You're facing scope creep in your mobile design project. How can you prioritize features to stay on track?

Evaluating the User Impact is the most important part of Mobile design. This requires foresight into use cases that may change over time, don't be disheartened if your assumptions fail and be ready to pivot. A few years ago we wanted to create a subnav with a side scroll so that we could put more links in the navigation, improve user navigation, and avoid taking up too much real estate. Shortly after device manufactures introduced gestures. This cause users interactions with the navigation to be picked up as a swipe left and return them to the previous page and dramatically increased the bounce rate. We pivoted to a Hamburger Nav to avoid conflicting with the gestures from device operating systems.

During a team project on a mobile app for event management, the client requested features like social sharing and advanced analytics. The team decided to align these features with their primary goal and created a quick impact analysis grid to evaluate their impact on time, cost, and user experience. It was crucial to distinguish between features that drive the app's success and those that are just "nice-to-have." Categorizing features into "core enhancers" and "future possibilities" helped deliver on time without compromising quality.

User feedback cannot be taken lightly, especially post-launch. No development company has access to every device and software combination to ensure quality. Automated testing software, while useful, are still emulators and don’t catch everything. Post-launch, developers need to listen to user feedback and react to any unexpected bugs that are found. The takeaway is don't forget to add this in the estimate so it doesn't feel like scope creep in the retro.

Gathering user feedback is crucial for improving fitness apps. Involving real users early in the development process, using surveys and beta-testing, helped clarify priorities and build on user values. Users wanted better calorie tracking, which clarified priorities and addressed navigation issues. Prioritizing based on real pain points ensures features address actual user needs and resonate with the audience, ensuring the app's success.

When designing the MVP, we adopt a Mobile First approach. While a staggered layout may look appealing on a desktop application, it can create layout issues when condensed to a mobile viewport. This can lead to content order problems, where an image may lose its association with the corresponding text or be mistakenly associated with the wrong text, causing confusion for end users.

During the development of an MVP for a food delivery app, the client added non-essential features like advanced tracking and meal photos. To avoid scope creep, focus on the MVP and ask the user what they need to achieve their main goal. Implement only these features for the first release, saving others for later iterations. This reduced stress, allowed for user testing, and refined the app's experience before expansion.

The MoSCoW method was used in a luxury e-commerce app project to manage competing demands and prioritize tasks. It categorized features like payment processing and inventory management as "Must-haves," "Should-haves," and "Could-haves" or "Won't-haves." This structured approach provided clarity, aligned everyone on what needed to be done first, and justified decisions to stakeholders, keeping expectations realistic. Overall, this approach proved beneficial in managing competing demands.

A client at work was pushing for new features beyond the agreed scope, leading to a need for early boundary setting. Documenting the scope clearly and communicating the impact of changes is crucial. A direct approach was used, stating that adding new features would extend the timeline by X weeks and cost Y more. Being upfront about trade-offs helps avoid unnecessary additions and protects the project's timeline and team morale.

A ride-sharing app project faced scope creep due to unexpected competitor features. Flexibility is crucial in dealing with changes. Maintaining a buffer zone in timelines and budgets allows for adaptability without panic. Agile sprints were used to prioritize weekly progress. Adapting doesn't mean accepting everything, but recalibrating smartly to align with user needs and project goals. This approach ensures continued progress and maintains app stability.