We’ve described how to use product hypotheses to measure the value of what a scrum team has built. We’ve also explored how to test product hypotheses more quickly by only building a minimum viable product (MVP). Now let’s look at ways to test those product hypotheses before the scrum team builds anything, using product discovery techniques.
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A previous article described how a scrum team could measure the value delivered by completed product backlog items. The approach is based on creating a product hypothesis for each item, describing how the value will be measured. By implementing an item (user story) and then measuring the results, the team is conducting an experiment to validate their beliefs about the value of the item.

A minimal viable product (MVP) allows us to implement less than the full feature, and still gather data about how valuable users find it. While an MVP is often used to test an entire product idea, the approach can also be used to test new feature areas of an existing product. An MVP is a simple implementation that allows us to gather real data from our users. Read the full article…

A scrum team’s product owner and stakeholders believe that each item in the team’s product backlog is valuable and should be built. There is evidence that suggests that these beliefs are often incorrect. According to a 2019 study, 80 percent of features in the average software product are rarely or never used.

Sadly, most teams never measure the value of what they create, and thus they continue to invest in building those aspects that aren’t delivering value. Measuring value allows the product owner to direct the team’s focus toward the 20 percent of features that hold most of the value. Read the full article…

A user persona is a fictional character that represents a real group of product stakeholders, most often a market segment of end users or customers. A persona is generally based on user research and incorporates the needs, goals, and observed behavior patterns of the stakeholders represented by that persona. User personas can help a product owner communicate more effectively with their scrum team and the team’s stakeholders.

Here’s how to create a persona to represent a group of users, customers, or other stakeholders of your team’s product. Read the full article…