6 common mistakes of product strategy and how to avoid them
Mobile application development projects do not achieve
success in the market for many reasons: poor UX design, lack of originality,
inability to deliver value, among other reasons; but more often, the product
failure is attributed to a defective mobile application planning phase.
Quality mobile applications begin with the precise
identification of a particular user need that the product intends to address.
Proper planning clarifies the user's need and guides the development team
towards the creation of a successful mobile application. The preparation of a
product requirements document (PRD) will help the team avoid common mistakes in
the product strategy and is possibly the best starting point for a mobile
project.
Here is a list of six common mobile application planning
errors and useful tips to avoid them.
1. Taking too much time to start
Many mobile application projects simply take too much time
to start. High-speed interruption speed can cause companies to fight. Creating
roadmaps for future-oriented products and continuing to deliver existing
commercial value is a delicate balancing act and, in many cases, companies
cannot adapt quickly enough. In addition, technological change is very difficult
to predict, so it is difficult to convince stakeholders to invest in
development projects aimed at facing future scenarios.
The more time you feel with your idea, the harder it becomes
to define a functional and viable framework for development, as well as make a
convincing business case.
How to avoid it
One of the most difficult parts of the development process
is to start. To prevent the mobile application from running for a long time, it
is better to place all your high-level information, research and specifications
in a single document creating a PRD. With a PRD as the basis of your project,
you can clearly communicate technical feasibility, implementation plans, as
well as risk and change management strategies to all team members and
stakeholders. The correct planning of the mobile application has many benefits
and accelerates the process significantly by giving the product enough form to
begin prioritizing a set of features.
2. Confusing customer and product requirements
In the early stages of planning the product requirements,
the overview of the product tends to be unclear and it is difficult to
determine what features and functionalities are necessary to deliver the value
to the user. In the same way, it is not always easy to see the full range of
technical opportunities. It is up to the product team to guide the client
through the planning of the product requirements to discover the best possible
solution for the development.
A PRD document is used to translate your requests into
indisputable product specifications. Initial ideas tend to be imprecise and not
technical, and communication with your product team is essential. Without
proper communication, you may not be able to identify the various implications
of the characteristics on product performance.
How to avoid it
Weigh the requirements to build a good product based on your
product assumptions it is important to think critically about users'
assumptions, technical assumptions and business assumptions to obtain a better
understanding of the requirements necessary to achieve a successful outcome.
3. Processing requirements in a vacuum
The products are often complex, incorporating multiple
systems, subsystems and functionality; naturally, their requirements are also
complex. The product teams should be composed of several people with different
areas of expertise: product owners, product managers, developers, engineers,
architects and UX / UI designers, to name a few.
How to avoid it
Have your team (product owners and product managers,
designers, developers, etc.) participate in the strategy and conceptualization
of products. Agile methodology promotes an integrated approach, which means
that different members of your project team cooperate throughout the
development of the product; this includes the definition of the product.
4. Confusing Innovation for Value
The rush to incorporate innovation can, in fact, because
development costs explode. The fact that it may include particular
characteristics or functions does not mean that it should do so. Emerging
technologies and capabilities can sometimes create panic and trigger the
implementation of new requirements without thinking. Again, this scenario
emphasizes the importance of proper planning of the mobile application; a PRD
allows fewer errors between development transfers and serves as a reference to
determine the need for feature alteration.
How to avoid it
Stay focused on your product goals and remember that you are
designing a product for a specific user base. Does this feature or
functionality add an undeniable value to the end user? Is it essential for the
product? Do the benefits outweigh the cost / complexity of the implementation?
If the answer to these questions is no, you must exclude the function or add it
to the product roadmap for later execution.
5. Ignore competitive threats
The viability of the market is fundamental for each product,
and competitive threats will inevitably damage your development plans. Not only
do you need to continuously monitor your competition, but you must also be
aware of emerging trends and technologies.
Sometimes, your competitors will launch products that
compete with yours with characteristics too similar for your comfort. In these
situations, your team may have to pivot. Once again, a PRD will be indispensable
for these moments because you will have already thought about and documented
alternative solutions for particular characteristics that fit the scope and
budget of your project.
How to avoid it
Industry research and competition is a mandatory part of
your product strategy.
What does your competition offer?
How will your product be different?
What needs and problems does your product solve that other
products cannot?
Have you considered industry trends and competitive
developments that could or will threaten the success of your product?
Failure to address these questions can reduce your ability
to bring a useful and useful mobile application to market. It is important to
understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competition, so you can
differentiate your product. With competitive research, you can define the
unique value proposition of your product and optimize the value of the user's
lifetime over time.
6. Do not prioritize Must-Haves vs. Nice-to-have
You will not be able to implement all the functions in the
first version of your product. It is essential to determine which main function
is the most appropriate to resolve the central pain point of its users and
bring that solution to the market first. Without clear communication, it is
difficult to determine which characteristics are essential and which are
enjoyable to have.
How to avoid it
Have a classification system to prioritize characteristics.
Coordinate with your project team to determine which features are critical to
include, compared to the features that your product may initially dispense
with.
While thorough planning of product requirements does not
automatically equate to market success, it offers a greater opportunity for
your mobile application. By avoiding the product strategy errors mentioned
above, you can provide our team with the necessary foundation to enter the
market successfully.
