Chapter 13. The Feature Playbook

Testing Your Features Using a Usability Study

We believe that [type of customers] will be successful solving [problem] using [feature] while doing [job-to-be-done].

We will know they were successful when we see [criteria].

This playbook is organized into three sections that align with the Customer-Driven Cadence:

Formulating
  • Formulate your “must have” benefits into features that can be tested with customers.

  • Fully articulate Feature hypotheses with measurable criteria.

  • Create tasks that represent the expected workflow.

  • Generate a Discussion Guide for walking customers through your usability study and asking them questions about their experience.

Experimenting
  • Prepare for your usability study.

  • Test features with customers using prototypes (clickable mockups).

  • Debrief after the usability study and discuss what you’ve learned.

Sensemaking
  • Use a structured method to derive patterns and meaning from the results of your usability study.

  • Share your insights with your organization.

Formulating

Formulating Benefits into Features

During the Concept stage, you validated that you were solving the problem in a way that customers found valuable—determining that you were in fact building the right thing.

In the Feature stage, you’ll turn the concept benefits into a collection of features to deliver on the minimum viable product (MVP)—testing that you’re building the concept the right way.

1. Select your “must have” concept benefits.

  1. Return to your evidence file where ...

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