How do you implement new features?
9 minute(s) read | Published on: Jun 19, 2023 Updated on: Jun 19, 2023 |
In this article, we will talk about how to make a product successful and increase its productivity.Usually, the first version of a product is months of thought assumptions based on your intuition about the desired appearance. On the other hand, in most cases there is a gap between your product and the desired product of the users, so most of the product launches will follow the registration of users who will not return. As is common, this will continue to cause uncertainty about how to progress.Among helping startups in their launch process, usually the hardest task is choosing an alpha product and iterating it to the point where it starts to gain traction. It should be noted that most apps such as Twitter, Pinterest and hundreds of other successful startups had a rough start. Therefore, success is always created through trial and error created by the founders. In some cases, after the product is made, users may not register on masse.On the other hand, software companies with millions of users and mature product lines know how to build the product they want - so users measure data points by submitting hundreds of feature proposals, as well as by running A/B tests to grow the team. It will be slow. While low-risk product launches, pre-product/proper start-ups have a more difficult labor market with little data, and a similar industry situation unrelatedly deals with an area of unknowns: chemistry.On the other hand, pharmaceutical companies use a framework known to most people by searching for cures for decades: the scientific method. Because the scientific method is actually a framework to deal with uncertainty that can be applied both in the discovery phase of the launch and for the development of new features. In this article, by adapting the framework for startups, we named it the startup method:If you are a chemist in a lab or an entrepreneur in the process of making a product, using a repeatable framework with a fixed process will guide you to know how to operate when you do not know the answer.
Step 1: Suggest a user story
Usually, a construction worker sees a house as wood, nails, and foundations, while a homeowner sees the same house as a place of privacy, dry shelter, and protection. As a result, designers and engineers often view their product from the perspective of a manufacturer, but must also see it as a user. By writing the proposed change as a user story, it keeps the work framing on the user. For example, changing the JavaScript framework from Backbone.js to Angular.js will usually have little impact on the user and will therefore require proper prioritization.Format: As a -type of user-, willing to do –something- to -create something-.Example: As a new user, I want to be able to find my Facebook friends on the website to be able to see activity that is more relevant in my feed.On the other hand, user stories will lead to additions, subtractions or product modifications. Therefore, according to the discussed issues, the creation of an additional feature will usually lead to a step backward for the user, while removing a feature may be a step forward. In addition, each story requires a significant change in the product as well as an opportunity to review macro changes to maximize the product.
Step 2: Talk to users
Sometimes when ordering food in a restaurant, you may think about the quality of a food. On the other hand, ask the waiter if he recommends the ravioli, and he might say, “Of course. It's my favorite on the menu!” On the other hand, as a different approach, you can ask the waiter which of the three options I have in mind is the best, and his recommendation may change. As a result, he avoids ravioli and prefers salmon instead.Therefore, if you ask users for feedback, you may get the usual false positives because they are often unaware of their request and are not engaged in the actual work required to make the change. By providing multiple stories, the user will be able to provide answers that are more accurate. In addition, users will be able to prioritize what is important to them.Next, you will need a question like: "Do you want to have a faster website or to be able to find your Facebook friends in the product?"In addition, the user's response would be: "A faster website would be nice, but I'd rather find my Facebook friends on your product."As a result, it turns out that your website is not that slow, and in fact, by preferring a new feature, users found that collecting user information is very important, although it can be useful if it has accurate feedback.
Step 3: Prototype the new change
At this stage, after finding the feature that users want, you will spend the next few weeks building it. In addition, after implementing this feature, you will notice its quality that you will need a few more weeks to spend on development. In fact, designers and engineers as natural creators make it easy to jump straight into Photoshop or TextMate. Next, by iterating on a template or prototype, you will be able to double the speed of progress.It is common to be upset when you hear advice about collecting user feedback from prototypes, while the software has improved on low-fidelity options like Basalmiq or Omnigraffle, leaps and bounds. On the other hand, high-fidelity tools, such as Indigo Studio, Axure, and Invision, enable rich prototyping with animations, input forms, and even dynamic data. Further, prototypes will reduce the manufacturing process by easily replacing a working product while you are testing new ideas.
Step 4: Conduct user testing
Once you have a wireframe or prototype, you will need to test it with other people. Therefore, accessing your user base is the best way to gather feedback for user stories aimed at current users. While for new users, it may be more difficult to do this. Among the common strategies of this is to leave the building and participate in guerrilla user testing. Some people may find approaching random people in coffee shops uncomfortable and annoying, especially outside of tech meccas like Silicon Valley or New York City where it's not uncommon.A more scalable method is to use a remote testing service, such as UserTesting or Userlytics. Through five tests, you will be able to get enough data to provide a definitive analysis for the user story. In addition, by scheduling tests on a regular basis, it will be possible to guarantee constant feedback so that you can see how users use your product in a calibrated manner. It should be noted that after implementing this feature it would be too late to receive feedback. In other words, you stop wasting time on repetitions that could have been avoided.
Step 5: Deciding whether to implement or not
Usually, deciding on the implementation of a feature is one of the main axes of this process. On the other hand, it will be much more difficult to decide on the implementation of the idea that came to your mind because you may often realize that you are wasting your time and as a result fail. There is also a common misconception: if you are not building, you are not making progress. You should not forget that this could actually be close to reality. As Apple is recent ad, campaign describes: "For every yes, there are 1,000 nos."Another challenge is when you are excited about a feature and have received great feedback from users, when the right feature to implement may not be available. Apple iPad was excited about the iPad when the prototype was made. Of course, on the other hand, the team was aware of its lack of readiness for the market. As a result, they released the iPhone first by putting the product back on the shelf. Because their patience and long-term thinking were of considerable value for both products. For this reason, it has become a success today.Usually, during each stage of a startup, a criterion is very important. On the other hand, a start-up in the early stages with a focus on growth may cause the focus of the start-ups in the next stage to maintain and earn. Therefore, determining the focus of your startup on the desired criterion helps to prioritize the right time to implement a feature. Among the features that will have a positive effect on this criterion, there are items for implementation.As a result, when faced with good features to implement, it will be important to wait for the product to reach the next stage.
Step 6: Build and run
Due to the golden age of design, users have high expectations from product offerings.If you do not have beautiful retina-optimized graphics, an expensive demo video, and a slick Google Glass-responsive website to back it up, chances are you are going to hear complaints.Therefore, it is necessary to avoid users until they are exposed to a strong signal. In other words, you should start seeing users return to the product when refinement, refinement, and growth become priorities.In addition, one of the important things during the discovery phase is to maintain a small sample size to enable rapid development. Supporting the smallest viable user base encourages the freedom to make drastic changes regularly, remove features, support only a few browsers, and deal with minimal customer support issues.