How do you decide what features to include in a new product? The simple answer is to reduce to only the essentials. That’s a lot of what I write about here, so there are many methods, such as the 60 second deadline.
Portland-based site Shizzow has a set of rules that it uses to determine whether a new feature will be added. I had a chance to sit down for a Webmonkey Q&A with one of the founders, who shared the list with me.
- Simplicity
- Community
- Trust
If a new feature does not match all of those criteria, it doesn’t get added. This has helped a small team, all with other fulltime jobs, create a cool site with a feature-set that’s “just enough.”
Yes, I’m delighted that simplicity is one of their core requirements, but the balance of the list is what really makes it work. Rather than adding something to Shizzow just because it’s cool, the team needs to apply the feature to their ground rules.
A simple list like Shizzow’s can help you make good choices, avoid feature creep, and create a better, simpler product.
[Photo by Duncan Cumming]