5 iees: Requirement gathering to Feature implementation

Implementing requirements in a way they are supposed to be implemented calls for detailed structured thinking and a robust execution plan. Avoiding this can be dangerous as slight gap in initial understanding can cause large deviation in end-result. It thus becomes important for product managers to define a clear path from requirement gathering till feature implementation. A path that is descriptive & self-corrective, path that eliminates false assumptions and ensures success at the end. I present here one such path, I call it path of 5 iees, it has helped me in recent past to deliver highly accurate requirements.

5 iees: Information, Interpretation, Intelligence, Implication, Implementation

Information: Information gathering requires you (as a Product Manager) to be constantly in touch with ground reality that helps in you in getting timely & accurate information (or still data maybe) on what probably may be your next killer feature. Practice being a social animal, a trail that is must for you to excel in knowing facts . I wrote about collecting requirements in my previous blog so I will just rush through this point.
References: Meeting customer || Information Radar || Social animal

Interpretation: Is knowing what actually you just collected (learned from various sources). If gathering information is like sweeping a broom on the floor then interpretation is like to know what to keep and what to let go in bin. Its imperative that you master this skill and get as accurate as possible. This is skill of make or break as small difference in initial understanding can translate into an out of place feature / product. Focus on every word you hear, drill down to facts and revisit your source of information to ensure you understand what you are expected to understand.

Intelligence: You process your interpretation in this step, discuss them with various stake holders and apply your experience and competencies to get desired definition of solution (feature or product). This is one step where you showcase your worth as a product manager. 

Implication: Here you suggest outcome of your intelligence, get prototyping done and validate concepts and avatars of your suggestions. This is validation step, validation of your interpretation, convincing ability and of your prudence. While in this step you would largely focus on in-bound activities it at times may also call for running Alpha or Beta programs. If results of implications are not in line with expected outcome then you may want to go back to interpretation step and re-work on your problem or opportunity statement. Repeat interpretation-intelligence-implication steps till you get what you should be offering and then move on to final step.

Implementation: Execute your findings. Once your implication is close to desired result, execute your implementation strategy. Chose a strategy that best suites your objective and focus purely on deliverable. Success of implementation largely depends upon how comprehensively you have performed earlier four steps. Good work done early on in the cycle will allow you to primarily focus on execution challenges (in-bound activities, largely with engineering).



Practicing 5 iees of requirement to implementation process will help you get down to root cause and provide a solution that exceeds customer requirement. Something a product manager own.

Knowing what to know and from whom to know could be tricky. More challenging will be convincing that you know what you are suppose to know in order for others to know that yes you know.  @mathurabhay