How to decide priority of the feature?

Greetings everyone,

From long been, I was thinking about few questions. For some one point of view, it might look very stupid and novice.

However, I thought to share with you all.

Here we go,

1) How product manager should cut the line between setting up the priority of the features? (ex. Line between MUST HAVE or SHOULD HAVE or NICE TO HAVE)? Now the catch is, while we develop MRD/PRD; few features have been recommended by customer, few from services, few are from engineering, few may be very newer and innovative ….how are we going to decide priority for each of these? and would set “X” priority?  and If “X” then why only “X” and not “Y”? (I know, its more situational and depends on customer demand and market conditions, but still is their any basics we can follow!)

2) Is their any generic strategy/criteria (Other than ROI), which we could apply while deciding up the priorities?

3) How are we handling/looking at the ROI of any feature we recommend as MUST HAVE?
4) And most importantly, What if feature we perceived as MUST HAVE is not being used by customer after actual release of product?
It indirectly means, our perception about feature was wrong! How to handle these differences?

Anyone would like to put up some thoughts on these !

Thanks,

-Yogesh

Must have features for product?

There was a discussion going on for “what are the MUST HAVE use would like to see in a mobile?

I felt I should write my thought process on this, here we go!

Let me clear one thing, I don’t have any feature suggestion, However I felt I should still share this thought process. 

I think, we should ask following questions to ourselves before we decide the MUST HAVES!

 ·         What’s the greatest thing user like about any mobile? In my opinion, one of the key factor user would be looking is  “USABILITY”! 

 ·         Why people were crazy about ‘i-phone’? or for that matter any product from apple?I think, USABILITY is very very important factor whenever we consider any product in “retail consumer” market.  

·         I have even seen people changing their mobile models but don’t change their mobile company? Why?  the most probable answer would be usability … the way they “USE FEATURES” 

·         Now looking at usability, again we can drill down with few more questions!

 ·         Can we know any customer who have used or currently using *ALL* features provided by a “Product”?

I bet, we would not find many :( Again in my opinion the key is, customer doesn’t use 100% of the feature provided by product. (If you have a customer, then I believe you/your product goes into luckiest list ;) 

·         Then next question comes, If we consider that 90 % of customer doesn’t uses “ALL” feature then what most likely feature they would use? 
 Or 
 ·         What’s “HOTTEST” feature they use? and why?  If we search the result, we might end up with 80/20  result!

It means 80 % of consumer uses “COMMON” 20 % of the features. and i think, that’s what are the MUST HAVE !  

·         Now If consider 20 % features, they might say, I can ‘write SMS easily/effectively”  now would you consider this as must have? ;)

If anyone has any other thought process or would like to criticize, please share your thoughts.

 -Yogesh

Product integration issues post merger or acquisition?

There was a survey done by ZIGZAG Marketing, which was based on common issues companies
experience following a merger or acquisition.

Here is the survey results, might help you.

-Yogesh

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ZIGZAG Marketing recently conducted a survey to uncover the most common issues companies experience following a merger or acquisition. Many of these issues have a direct impact on product management and product marketing. The survey was conducted in October 2007. Over 200 professionals at all levels responded to the survey. We’re pleased to present the results.

Post-Acquisition Survey Results

1. My company has been through a merger or acquisition

Within the last 6 months 34 %

6 months – 1 year 13 %
1 – 2 years 14 %

More than 2 years 39 %

2. Before the merger or acquisition was finalized:

Strategy & Operational Plans were finalized for the combined
companies 14 %

A strategy was completed but no operational plan 28 %

Only an operational plan was completed 15 %

Neither 43 %

3. Please rate the following post-merger/acquisition challenges from 1-8 with 1 being the most challenging:

1. Debates on technology platforms

2. Technical integration of products

3. Lack of consensus on target markets

4. Mixed marketing messages

5. Communicating across remote locations

6. Ineffective/divided sales force

7. Disagreement on product direction

8. Aligning people to support a new organization

9. Other

4. Now that you have the benefit of hindsight, what would you have done differently?

Most Popular Answers:
• Better planning and faster merge implementation
• Challenge people to align with strategy or leave
• Get a clearer operational plan in place along with a product direction.
• Better communication of strategic direction throughout the company
• More time planning & strategizing
• More emphasis on how to integrate (infrastructure & culture) of acquired businesses!
• More upfront planning, more aggressive cuts upfront
• Communication announcements weekly
• Push for a 3 year integration plan with milestones, accountability, and measurable results
• More face to face meetings, faster decisions on product platforms and sales territories. Celebrate and communicate early wins.
• Spent more time focusing on the right management
• Build better communications plans
• Ensure the target market and sales strategy was aligned from day 1
• Better planning and communications
• More effort to combine sales forces
• Leave the acquisition as a standalone business unit and NOT try to integrate each of its departments into the acquiring organization.
• Look at situation for what it was, not what it promised to be
• Read Who Moved My Cheese beforehand
• Integration of sales teams, clear market messages, operational plans, etc.
• More planning. Better communication with rank & file on company direction
• Should have left the company earlier

5. My role in the organization is:

Senior Executive – CXX, SVP 13 %

Senior Manager – VP, Director, Sr. Mgr 48 %

Manager 28 %

Engineer 2 %

Other Staff Professional 9 %

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Do visit this site for more information: http://www.zigzagmarketing.com/

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