Feature Workflow Documentation

Overview

This document describes the end-to-end workflow for managing features from initial demand through delivery, defining each phase's purpose, inputs, key activities, outputs, and responsibilities.

Phase 1: Log Demand

Purpose

• Capture and document new feature requests and requirements from stakeholders
• Create initial visibility of potential work items
• Enable early assessment and prioritization discussions

Inputs

• Stakeholder requests
• Customer feedback
• Market research
• Strategic initiatives
• Enhancement requests
• Technical debt items

Activities

• Record basic feature information
• Capture business context and rationale
• Document expected outcomes and success criteria
• Identify key stakeholders
• Perform initial size/complexity assessment
• Tag and categorize appropriately

Outputs

• Feature request logged in ADO
• Basic information documented
• Initial prioritization tag assigned
• Stakeholders identified and notified

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Create feature record
  • Document initial requirements
  • Set initial priority
• Stakeholders:
  • Provide business context
  • Define success criteria
  • Support prioritization discussions

Definition of Ready

• Stakeholder request received with:
  • Clear business need identified
  • Target users/customers identified
  • Expected business outcomes described
  • Initial timeline expectations noted

Definition of Done

• Feature request created in ADO with:
  • Problem/opportunity statement documented
  • Business value articulated
  • Success criteria defined
  • Key stakeholders identified and tagged
  • Initial size estimate (S/M/L/XL) assigned
  • Feature categorized and tagged appropriately
  • Priority level assigned

Process Owner

Product Manager

Phase 2: Discovery

Purpose

• Validate problem/opportunity
• Assess business value and technical feasibility
• Define scope boundaries
• Identify key dependencies and constraints

Inputs

• Feature request details
• Market/customer data
• Technical architecture documents
• Similar existing features
• Historical metrics

Activities

• Conduct stakeholder interviews
• Analyze market/customer data
• Assess technical feasibility
• Identify dependencies
• Define success metrics
• Evaluate effort/complexity
• Initial solution exploration

Outputs

• Problem statement
• Business case
• Success metrics defined
• Technical feasibility assessment
• Identified dependencies
• Initial effort estimate
• Go/No-go decision

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Drive discovery process
  • Document findings
  • Coordinate with stakeholders
• Engineering:
  • Assess technical feasibility
  • Identify technical dependencies
• Stakeholders:
  • Provide domain expertise
  • Validate problem statement
  • Support business case development

Definition of Ready

• Feature request logged with all DoD criteria met
• Required stakeholders available for discovery sessions
• Access to necessary market/customer data available
• Technical SMEs identified and available

Definition of Done

• Discovery document completed with:
  • Detailed problem statement validated by stakeholders
  • Target user personas defined
  • Market/competitor analysis completed
  • Technical feasibility assessment done
  • Dependencies and constraints identified
  • Success metrics defined and baselined
  • High-level solution approach agreed
  • Rough effort estimate provided
  • ROI/business case completed
  • Go/No-go decision made and documented

Process Owner

Product Manager

Phase 3: Concept Design

Purpose

• Create high-level solution design
• Define key user interactions
• Establish technical approach
• Validate with stakeholders

Inputs

• Discovery documentation
• User research
• Technical constraints
• Design guidelines
• Accessibility requirements

Activities

• Create user flows
• Develop wireframes
• Define data models
• Design system integration
• Review with stakeholders
• Validate technical approach
• Initial security review

Outputs

• User flow diagrams
• Wireframes
• Technical design document
• Integration approach
• Stakeholder sign-off
• Updated effort estimate

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Define user flows
  • Drive stakeholder reviews
• Design:
  • Create wireframes
  • Ensure design consistency
• Engineering:
  • Define technical approach
  • Document integration points
• Architecture:
  • Review technical design
  • Validate approach

Definition of Ready

• Discovery document completed and approved
• Required designers and architects available
• Design guidelines and constraints documented
• Technical requirements understood

Definition of Done

• Concept Design package completed with:
  • User flows documented and reviewed
  • High-level wireframes created
  • Technical architecture approach defined
  • Integration points identified
  • Data model draft completed
  • Security considerations documented
  • Performance requirements defined
  • Initial stakeholder review completed
  • Refined effort estimate provided
  • Design review completed and signed off

Process Owner

Product Manager/UX Lead

Phase 4: Prototype

Purpose

• Create interactive prototype
• Validate design assumptions
• Get early user feedback
• Refine technical approach

Inputs

• Concept design artifacts
• User feedback
• Technical design
• UX guidelines

Activities

• Build interactive prototype
• Conduct user testing
• Gather feedback
• Refine design
• Update technical approach
• Performance considerations
• Security review

Outputs

• Interactive prototype
• User testing results
• Refined design
• Technical specifications
• Updated estimates
• Risk assessment

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Coordinate user testing
  • Gather feedback
  • Update requirements
• Design:
  • Create prototype
  • Incorporate feedback
• Engineering:
  • Review technical feasibility
  • Refine estimates
• Users/Stakeholders:
  • Provide feedback
  • Validate design

Definition of Ready

• Concept design package completed and approved
• Test users identified and available
• Required tools and environments available
• Technical spikes completed if needed

Definition of Done

• Prototype package completed with:
  • Interactive prototype created and accessible
  • User testing conducted with at least 5 users
  • Feedback documented and analyzed
  • Design iterations completed based on feedback
  • Technical approach validated
  • Performance considerations documented
  • Security review completed
  • Updated effort estimate provided
  • Stakeholder demo conducted
  • Prototype sign-off received

Process Owner

UX Lead/Product Manager

Phase 5: Ready for Build (Final Design)

Purpose

• Finalize all aspects of design
• Create detailed specifications
• Prepare for implementation
• Get final approvals

Inputs

• Prototype feedback
• Technical specifications
• Design documents
• Test requirements
• Security requirements

Activities

• Finalize UI/UX design
• Complete technical specs
• Create test scenarios
• Define acceptance criteria
• Security/compliance review
• Performance requirements
• Final estimation

Outputs

• Final design specifications
• Detailed user stories
• Technical documentation
• Test scenarios
• Implementation plan
• Final approval
• Release plan

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Final requirements sign-off
  • Create user stories
  • Define acceptance criteria
• Design:
  • Final design specs
  • Design system compliance
• Engineering:
  • Detailed technical specs
  • Final estimation
• QA:
  • Test scenarios
  • Test plan

Definition of Ready

• Prototype feedback incorporated
• Final design resources available
• Engineering team identified
• QA team engaged

Definition of Done

• Build package completed with:
  • Final UI/UX specs completed
  • Technical design document approved
  • User stories written and groomed
  • Acceptance criteria defined for all stories
  • Test scenarios documented
  • Security requirements finalized
  • Performance criteria defined
  • Development estimates completed
  • Implementation plan created
  • Release plan drafted
  • All required approvals obtained
  • Build team acceptance received

Process Owner

Product Owner/Engineering Lead

Phase 6: In Build

Purpose

• Track implementation progress
• Manage dependencies
• Address issues
• Ensure quality

Inputs

• Final design package
• User stories
• Technical specs
• Test scenarios
• Release plan

Activities

• Development
• Code review
• Testing
• Bug fixes
• UAT
• Performance testing
• Security validation
• Documentation

Outputs

• Working software
• Test results
• Documentation
• Release notes
• Deployment plan

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Monitor progress
  • Priority decisions
  • Issue resolution
• Engineering:
  • Implementation
  • Code review
  • Technical documentation
• QA:
  • Testing execution
  • Bug reporting
• DevOps:
  • Deployment support
  • Environment management

Definition of Ready

• Build package complete with all DoD criteria met
• Development team fully staffed
• Environments ready
• Dependencies resolved or planned
• Required services/APIs available

Definition of Done

• Implementation completed with:
  • All user stories implemented
  • Code review completed
  • Unit tests passed
  • Integration tests passed
  • QA testing completed
  • UAT completed and signed off
  • Performance testing passed
  • Security testing passed
  • Documentation updated
  • Release notes prepared
  • Deployment plan approved
  • No blocking defects open
  • Production deployment completed

Process Owner

Engineering Lead

Phase 7: Done

Purpose

• Verify completion
• Validate delivery
• Capture learnings
• Close documentation

Inputs

• Working software
• Test results
• User feedback
• Performance metrics

Activities

• Final verification
• Stakeholder demo
• Documentation review
• Metrics collection
• Retrospective
• Knowledge transfer

Outputs

• Released feature
• Final documentation
• Success metrics
• Lessons learned
• Closed tickets

Responsibilities

• Product Management:
  • Final acceptance
  • Success metrics
  • Stakeholder communication
• Engineering:
  • Production support
  • Knowledge transfer
• Stakeholders:
  • Final acceptance
  • Feedback
• Operations:
  • Production monitoring
  • Support handover

Workflow Governance

State Transitions

• Clear entry/exit criteria for each phase
• Required approvals documented
• Automated notifications configured
• Regular status reviews

Metrics

• Time in each phase
• Cycle time trends
• Quality metrics
• Stakeholder satisfaction
• Business value delivered

Tools & Templates

• ADO workflows configured
• Standard templates available
• Reporting dashboards
• Documentation requirements

Best Practices

• Regular status updates
• Clear ownership defined
• Issues raised early
• Documentation maintained
• Regular retrospectives

Phase 7: Done - Definitions

Definition of Ready

• All In Build DoD criteria met
• Feature deployed to production
• Stakeholders available for final review

Definition of Done

• Feature completion verified:
  • Production verification completed
  • Stakeholder demo conducted
  • Success metrics baseline captured
  • Documentation finalized
  • Support team trained
  • Knowledge transfer completed
  • Retrospective conducted
  • Lessons learned documented
  • All tickets closed
  • Feature marked as complete

Process Owner

Product Manager