How we decide which new features to add

We often get asked how we decide which features we add to @CapacitiesHQ. 🗺️

Here’s the answer. 👇

Very important: Every feature starts with a need or problem. There should never be a feature if it’s not solving a real problem. This cannot be stressed enough. Otherwise, you’re building a product with no real value and a lot of clutter.

We draw most feature inspiration from our community’s feedback and by using the product ourselves. This helps us identify problems and friction points that stop users from getting their work done. We sometimes joke that our community is our first employee: a rigorous tester, opinion consolidator, and key source of inspiration.

Feature requests and explicit product improvements can be added to our feedback board, voted and commented on by other users. We review and cluster all requests and analyze their importance. This helps us to get a better understanding of the different needs and problems of our users.

In long and intense discussions, we combine all requests, comments, and ideas with our intuition and vision for what Capacities should become. We always radically aim for usefulness and simplicity – Capacities should just work and help, nothing else.

When features are big and fundamental, we share proposals or plans in our community for feedback. This ensures that we constantly have our users at the table with us. We fine-tune and iterate until we find a draft that fits into the greater picture.

Then we start creating. After a first draft, we introduce an early version to a small, selected group of alpha testers. In intense and incredibly helpful discussions, we optimize the last 20% in a combined effort. We refine the feature by addressing issues, polishing details, and enhancing interactions.

After a feature is released to all users, it’s not done. We constantly improve, iterate, and measure how it fits into users’ workflows. Every feature is part of a continuous evolution of the overall product. We constantly strive to build a unified and consistent product – a beautiful environment to think and work in: a Studio for your Mind.