Part 2: Double Diamond, RICE, user stories and roadmaps

Module 4 · Sun 2 Aug

Class example: users take 18 minutes from homepage to order on Zomato. Don't jump to a feature - ask why. Can't find food? Stuck at payment? Address entry? Too many choices? Root cause and context first.

Double Diamond: Discover (explore wide) → Define (narrow to the real problem) → Develop (many solutions) → Deliver (pick and ship). Use it when the problem is broad and unclear.

• Impact vs effort: simple, great in interviews. Weighted scoring: many criteria, but assumption-heavy.
• Kano: must-be, performance and delight features.
• RICE = Reach × Impact × Confidence ÷ Effort. Frameworks guide; judgment decides. Watch for HiPPO (highest-paid person's opinion) and becoming a feature factory.

Activation and aha moments: the first real success should make users feel "this is useful, I can do it again" - badges and daily rewards exist for that early payoff. Class example - MilkBasket used a wallet and subscription-style ordering in gated societies so repeat orders had almost no checkout friction. Product design is often business-model design in disguise.

A user story = user + goal + benefit (the intent). The PRD adds scope, assumptions, risks and how. Acceptance criteria define done. Roadmap = planned direction; backlog = good work that didn't fit this cycle. Class case: a service marketplace saw many cancellations - it turned out repeat customers kept cancelling until their preferred professional was assigned. Fix: a re-book-same-pro feature.