Feature requests usually come in the form of feedback from your stakeholders which could be your customers or your team members who are primarily using your product.
You have launched a product and users are using it. However, you will be driving a car without a steering wheel, if you do not have a system to track feature requests for your product.
Feature requests are the essence of what drives a product forward and form a direct connection between a product & its users. Every Product leader has some kind of feature request tracking system in place to ensure that all ideas & suggestions are brought into one place and analyzed before starting the next build phase.
The 3 types of Feature Requests:
When analyzing feature requests, broadly we categorize them into three major categories:
New Product Suggestions: When using a particular product customers may have new ideas related to the product that can improve their user experience or add more value to their existing system.
Product Improvements: Customers who are the primary users of the product may have suggestions that could improve an existing feature or functionality or reduce friction. For example, a customer trying to purchase an item may want additional suggestions related to his cart items so that he doesn’t have to go back and can instantly add those items to the cart and check out.
Bug Reports: Bug reports are common problems that the user may experience while using your product. This could be a hindrance in his journey and sometimes may prevent him/her from completing his journey. As such he can submit feedback[ in the form of a bug report] asking for the application to be fixed.
Whatever the type of feedback may be, if there isn’t a coherent way of tracking these feature requests, feedback would slip through the cracks leading to a poor customer experience and a higher churn.
What should you see when selecting a feature request management software
When selecting a feature request tracking software, make sure it ticks at least 4 of the following characteristics
Easy to use- The application should be easy to use and easy to onboard. Bulky software can take unnecessary time in integrations & onboarding which can distract you from getting the real value of the tool.
Collect & track feature requests in a central place - The tool should be a single source of truth for all your feature requests. It should be able to collect & track feature requests from your major communication & support channels like emails & support widgets.
Analyze & Prioritisation- You should be able to analyze all the incoming feature requests and prioritize basis user segments & impact.
Engagement & voting for users- Users should be able to submit and view other feature requests. Voting on the most desired features will help prioritize better.
Keep users updated with future Roadmap plans- You should be able to communicate with your users on the status of their requests submitted with Roadmaps and notifications.
Communicate users of Releases- The feedback loop should be closed by notifying users of all product releases which will enable them to use their requested service.
Facilitate collaboration- Collaboration across projects & team members is a great feature if you have feedback coming from multiple projects and have several team members working across.
Productlogz is a feature request tracking tool that helps you easily submit & track feature requests from your users. It helps you keep your users updated & notified on your future Roadmap plans and product releases.
Pros:
It has an easy-to-use UI with all the features & functionalities needed to track & manage feature requests. Additionally it also helps you gather user insights through in-app surveys and helps you close the feedback loop with product roadmap plans & release notes.
You can create customized boards to categorize and organize feedback, allowing teams to easily prioritize and address specific areas of improvement.
It is one of the most cost-effective & affordable solutions with team plans starting at only 29$
It enables collaboration & you can work across projects along with team members
Its unique rewards features motivate user engagement on the platform and also help build loyal users.
It can seamlessly integrate with major third-party support & project management tools like jira.
You can also see in-depth insights into feedback trends and user preferences with its powerful reporting & analytics capabilities
Cons:
It’s relatively new with all many new features being built. But with feature parity with all high-end products in an affordable pricing structure and with best-in-class support & service, Productlogz is one to look out for
Trello
Trello, is a project management tool that helps streamline feature request tracking and feedback management through customizable Kanban boards.
Trello's Kanban board of tracking feature requests
Pros:
User-Friendly Interface: Trello's intuitive and visually appealing interface makes it easy for users to provide feedback and submit feature requests without a steep learning curve.
Customizable Boards: Users can create customized boards to categorize and organize feedback, allowing teams to easily prioritize and address specific areas of improvement.
Collaboration and Communication: Trello facilitates collaboration among team members by providing a platform for discussions, file attachments, and real-time updates on feedback and feature requests.
Integration Capabilities: Trello integrates seamlessly with various third-party tools and applications, enabling teams to connect it with their existing workflow and enhance functionality.
Mobile Accessibility: With mobile apps for iOS and Android, Trello allows users to provide feedback and track feature requests on the go, promoting accessibility and flexibility.
Cons:
Limited Reporting and Analytics: Trello's native reporting and analytics capabilities are somewhat limited, which may pose challenges for teams seeking in-depth insights into feedback trends and user preferences.
Scalability Concerns: As the volume of feedback and feature requests grows, managing large amounts of data in Trello might become challenging, especially for bigger organizations with extensive user bases.
Limited Security Features: Trello may not be the ideal choice for handling sensitive information due to potential security concerns. Teams dealing with highly confidential data may need to consider more secure alternatives.
Cost Considerations: While Trello offers a free version, advanced features and increased storage come with a cost. For organizations with budget constraints, evaluating the overall cost-effectiveness of Trello as a feedback management tool is crucial.
UserVoice
UserVoice is a feature request management tool that enables businesses to gather and analyze customer feedback. The platform streamlines communication between customer-facing and product teams, ensuring transparency.
Uservoice showing its recent idea activity on the board
Pros:
Informed Decision-Making: UserVoice helps businesses gather and analyze customer feedback, aiding informed decisions on improvements or changes.
Feedback Loop Creation: The forum software with roadmap functionality creates a feedback loop, ensuring ongoing communication with customers.
Streamlined Communication: UserVoice enhances communication between customer-facing and product teams, consolidating feedback for improved transparency.
Customer Insights: The platform allows product teams to understand customer feature requests, importance, and segmentation, aiding alignment with business goals.
Cons:
Outdated Interface: Built in 2008, UserVoice's interface is dated, making simple tasks challenging and contributing to a steep learning curve.
Costly Option: With pricing starting from $799 per month, UserVoice is relatively expensive compared to alternatives.
Time-Consuming Onboarding: Onboarding is complex, demanding significant time and effort to understand functionality, complete setup, and collect user feedback.
Learning Curve: The platform's complexities make it challenging for users, requiring substantial learning to navigate effectively and maximize its capabilities.
Canny
Canny is feedback management software that provides an intuitive platform for collecting, organizing, and tracking user feedback. With features like public feedback boards and automated notifications, it promotes transparency and engagement, while seamless integrations enhance collaboration for effective feedback management.
A company using Canny as its Feedback Board
Pros:
User-Friendly Interface: Canny offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for customers and teams to submit and track feature requests.
Public Feedback Boards: The tool allows for the creation of public feedback boards, fostering transparency and engagement with the user community.
Automated Notifications: Canny automates the notification process, keeping users informed about the status of their feature requests, which enhances communication.
Integration Capabilities: It seamlessly integrates with various project management and communication tools, streamlining workflows and collaboration.
Cons:
It has a generous free plan.
Cons:
Team plans are very expensive: It’s team plans with integrations & custom domains are very expensive. Software is bulky to use.
Limited Customization: Canny may lack some advanced customization options, limiting the ability to tailor the tool to specific organizational needs.
Basic Reporting Features: While it provides reporting features, they may be considered basic compared to more advanced analytics tools, limiting in-depth insights.
Scaling Challenges: As the volume of feedback increases, managing and prioritizing feature requests may become challenging for larger organizations.
Dependency on Third-Party Integrations: Certain advanced features may rely on third-party integrations, which could result in additional costs and potential
Productboard
Productboard is a product management platform, offering visual roadmaps for effective planning. The tool supports customizable workflows, integrates seamlessly with project management tools, and provides detailed analytics.
Pros:
Visual Roadmap: ProductBoard provides a visually intuitive roadmap, helping teams prioritize and plan feature development effectively.
User-Centric Approach: The tool focuses on understanding user needs, allowing teams to align feature requests with customer priorities and business goals.
Customizable Workflows: ProductBoard offers flexible workflows, accommodating various product development processes and adapting to team preferences.
Integration Capabilities: The tool seamlessly integrates with popular project management and communication tools, enhancing collaboration and workflow efficiency.
Cons:
Learning Curve: Users may face a learning curve to fully grasp the tool's extensive features and functionalities.
Costly: ProductBoard's pricing can be relatively high, making it less budget-friendly for smaller businesses or startups.
Dependency on Integrations: While it integrates well with other tools, some advanced features may require additional integrations, adding complexity.
Limited Reporting Options: Some users may find the reporting and analytics features somewhat limited compared to more specialized analytics tools.
Using Productlogz for tracking Feature requests
In 2024, ProductLogz emerges as an exceptionally effective feature request tracking tool.
Its user-friendly interface and robust functionalities empower users to effortlessly submit and track feature requests, supplemented by in-app surveys for valuable insights.
The tool's customization options and collaborative features facilitate efficient team workflows, while its integration capabilities seamlessly connect with major third-party support and project management tools.
With a compelling pricing structure starting at $29, ProductLogz is both cost-effective and engaging, incorporating unique rewards features to drive user loyalty.
Despite its relative newness, the tool ensures feature parity with high-end products and distinguishes itself through outstanding support and service, making it a standout choice for teams seeking an efficient, budget-friendly solution in 2024.
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Priyanka
October 7, 2024
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5 min read
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