How do you prioritize competing features?

Question

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Once we have a list of features from the stakeholders, we need to stack rank
them as per priority to implement them in a phased manner. This is decided by
following various frameworks but not limited to MOSCOW, RICE etc. But
essentially it boils down to effort or cost vs impact. How much we have to spend
and what is the impact. We also need to review competition, market trend, user
interview etc to see how those features suit their needs and how they are
aligned to company goal, strategies and vision.

Anonymous · Answer

When prioritizing competing features for Duolingo, I'd start by diving deep into
our user data and feedback. What are language learners struggling with most?
Where do we see drop-offs in engagement? I'd look at metrics like daily active
users, lesson completion rates, and user retention across different features.
Next, I'd align potential features with Duolingo's core mission of making
language learning accessible and effective. Does a feature significantly improve
learning outcomes or make the experience more engaging? How does it fit into our
gamification model?
I'd also consider our business goals. While Duolingo's core app is free, we need
to balance features that drive user growth with those that might convert free
users to premium subscribers.
Resource constraints are crucial too. I'd work closely with our engineering team
to understand the complexity and development time for each feature. A quick win
that takes a week to implement might take priority over a more impactful feature
that requires months of work.
To systematically evaluate features, I might use a framework like RICE (Reach,
Impact, Confidence, Effort) scoring. This helps quantify our assessment and
makes the prioritization process more objective.
Importantly, I'd ensure we're balancing short-term improvements with our
long-term vision. For instance, a feature introducing more speaking exercises
might be a bigger effort but could dramatically improve learning outcomes and
differentiate us from competitors.
Finally, I'd emphasize an iterative approach. We could release features as A/B
tests to a subset of users, gather data on their impact, and refine our
priorities based on real-world performance.
Throughout this process, I'd collaborate closely with our cross-functional teams
- from curriculum experts to UI designers - to ensure we're considering all
perspectives and creating the best possible learning experience for our users

How do you prioritize competing features?

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