What strategies do you recommend to stay connected to users throughout development?

Question

Abdal Yousef · Accepted Answer

Here are a few strategies I’ve found effective:

1. Early Feedback Loops: Involve users early by running beta programs, surveys, or even simple polls to gauge interest and direction.

2. Community Engagement: Build a community around your product (forums, social media groups, or Discord) to give users a platform to share ongoing feedback.

3. Transparent Roadmaps: Sharing your product roadmap with users builds trust and shows them how their input shapes future updates.

4. Consistent Check-ins: Regular updates through email newsletters, blogs, or videos keep users in the loop and make them feel valued.

Pierre-Yves Dubreucq · Answer

I think it' s important to communicate regularly on product updates. I think a great tool for that is a tool like Canny (https://canny.io/) or Featurebase (https://www.featurebase.app/) You can collect Feedback, user can vote and priorise, you can share your roadmap and finaly your changelog. It only works if you can get people to register on the platform, of course. Another approach is to open a community chat on Slack or Discord, but it's not easy to get people to join in.

André J · Answer

People are attracted to growth. That's about it.

Anurag Mehta · Answer

-> Build in public.
Transparency will play a key role here. Share your wins/losses openly.

You will get absolute raw feedback.

That way you can connect with your users and/or potential customers, brand's trust gets built-up naturally, the users feel as part of the journey.
You'll eventually build-up your own loyal community.

-> Have a 1:1 meet with some of your users from time-to-time.
Hearing their thoughts firsthand is invaluable.

Jeyoung Jung · Answer

A feedback loop engaging users at every stage. Using surveys, interviews, and beta testing to gather input, ensuring features aligning with their needs. Or using social media group or forums where users can discuss their experiences and provide suggestions on how to improve the product would be also nice

Riley Tate · Answer

Invite a select group of users to participate in beta testing programs. This provides early access to your product and allows users to provide feedback on its functionality usability and overall experience.

Abdal Yousef · Answer

3. Transparent Roadmaps: Sharing your product roadmap with users builds trust and shows them how their input shapes future updates.

4. Consistent Check-ins: Regular updates through email newsletters, blogs, or videos keep users in the loop and make them feel valued.

Melina Cross · Answer

Schedule frequent one on one interviews with users to gather direct feedback on their experiences, pain points and evolving needs. These conversations provide invaluable insights into how your product is being used and where improvements can be made.

What strategies do you recommend to stay connected to users throughout development?

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