A symptom of a dysfunctional product management process is seen when ‘feature requests’ are confused with ‘bugs’. Just to clarify, a bug is a defect and a feature request is an enhancement to a system. Generalizing, ‘bugs’ occur when systems don’t perform as designed (requirements) and ‘feature requests’ require a new set of requirements or at least some consideration. This doesn’t mean that something can’t be both. You may come across a flaw in the system that is significant which may be a result of an oversight in requirements but this quickly becomes a slippery slope. The confusion between bugs and feature requests is often reinforced by the work systems we use.
Today, we increasingly use support tools (Fogbugz, Bugzilla, Jira) to facilitate bug tracking and workflow in software-based businesses. When you have a tool that allows you to ‘Capture’ information and ‘Assign’ it to another individual, it is easy to see how you can use it for feature requests as well. In fact many tools actually support this as well but the problem is that Bugs can be resolved but Features must be implemented.
Features need to go through a process where they are Captured, Evaluated, Prioritized and Assigned to a roadmap. Entering feature requests into a bug tracking system will certainly do the first and last (capture and assign) but miss the business evaluation, screw up the roadmap and make a lot of folks mad.
As a rule of thumb, I consider a bug to be “a fix to existing functionality that can be completed within a regular maintenance cycle.” If a bug requires more than a maintenance release to resolve it then it should be examined in further detail to look for root cause.
One strategy that I suggest is to create a ‘parking lot’ to help facilitate feature requests and provide a visible place for requesters to visit. Too often feature requests fall off the edge of the earth only to appear later with the angry person who requested it. A centralized place provides visibility, accountability as well as making reviews more actionable. The first step is to determine whether the ‘issue’ is a bug or a feature. If its a bug, get it assigned to a maintenance release and if its a feature, put it in the ‘parking lot’ so it can begin the process of getting on the roadmap.
If you find yourself having a hard time managing bugs and feature requests, try the rule of thumb and create a visible parking lot, it may just save you some grief.
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