6 Common Product Strategy Mistakes

Posted by Usman on November 9th, 2018

Credit by: http://brainstudioz.com

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 failure of the product 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 construction 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. The high speed of interruption can leave the companies upset. Creating roadmaps for future-oriented products and continuing to deliver existing commercial value is a delicate balancing act and, in many cases, companies can not adapt quickly enough. In addition, technological change is notoriously 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 create a convincing business case.

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 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.

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 must be composed of several people with different areas of expertise: product owners, product managers, developers, engineers, architects and UX / UI designers, among others.

4. Confusing innovation by value

The rush to incorporate innovation can, in fact, make development costs explode. The fact that it may include particular characteristics or functions does not mean that it should do so. The emerging technologies and capabilities can sometimes generate 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.

5. Ignore competitive threats

The viability of the market is fundamental for each product, and competitive threats will inevitably harm 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. 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.