I’ve been working on compiling a set of questions we should ask at the outset of each new feature. In my experience, teams often become laser-focused on coding and implementing new features without considering the broader context. I believe it’s crucial to be proactive and demonstrate the value of our work to the company, as ultimately, the bottom line is what matters most.
For every new feature, let’s ensure we ask these questions. The responses we gather can then inform the creation of tickets and specifications, ensuring that we’re aligned with both technical requirements and organizational objectives.
| Aspect | Questions |
|---|---|
| Top Level User Story | – What is the main objective or goal of this feature/change? |
| Security Concerns | – Are there any potential security vulnerabilities or risks associated with this work? |
| Organizational Policies and Processes | – Are there specific policies or processes that need to be adhered to during development? |
| Value Addition | – How does this work enhance the application/product? |
| – What additional benefits or improvements does it bring? | |
| Justification | – Why is this work necessary or important? |
| – What problem or need does it address? | |
| Proving Worth | – How can we demonstrate the impact or value of this work? |
| – What criteria or metrics can be used to measure its success? | |
| Monitoring | – What metrics or indicators can be used to track the performance or usage of this feature/change? |
| – How will we monitor its effectiveness over time? | |
| Technical Requirements | – Are there any specific technical constraints or dependencies that need to be considered? |
| – What technologies or frameworks should be utilized for this work? | |
| User Experience (UX) | – How will this work impact the user experience? |
| – Are there any usability considerations to be aware of? | |
| Testing and Quality Assurance | – What testing strategies will be employed to ensure the quality of the implementation? |
| – Are there any specific test cases or scenarios that need to be addressed? | |
| Scalability and Performance | – How will this work scale as the application grows? |
| – Are there any performance considerations or benchmarks to meet? | |
| Documentation | – What documentation needs to be created or updated as part of this work? |
| – How will knowledge transfer be facilitated for other team members? | |
| Deployment and Rollout | – What is the deployment plan for this work? |
| – Are there any rollout or release strategies to consider? | |
| Feedback and Iteration | – How will feedback be collected and incorporated into future iterations? |
| – What mechanisms are in place for continuous improvement? | |
| Collaboration and Communication | – How will communication be maintained between team members and stakeholders throughout the process? |
| – Are there any collaboration tools or platforms to be used? | |
| Risk Management | – What potential risks or challenges could arise during implementation, and how will they be mitigated? |
| – Is there a contingency plan in place for unexpected issues? |