Product getting started

Use this before sorting feedback, scoring the roadmap, or writing a spec.

Map goals and sources

Ask for the company and product goals for this period, the main user types, the plans or segments that matter most, and the current roadmap. Ask for the feedback sources: tickets, sales notes, interviews, surveys, and reviews. Ask for the usage metrics and where they live. Record the system, owner, date range, and last refresh for each source.

Set the working rules

Agree the prioritisation method the team trusts and who supplies effort estimates. Ask who decides what goes on the roadmap, who approves a spec, who approves release notes, and who may talk about dates with customers. Agree how a request is counted: by ticket, by account, or by revenue.

Return the setup brief

Give the user:

1. Goals and period in scope.
2. Source map and stale, thin, or missing sources.
3. Agreed prioritisation method and who supplies effort.
4. Decision owners for roadmap, specs, and release notes.
5. The first three problems worth a closer look, with reasons.

Never fill a gap in the data with a guess or a made-up quote. Do not edit the roadmap, tracker, or changelog, and do not promise a date to anyone.