8 Steps to avoid feature creep

Steps to avoid feature creep

1. Create a list of features for the planned product version.
   • Some people call this a specification.
   • You know you can ship when the planned features are implemented and tested.
2. Get product stakeholders approval on specified features before implementation begins.
   • The agreement on specified features helps everybody (developers, testers, sales, marketing, customers) know what the product is supposed to do when it’s done.
3. Create a feature wish-list to collect suggested future features.
   • The key to avoiding feature creep is to prevent the features from sneaking into the existing product specification.
4. Implement only the features that were agreed on for a planned product version.
   • Even though it’s tempting to include little features, DON’T DO IT.
   • Once you let a feature sneak in through the back door, they’ll bring their friends.
   • Before you know it, the product will be over-time, over-budget, and out of control.
5. Add new feature suggestions to the feature wish-list.
   • The most important thing to avoid is a product mutation.
6. Ship the intended product version
   • If you stay focused, the intended product version will be released, then you can add new features
7. Evaluate the feasibility of suggested features
   • Some features might be “pie in the sky,” and might not be worth the time and effort.
   • Other feature requests are “no brainers,” everybody sees the added value, it just makes sense to make the effort.
8. Repeat steps 1 through 7

Questions:

• Does this mean that you ignore new feature requests until a product has been released?
• If a new feature is essential to the success of a product then what do you do?

Notes:

• Be very careful when considering the addition of any new features.
• Any time you are adding a feature to a planned project you should modify the product version to reflect the fact that it has been changed.
• Any change should require stakeholder approval to ensure everyone understands the updated specifications of the product.

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