocused, and they can even dilute the product’s core value proposition. Focus on what your users will actually find valuable and be willing to pay for.
3. Team alignment: A solid prioritization process doesn’t just guide production; it also helps unify your team behind a shared vision, boosting morale and ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Frameworks for success
Ready to hone your prioritization skills? Explore these frameworks that can guide your decision-making:
Value vs. Effort matrix
How it works: Picture a 2×2 grid where one axis is value (to the user or business) and the other is effort (cost, time, or resources). Plot your features within this grid to see a clear visual of priorities.
Best for: When you need a quick, high-level overview to spark discussions.
Try this:
• High Value, Low Effort: Focus here first, these are your quick wins.
• High Value, High Effort: Consider these as strategic initiatives, tackle them with careful planning.
• Low Value, Low Effort: Use these as fillers, when time permits.
• Low Value, High Effort: Steer clear, these likely aren’t worth your investment.
RICE scoring
Stands for Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort.
How it works: Assign a score between 1–10 for each component, then calculate the total score using the RICE formula.
RICE = (Reach × Impact × Confidence) ÷ Effort
Best for: Making data-driven decisions, especially when comparing many ideas.
Try this: Assigning high scores for reach and impact can highlight features with high potential user engagement, ensuring you focus resources efficiently.
MoSCoW method
How it works: Categorize features into buckets:
• Must-Have: Critical for launch.
• Should-Have: Important but not vital.
• Could-Have: Consider if time and resources allow.
• Won’t-Have (Now): Deprioritized for the moment.
Best for: Planning roadmaps and ensuring stakeholders are aligned on priorities.
Try this: Revisit your roadmap regularly to reassess whether “Won’t-Have” items should be re-prioritized based on new insights or changing conditions.
Kano model
How it works: Classify features based on how they affect user satisfaction.
• Basic Needs: Expected, lack of these causes dissatisfaction.
• Performance Needs: The more you provide, the happier the users.
• Delighters: Unanticipated features that pleasantly surprise users.
Best for: Understanding the emotional and experiential impact of features on users.
Try this: Focus on performance features. These can significantly boost user satisfaction without over-promising like delighters might.
In sum
Every feature choice is a promise to your users, and you’ve got to make sure you’re delivering on the right ones. Remember, the right frameworks can illuminate the path, but they’re not prescriptions. They’re tools that help you and your team stay focused and aligned, ultimately allowing your product to genuinely serve its users.
At Koi Studios, we’re passionate about steering you toward feature prioritization that truly works for your startup’s unique needs. Want to chat more about how we can help your team align on what to build next? Reach out to us today. Let’s collaborate to ensure your product delivers real value to the people who matter most.
