Case Study 02 | Feature Prioritization

Avoiding feature overload through mixed method research.

Capital One Auto Navigator was planning a new dealership-facing financing experience, and eight potential features were competing for the first release. Building all of them would add cost and complexity without clear evidence of dealer value. I combined background evidence, a Kano survey with 65 dealership finance professionals, and concept testing with 10 dealers to identify the two capabilities worth launching first. The work narrowed the MVP to two features, reduced initial engineering staffing needs by nearly 50%, and secured roadmap placement.

Lead ResearcherMixed methodsProduct & roadmap prioritization
Mixed method prioritization graphic showing buyer research, dealer interviews, a Kano survey and concept testing narrowing eight proposed features to two MVP priorities.
Mixed method research narrowed eight proposed features to two MVP priorities.
2 of 8
features made the MVP after research separated stronger value from lower priority ideas
2x
engineering resource savings because fewer functions were needed for the first release
Roadmap
the smaller recommendation secured a place on the annual Auto Navigator roadmap
01
Overview

The business needed a lean first release, not eight untested ideas

The product team needed to decide which capabilities were essential for launch and which could wait. I structured the research so each method answered a different decision: existing evidence framed the opportunity, the Kano survey measured perceived value, and concept testing validated whether the strongest ideas made sense in context.

Mixed methods research

I connected prior qualitative evidence, Kano prioritization and follow up concept testing so each method answered a different part of the MVP decision.

Lean MVP recommendation

I translated the combined evidence into a two feature MVP recommendation and aligned Product on why the smaller first release was the stronger decision.

02
Challenge

Eight feature ideas were competing for one MVP

The hard-application experience had multiple candidate capabilities competing for roadmap space. The team needed to know which ones materially improved dealer value rather than treating the whole feature list as equally important.

03
Research Sequence

Use each method to answer a different decision

Background evidence

Earlier buyer and dealer research established the need for a more seamless hard application experience and clarified the operational questions the MVP had to answer.

Kano survey with 65 dealership finance professionals

A blind quantitative Kano survey tested eight feature ideas with dealership finance professionals to see which capabilities created the strongest value signal.

1x1 concept testing with 10 dealer finance professionals

Follow up concept testing helped pressure test the recommendation and understand how dealers wanted the experience to work in practice.

04
Results

The research reduced the MVP to two features

The Kano results made the recommendation clearer. Digital consent collection received the strongest positive signal, and lender specific APR and monthly payment details emerged as the second strongest feature. The remaining six ideas did not show the same level of dealer preference.

Original Kano study artifact showing the features tested and the resulting prioritization.

Of the eight features tested, digital consent collection and lender specific APR and monthly payment details stood out most clearly in the survey results.

View full size
05
Recommendation

Build the two strongest capabilities first

1 | Digital consent collection

The strongest signal in the Kano study. Dealers preferred collecting consent digitally as part of the MVP.

2 | APR and monthly payment details

The second strongest signal. Dealers valued giving customers clearer lender specific estimate details.

Result beyond prioritization

Because the MVP required fewer functionalities, almost half of the originally planned engineering team members were no longer needed for the first delivery - approximately 2x engineering resource savings.

06
Roadmap Influence

The smaller MVP secured roadmap space

The mixed-method recommendation defined the MVP around digital consent and customer-facing APR/payment estimates and secured the work on the annual Auto Navigator roadmap.

PreviousEvolving holistic conversion strategy through service designNextEvolving a strategic research practice