Feature prioritization - Do votes trump all?

Paul Stovell discusses the complexities of prioritizing feature requests for software development at Octopus Deploy, highlighting that decisions should not be based solely on user votes. He outlines a framework for evaluating requests, considering factors such as the number of votes, the feasibility of workarounds, implementation difficulty, and ongoing support costs. Stovell uses three specific feature requests from the Octopus Deploy UserVoice site to illustrate his point: scheduling deployments, selecting multiple environments for deployment, and supporting Internet Explorer 8. He argues that while "Scheduled deployments" and "Multiple environments" are equally feasible, the less ideal workaround for the former makes it a higher priority despite having fewer votes. In contrast, he declines IE8 support due to its high ongoing costs and dwindling market share, emphasizing that sometimes features with higher votes may still be impractical to implement. Stovell concludes by inviting feedback on whether popularity should be the main factor in prioritizing features.

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