Feature prioritization is one of the most challenging tasks for product managers. With limited resources and competing demands, PMs must decide what to build next.

The process begins with gathering inputs from customers, sales teams, engineers, and executives. Each group has different perspectives, from customer needs to technical feasibility.

PMs then use frameworks to evaluate options. Popular methods include:

• RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort): Prioritizes based on potential value versus required effort.

• MoSCoW (Must-have, Should-have, Could-have, Won’t-have): Categorizes features by urgency.

• Value vs. Effort Matrix: Plots features to highlight high-value, low-effort opportunities.

Prioritization also considers strategic alignment. A feature may be delayed if it doesn’t fit the product vision or business goals.

Finally, PMs communicate decisions transparently to stakeholders, explaining trade-offs and rationale. This builds trust and alignment even when not every request can be met.

In summary, prioritization is a mix of customer focus, strategic thinking, and disciplined decision-making.