How to Prioritise Features in a Product Roadmap

As a product manager, you understand that selecting the right features for your product roadmap is not an easy task.

But why does this matter so much?

Whether or not your product meets or exceeds users’ expectations depends on the features you prioritize.

A product roadmap without clear prioritization is like a car without a steering wheel and no direction.

With so many ideas and requests, how do you know what is truly important?

Let’s explore strategies for prioritizing features with real impact and value while ensuring customer satisfaction.

What is a Product Roadmap?

A product roadmap is a strategic outline that directs the vision of your product and promotes teamwork.

However, a successful product roadmap prioritizes the appropriate features rather than describing every concept.

The real challenge?

Choosing features that will help you achieve your goals and make a difference.

Now, let’s explore how to make your product roadmap really effective!

Why Does Feature Prioritisation Matter in a Product Roadmap?

Imagine that you are in charge of the developing product team. At first, decisions appear simple, based on your intuition and in-depth discussions with your teams. However, as your product gains support and your team grows, things become more complicated. There are more stakeholders to consider, as well as more requests and ideas. At that point, feature prioritization is important.

Using feature prioritisation improves decision-making, removes bias, and helps concentrate on projects that have an impact. As your product organization grows, a solid prioritization strategy can help guide decisions and speed up development.

How to Effectively Prioritise Product Features on a Roadmap

Prioritising product features effectively involves taking into account a number of factors. Let us break it down into some practical strategies.

• Resource Utilisation: Consider your team developing a new feature that promises high user engagement but is labor-intensive. Select features that provide the highest return on investment as your top priority.

Example:  A feature is a definite winner if it increases user retention by 20% with little effort on the part of developers.

• Customer-centric approach: Always listen to your customers. Imagine that through surveys, users ask for a particular integration. A clear demand can be met by incorporating customer feedback, such as using the Roadmap portal for JSM.
• Competitive Benchmarking: Watch out for your competitors. Assume your competitor has an extensive search feature. Setting this as a top priority could help you maintain your competitive edge if your product lacks it.

Example: Making a strong search function a top priority will help you stay ahead of the competition. It improves your market position if they already have it.

• Data-Driven Decisions: Analytical tools can highlight potential areas. If a particular segment of your data shows high churn rates, give top priority to those features that solve the issues.

Popular Frameworks for Prioritising Features in a Product Roadmap

The following two frameworks can help you prioritize features and make your product more impactful:

MoSCoW Method: The goal of this framework, as described in the MoSCoW technique, is to assign each feature to one of the four categories listed below:

• Must have: Features are added here if they are considered necessary.
• Should Have: Designate a feature as “Should have” if you believe it is significant but not essential for your target audience.
• Could Have: Nice-to-have features are those that enhance user experience but may not be as high on the “should have” list.
• You won’t have features that do not align with your product strategy or are not worth the time or money invested in their development.

Kano Model: The Kano Model prioritizes features by ranking them according to customer satisfaction, similar to a restaurant menu.

• Basic expectations are similar to necessary menu items in that they are expected by customers but do not improve their dining experience.
• Similar to customer favorites, desired features increase customer satisfaction by making your product more pleasurable.
• Like pleasant surprises on the menu, delightful features are something that customers adore and never forget.
• Like things no one cares about, indifferent features neither enhance nor diminish the experience.
• Dissatisfaction Features are like poorly prepared dishes; they frustrate and result in unhappiness.

Additionally, you can also use other prioritization frameworks to help in your decision-making.

Ideal Practices for Effective Feature Prioritisation in a Product Roadmap

The following best practices will help you prioritize features in your product roadmap:

• Set clear objectives. It is like navigating blindly if you do not have clear goals. Prioritise specific alerts to increase user engagement and retention, and make important features like the dashboard better to make it easier to use and promote regular use.
• Leverage Data: Your decisions are informed by data. Track user requests using the Roadmap portal for JSM, and use analytics to verify what users actually need. This will help you prioritize features that correspond with actual behavior.
• Balance Short-Term and Long-Term Goals: If you balance short-term profits with long-term planning, your product will grow sustainably. It encourages success in the future while meeting present demands.
• Be Flexible: The product market is ever-evolving. Keep your product roadmap flexible in case new information becomes available or market conditions change. Being flexible is important in today’s hectic product development environment.
• Communicate Clearly: After you have decided, make sure that everyone involved understands the prioritization process. Being transparent ensures that everyone is in agreement and builds trust.

Conclusion

Prioritizing features is more than just a chore; it is the key to creating a product that connects with customers and stands out. With flexibility, clear goals, and data-driven insights, you can confidently lead your product toward success.

Remember that a well-prioritized product roadmap ensures that every decision adds value, brings teams together, and guides product development.

So, are you ready to step up your product roadmapping game?

Let’s explore smarter tools and actionable insights, as your roadmap deserves it!