8 crucial prioritization decisions you’ll make when building a product
Prioritization is the skill that separates successful product builders from the pack. Time is money at a startup and working on the right thing is the difference between success and failure.
Here are 8 situations where product builders need to nail prioritization:
1️⃣ Picking the right idea to work on
People who say 'ideas are worthless' are wrong. The right idea creates natural demand by solving a burning problem. A shitty idea solves a mild inconvenience that nobody cares about and this is why most companies fail.
You will be rewarded in proportion to the size of the problem you solve. So prioritize solving a burning problem.
2️⃣ Writing your value proposition
Most products solve multiple problems. But trying to communicate multiple value propositions dilutes your message. The best product builders aren't vague when it comes to their value proposition. They know which problems they solve and communicate without the fluff.
You can't solve all the world’s problems. Prioritize a niche.
3️⃣ Gathering user feedback
Feedback can be overwhelming when it comes from many people and sources. Successful product builders have a process for organizing information, they know when to pay attention and when to say "no". They can cut through the noise to find what's meaningful.
You can't implement every piece of feedback you hear. Learn to distinguish good feedback from bad and prioritize listening to high-value users.
4️⃣ Planning your roadmap
Roadmaps focused on building features miss the point. Features should only be a means to an end and not the end itself. The best companies aren't focused on shipping shiny toys they're focused on providing real solutions to genuine problems.
Don't build what you think is cool. Prioritize building solutions with end-user impact.
5️⃣ Identifying user motivations
Product builders often unknowingly drift into serving multiple customer segments. But the best product builders can identify the segment with the strongest, most homogenous drivers of behaviour to focus on.
You can't serve everyone. Prioritize your strongest segment.
6️⃣ Managing internal input
Everyone working on the product needs to be focused on the same mission. The best product builders work on building a culture that surfaces the best ideas from their team while steering the ship in a clear direction.
No man is an island. Priorize collaborative leadership.
7️⃣ Building a content plan
Content is king 👑 but the best content marketers don't create for creation's sake. They are sympathetic to customer problems and offer upfront value via solution-focused content.
Don't be a shotgun, be a rifle. Priorize content that provides real value to users.
8️⃣ Digesting unexpected insights
After working at a company for a few years, it's easy to feel like you know it all. The best product builders remain open-minded. They iterate and reinvent by constantly watching for changes in user behavior.
Don't become complacent. Prioritize learning new things.
Over the last year, OpinionX has powered prioritization for hundreds of product builders at companies like Canva, Runtastic and Hotjar with our one of a kind stack ranking survey tool.
No more back-of-napkin calculations to try and figure out what's most important to work on.
We work with product builders around the world every day, helping them to validate their ideas, write better value propositions and prioritize their product roadmaps. Join our newsletter where we share what we learn along the way.