(a PDF)

DL Mon 15.11, 23:59

THE OBJECTIVE

The objective is to define user’s needs for an existing product and translate these to a new feature. 

THE ASSIGNMENT

The assignment links the concepts of the week to one possible work flow associated with connecting the insights on customer value to product development, using a tool, job-to-be-done -framework. This assignment consists of 1) defining user problem, target segment and its need for a feature using Job-to-be-done framework, 2) forming high level definition of user experience, and 3) reporting the results.

WHAT IS A FEATURE? 

Product (or service) is typically seen as an entity that has enough functionality to be valuable to user. In contrasts, a feature is not a stand-alone product but a characteristic or additional functionality in an existing product. In terms of JTBD, a product is something that can help user to do the job that needs to be done. A new feature can expand what jobs (and how) a user can achieve with the product. Therefore, a new feature can build more value for the existing users or to capture new user segments. Features can also build differentiation in terms of competition.

In product management, “Feature work” are the PM's efforts that aim to create and capture value by extending a product's functionality and markets into incremental and adjacent areas. 

THE TASK IN STEPS

Part 1: Define the job, feature, and its potential value

1. Choose your case and define the user’s problem: Pickyour case using the following steps:
1. Choose an existing app that you either use regularly or know that other people use.
2. Identify competing apps that seem to cater for the same need. Consider why this category of apps exists. What are the users’ goals when they use these apps?
3. Narrow down the scope of different goals by selecting a target segment. Choose a segment that you think is a core segment for your chosen case app (or alternatively, a new segment)[i]
2. Define the user problem:Use Job-to-be-done -framework to specify what are the needs and goals of the user (of the selected segment). Find people who are part of the defined segment, and validate the existence of the user problem and how people solve the problem currently (with or without an app).
   If it seems hard to form a crisp JTBD-description, consider narrowing down the target segment. 
3. Define the needed feature and its value proposition: Based on the JTBD-results, define a new feature that is needed for the users’ job. Describe the benefit of the feature you propose in 1-2 sentences. Make sure you cover the following aspects:

Part 2: Define and (plan how to) validate user experience

1. Describe the user experience: The (high level) user experience should describe the following:
• User story: The format to use for user story: As a < type of user >, I want < some goal > so that < some reason >
• Description: What does the feature do? What are the entry points for the user to this feature? How does the feature interact with other areas of the product?
• Other requirements: Other requirements may be related to functional aspects like security, quality etc.
2. Plan the validation: Identify the assumption that you’ve made when designing the feature. List the ones that you consider to be the riskiest in terms of your solution becoming successful. Translate these assumptions into hypotheses that you could test with the validation. Chart out the next steps for validating the assumptions and testing the related hypotheses. 
   
3. Pro-version:Find one or more people who belong in the target segment and test your hypotheses. 
   

 Part 3: Report the results

1. Present the results: The reporting should provide an argument why solving the problem matters, and how it should be done in terms of augmenting the case app with a new feature. Use reporting that details the aspects of your solutions visually. Your visualizations should present:
   
• The user’s problem and JTBD (with definition of user segment), and the related need for the feature (and naturally the app you’ve chosen).
• Definition of user experience with user story, feature description and other requirements. 
• Also, relate the validations you’ve made to the respective points in part 1 and 2.
2. Return as a single pdf-file:  Report the above either on a single page or two separate pages (according to the points above). Detail the sources and validations on the last page. Total length is therefore 2-3 pages.