Product development

Develop a product. You can start with market research and brainstorming and end up with a product...

Sessions
11
Steps
31
Last edited
Feb 12, 2026
Created by
Nova

About this process

You can start with market research and brainstorming and end up with a product roadmap. You'll find all the sessions you need to complete in this workflow to develop a product, find a solution to a problem, or create a new feature - while unleashing your team's superpowers. The workflow includes: Wall of ideas: Gather ideas, requirements, and feedback and determine which are the best ideas following a simple method. Lead user research interviews or other sessions to understand your users' pain points. Using these two templates, you can see what your competitors are doing. Ask your team for "success advice" to mitigate risks. Organize brainstorming sessions and discussions on as many whiteboards as needed. During a meeting, discuss your product roadmap and move that to your project management tool. This workflow is good for digital products.

Sessions at a glance
#SessionSteps
01The idea wall202Preparation 00 - User research403Preparation 01 - User research interview (optional)704User interview board205Understand your competitors306Competitive analysis - Feature Comp307Idea / Risk box508Brainstorming/Wireframe wall009Project/Sprint Roadmap (discussion meeting)310Idea/design development wall011Metrics(KPI)2

The process in detail

11 sessions · 31 steps
01

The idea wall

2 steps

Use this wall to gather ideas, requirements, and feedback and evaluate which are the best ideas and when is the best time to do them. Before you evaluate all these ideas - describe the problem. Ask yourself "What's the problem?" Ensure you find a solution to the problem. What is the problem? What's your objective? Start typing here...

  1. 1

    Include all the ideas/ features on the board

  2. 2

    Discuss your idea using the four quadrants

Read the full text
1. Include all the ideas/ features on the board

Everyone can start adding features and product ideas to the board by using sticky notes. Everyone will place those sticky notes based on their own judgment. (The prioritization will be discussed later) Make sure you add the source of the feature/idea (i.e. does the feature idea originate from a competitor or client request?), as well as the problem the feature solves. Source of feature/idea Keep track of the origin of each idea by changing the color of the sticky note. Employees** - yellow Metrics**(Ideas come from metrics) - green Users feedback** - pink Emails and Social media** - dark blue User/Potential request** - red

Work on the whiteboardBoard
2. Discuss your idea using the four quadrants

Make sure you discuss how important that feature or idea is. Place the sticky note on one of these quadrants: Critical:** The must-have. Non-negotiable. We absolutely need this or the user will not be able to use/understand/buy our product/service/idea. Sometimes design changes can be included here if it is affecting the user's perspective. High:** The high-value features and ideas. The user will be able to reach their objective and the product/idea will still work but adding these additional features could improve their experience, users could pay more for the same product/service or increase their likelihood of converting into paying customers. Low:** Small impact features and ideas. Ideas and features that aren't necessary but adding them to the product/service will have a small positive impact. Usually not adding these features or ideas will have zero negative effects. Ask yourself: what would happen if our team decides to move forward without adding this feature? If the answer is "nothing" or the negative effects are small this feature or idea belongs here or inside the "indifferent" quadrant. Indifferent**: Customers don't care about it. (Avoid)

Work on the whiteboardBoard
Board
  • C.H.L.I. FEATURE PRIORITIZATION
  • CRITICAL
  • HIGH
  • The must-have. Non-negotiable. We absolutely need this or the user will not be able to use/understand/buy our product/service/idea. Sometimes design changes can be included here if is affecting the user's perspective.
  • The high-value features and ideas. The user will be able to reach their objective and the product/idea will still work but adding these additional features could improve their experience, users could pay more for the same product/service or increase their likelihood of converting into paying customers
  • This is a sticky note.
  • Idea Name Description Problem feature/idea solves
  • This is a sticky note.
  • Small impact features and ideas. Ideas and features that aren't necessary but adding them to the product/service will have a small positive impact. Usually not adding these features or ideas will have zero negative effects. Ask yourself: what would happen if our team decides to move forward without adding this feature? If the answer is "nothing" or the negative effects are small this feature or idea belongs here or inside the "indifferent" quadrant.
  • Customers don't care about it. Avoid or review later. Sometimes these ideas or features are not a priority for this specific time frame but become important in a near future.
  • LOW
  • INDIFFERENT
02

Preparation 00 - User research

4 steps
  1. 1

    What is your hypothesis?

  2. 2

    During these research sessions, what do you hope to accomplish? What does success mean to you?

  3. 3

    What research methodology and channel would you use?

  4. 4

    Add additional details here.

Read the full text
1. What is your hypothesis?
Write a note
2. During these research sessions, what do you hope to accomplish? What does success mean to you?
Write a note
3. What research methodology and channel would you use?
Choose one
  • Secondary research.
  • Data analytics
  • Primary research: Customer interviews/Calls
  • Primary research: Customer interview using the Card sort method (or similar)
  • Primary research: Survey or similar
  • Primary research: Love letter method
  • Others
4. Add additional details here.
Write a note
03

Preparation 01 - User research interview (optional)

7 steps
  1. 1

    What is the objective?

  2. 2

    Create a list of things you are going to need during the interview.

  3. 3

    Prepare the introduction

  4. 4

    Prepare the questions

  5. 5

    Prepare the process

  6. 6

    During the user interviews

  7. 7

    Analysis and Findings

Read the full text
1. What is the objective?

Define your design challenge/ product challenge or problem you are trying to solve. Define your goals.

Write a note
2. Create a list of things you are going to need during the interview.

For example: Create a Card deck to guide the conversation. Provide Pictures and add them to the board Zoom or Skype call (videorecording) Email invitation Prepare the introduction, questions and the thank you message Gift Card - The Interviews rely on the user giving their opinions, recalling events, and discussing them. If the event is hard to explain or recall use card decks or images to help the user remember.

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
3. Prepare the introduction

Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is to ...

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
4. Prepare the questions

Create a list of general questions. We have a few categories on the board based on the purpose of the questions. Add additional categories if you need them.

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
5. Prepare the process

Add all your questions on a timeline.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/d7E9wjeMERHjQZiDJJixFCg-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.48.46 PM.png

Add alternative questions. Add your assumptions. Use the empathy board to understand your user and create these assumptions.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/KQA8A9BREjfTkqbjQPFGYpS-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.50.43 PM.png

Work on the whiteboardUser Research Interviews Prep Board
6. During the user interviews

Follow the process and the questions during the interview. During or after the interview add the notes to the board. Compare those notes with your assumptions. Provide a link to the video for future references. For multiple interviews add their name or use different sticky note colors. Show some empathy by asking related questions.

https://nova-labs-1.s3.amazonaws.com/pub/vSfRvGPPTtyGumNnajvyNx2-Screen Shot 2020-04-03 at 12.51.53 PM.png

Important tips: Don't make assumptions. Ask the user and challenge yourself on those assumptions. Make sure you take notes. You need to write down exactly how each person talks and says things. Do not take notes using your own words or a representation of what you think they mean. Observe their behavior and micromovements. Take notes of facial movements, pauses, etc

Write a note
7. Analysis and Findings

You can open the board to discuss and analyze findings with your team. Once everyone is happy with the analysis you can move forward and share your highlight and key insights here. Keep in mind that User Research Interviews are not used for product testing. these interviews will help you know whether people believe they would use a design or idea. The Interviews rely on the user giving their opinions, recalling events, and discussing them.

Write a note
User Research Interviews Prep Board
  • Guidelines & Tips
  • Questions: The Process
  • Introduction
  • Questions List
  • Create a process to start to finish from the introduction all the way to the tank you message.
  • General Guidelines Ask open-ended questions and avoid questions that can be answered yes or no. Be prepared for the interview and have a few questions or alternative conversation points to guide the interview in the right direction when this one takes side jumps. Do not ask questions like: Do you think it is important to have insurance? Do you want "X" functionality?
  • Prepare your question and additional ones to look for tensions, to uncover insights about personal values, etc
  • Prepare the introduction. During the introduction, you will introduce yourself and your team. Here is an example: Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is [TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY YOU MAKE CERTAIN DECICION...]. This is important for our team because we would like to have meaningful insights to better inspire our team to develop a good solution. We want to hear your experience and thoughts and there are no right or wrong answers, we just ask for your sincere feedback. Your answers will be private and even we are not able to provide too much information now we are happy to provide you with more context afterward.
  • Questions to uncover values and personal habits
  • These questions are a good start but do not ask too many of these questions. Mix these questions with non-personal questions. Example: Start with: What is your Name? Where are you located? Where do you work and what is your role there? Walk me through your day to day life after work? Walk me through your morning routine?
  • Question
  • Question 1
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Hi, my name is [ NAME ] and this is [ NAME ]! As explained during our [EMAIL, PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS] we are conducting research about [BUYING BEHAVIOURS, CLEANING BEHAVIOURS, etc]. The purpose of this research is [TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY YOU MAKE CERTAIN DECICION...].
  • Question
  • Tasks
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • Assumptions + answers + observations
  • This is a sticky-note! Add your observations here.
  • This is a sticky-note! Add your introduction here!
  • Open-ended questions
  • Encourage people to tell you a story by asking questions like: What was challenging for you? Why do you think that happened? Tell me a story about the last time you ...? Walk me through the process ... Share with me ... How do you feel ... Do you remember the last time ... What did you do with ...? That is interesting! Tell more about ... (repeat their own word)
  • Thank you
  • Thank you for this conversation and for your time. We've taken great notes on your valuable input and feedback which will help our team design the next [ Product, Product experience, etc ]
  • Dig deeper and find tensions and uncover insightful information
  • Encourage people to tell you a story by asking questions like: What was surprising about ... or " I imagine that was a surprise for you..." What is contradictory? Why? what is the reason behind that?
04

User interview board

2 steps
  1. 1

    Collect insights.

  2. 2

    Analyze results and add insights to the highlights and conclusion section.

Read the full text
1. Collect insights.

During the interview or phone call, keep this board open or take notes. Add one insight per sticky notes. Evaluate how people feel and their emotions. Do they sound excited? Are they confused?

2. Analyze results and add insights to the highlights and conclusion section.
Work on the whiteboardInterview Dialogue Whiteboard
Interview Dialogue Whiteboard
  • Neutral
  • Bad experience
  • Positive
  • Extraordinary experience (excitement)
  • Not working
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • HIGHLIGHTS & NOTES
  • Answer
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
  • Question
05

Understand your competitors

3 steps

Undertand your competitors.

  1. 1

    Add your competitors to the board.

  2. 2

    Competitors analysis.

  3. 3

    Comments and thoughts

Read the full text
1. Add your competitors to the board.

Add your direct competitor in the red column and substitute competitors inside the black and grey columns.

•Direct competitors (key competitors): They have the same target market and the same solution. Make sure you are not losing too many users/customers because of them.
•Potential competitors: Direct target market and/or a different product.
•Substitute competitor: Don't solve the same problem and/or same target market. They often can be used as a substitute.
Work on the whiteboardCompetitive Features
2. Competitors analysis.

Follow our 5 dimensions to understand and evaluate your competitors. Product core Size of the user base Design Brand Speed How to monitor your competitors? Go to websites like crunchbase.com and keep track of their funding and the amount of money they have to hire people, invest in marketing, etc. Acquisition and partnership:** Companies they are buying or partnering with. New features:** Go to mention.com , follow your competitors on Angelist, _LinkedIn_, and social media and use google alerts to get notified when new search results are available.

Work on the whiteboardCompetitive Features
3. Comments and thoughts

Add any final thoughts on what this means for your competitive advantage and how you might move forward based on areas of low or high ratings.

Write a note
Competitive Features
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • This is a sticky note. Add sticky notes or text boxes.
  • Who is in charge of making the product? Who is the team?
  • How many users do they have? Market size.
  • Is their solution easy to use? Is their solution beautiful?
  • Perception people have of you. Level of customer loyalty and brand sentiment.
  • How quickly can you launch your new solution or feature? How agile is your team?
06

Competitive analysis - Feature Comp

3 steps
  1. 1

    Add competitor products and features to the board

  2. 2

    Discuss and evaluate each feature

  3. 3

    Comments and thoughts

Read the full text
1. Add competitor products and features to the board

Add competitor products as well as their core features.

Work on the whiteboardCompetitive Features
2. Discuss and evaluate each feature

You will use a 1 to 5 scale to evaluate each feature. Where:

👎1 = Bad implementation and design 👍5 = Great usability, design and implementation

Work on the whiteboardCompetitive Features
3. Comments and thoughts

Add any final thoughts on what this means for your competitive advantage and how you might move forward based on areas of low or high ratings.

Write a note
Competitive Features
  • NOW
  • 1 YEAR
  • 2-3 YEARS
  • 5 YEARS
  • [PRODUCT] COMPETITOR
  • [PRODUCT] COMPETITOR
  • [PRODUCT] COMPETITOR
  • [PRODUCT] COMPETITOR
  • [PRODUCT] COMPETITOR
  • FEATURES OR SERVICES
  • 2
  • 3
  • 3
  • 3
  • [FEATURE] or [SERVICE]
  • 2
  • 1
  • 2
  • 1
  • 3
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 4
  • 5
  • 3
  • 4
  • 2
  • 5
  • 3
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 3
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 2
  • 0
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 1
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • [FEATURE]
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • 2
  • VALUE PROPOSITION
  • Their product helps (customer segment) who want ( job-to-be-done) by... unlike...
  • Our product helps (customer segment) who want ( job-to-be-done) by... unlike...
  • PRICE
  • $$$
  • $$$
  • $$$
  • $$$
  • $$$
  • Our pricing...
07

Idea / Risk box

5 steps

🖐What problem are your solving? Describe the problem/objective here!

  1. 1

    What's your current hypothesis?

  2. 2

    Describe the idea or add a document here.

  3. 3

    For the idea to be successful, the following must be true...

  4. 4

    The riskiest assumptions.

  5. 5

    Minimum criteria for success (MCS)

Read the full text
1. What's your current hypothesis?
Write a note
2. Describe the idea or add a document here.
Write a note
3. For the idea to be successful, the following must be true...

This step should be done by everyone in the team. What will each member of the team need? How do they think this idea will succeed or why do they think it will fail?

Write a note
4. The riskiest assumptions.

What are you assuming would jeopardize the project or waste everyone's time? How can you mitigate this risk?

Write a note
5. Minimum criteria for success (MCS)

Include a description and some metrics.

Write a note
08

Brainstorming/Wireframe wall

09

Project/Sprint Roadmap (discussion meeting)

3 steps

Invite your team to a 1-2h meeting and discuss your product roadmap.

  1. 1

    Prepare your product roadmap.

  2. 2

    Goals, items and/or features.

  3. 3

    Discussing priorities.

Read the full text
1. Prepare your product roadmap.

Define your values; these will be the two main criteria you use to evaluate priorities. For example, some organizations divide their roadmap based on things that can directly affect 🤑revenue versus those that provide value to the user and improve their perception of your solution or business.❤️

In this example, the top two rows are created for revenue generation. You will add anything that could help revenue to the top line, and items that may improve revenue on a smaller scale or indirectly to one of the lower lines. Essentially, you are organizing tasks with the highest impact on revenue at the top.

Below that, you have value. Here, you have three rows for activities or features that can help improve user value. Similar to the revenue section, anything that significantly impacts the value you provide to the user and enhances competitiveness goes at the top. Less impactful items are placed lower.

Finally, at the bottom, you have maintenance and process-oriented tasks. Of course, you can change these key values to effectively visualize what you are trying to improve in your roadmap.

You could also have categories like this:

Example 1:

•Webstore
•Help desk
•Infrastructure

Example 2:

•Marketing
•Sales
•Product

Only one person in the team needs to prepare the board.

👉Additionally you can add milestones or key objectives.

2. Goals, items and/or features.

Goal and features are the "what" — the "how" is what your development team will determine. Identify the specific features that best support your strategy and vision.

3. Discussing priorities.

🔥The hardest part about discussing your roadmap and deciding on priorities is that there are often so many things you could do, but time is limited. Using a good structure to discuss priorities helps you visualize what you should keep versus what should be done later or skipped for now.

We often recommend using something like the Kano analysis. Here, we will share our simple version of this.

🥶 Must-Be/Basic Attributes: These are fundamental features that customers expect. If these are missing or poorly executed, customers will be extremely dissatisfied. However, their presence does not significantly increase customer satisfaction because they are assumed.

•Example: A hotel room having a clean bed and bathroom.

🟢 One-Dimensional/Performance Attributes: These features cause satisfaction if present and dissatisfaction if absent. The better these features perform, the more satisfied customers are.

•Example: The fuel efficiency of a car.

🔵 Attractive or Competitive Attributes: These features delight customers and are not expected. Their absence does not cause dissatisfaction, but their presence significantly increases customer satisfaction.

•Example: Free upgrades in a hotel.

💣Indifferent Attributes: These features neither add to nor detract from customer satisfaction. Customers are indifferent to their presence.

•Example: The color of a car’s engine.
New Board
  • Q3 Objectives
  • Q1 Objectives
  • Q2 Objectives
  • Q4 Objectives
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • Name
  • MILESTONES
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Revenue
  • VALUES Update based on goals and principles
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Value
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • Start typing here...
  • **Maintenance /Upgrades**
  • Start typing here...
  • Bugs/Maintenance/Upgrades
  • Expected or Performance Attributes: Not including it could be negative, while if it's included will be positive. Helps make your product more competitive and/or attractive. Some competitors already have it. This is not a innovative solution or unique solution.
  • Basic (Customers/users expectations): If included users feel neutral about it, while excluding it it will be negative)
  • Other functional requirements and changes
  • Indifferent/Additional (skip)
  • Competitive features: Your X factor. Unexpected bonus (aim for some)
10

Idea/design development wall

11

Metrics(KPI)

2 steps
  1. 1

    User-centered metrics.

  2. 2

    Keep track of your metrics.

Read the full text
1. User-centered metrics.

The HEART metric framework helps you evaluate any aspect of your user experience following these five user-centered metrics: Happiness Engagement Adoption Retention Task-success Goals Start by defining your goal. Discuss your goals with your team and select 2 or 3 goals for each aspect of the HEART. Signals Define the signal "What do you need to measure?" and provide information about how you would gather that information. Metrics For every goal, there is a related user action. Keep these actions and the signals in mind when you are defining your metrics. Good metrics could be: Amount of products in the cart per user, signup rates, task completion, etc.

2. Keep track of your metrics.

Add your current metrics and add additional columns by the end of the sprint to evaluate progress.👍👎

Board
  • Metrics
  • Signals
  • Goals
  • Signals will provide information about the success or failure of your determined goal. You will answer the question: "What is the thing we need to measure?"
  • This is a signal expressed over time. Convert your signals into metrics and use them to determine if you have achieved your goals.
  • What do you want to achieve with this product or feature?
  • H
  • HAPPINESS How happy is your user/customer? Measure user attitudes by collecting data via analytics, survey and interviews. Evaluate how your user makes decisions to better understand their satisfaction levels.
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • Example: Survey
  • Example: User finds the product easy to use.
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • Example: 5-star reviews
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • E
  • ENGAGEMENT How engaged is your user? How often do they interact with your product or solution? Include: Number of visits per user per month Session duration
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • A
  • ADOPTION How attractive is your solution? How many users have actually tried your product or solution? Include: Number of accounts created this month Bounce rate
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • Sign up rates
  • Signups
  • Example: Product onboarding
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • Example: New profiles
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • R
  • RETENTION How many users do you retain long-term? Are they returning every month? Include: Number of users returning to your website Number of users buying your solution Number of users paying overtime
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • Example: Users paying for our product
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • Example: weekly and monthly activity
  • XXXX
  • Example: Returning customers
  • Example: User royalty
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • T
  • TASK-SUCCESS How successful are you at allowing users to perform the most valuable task? You measure: product efficiency, error rate, and effectiveness Profile creation Duration
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
  • METRIC/RESULTS
  • XXXX
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Created byNova·Official process
Last edited Feb 12, 2026·11 sessions · 31 steps