How do you balance between fixing bugs and developing new features?

Question

Timothy Bramlett · Accepted Answer

As always, it depends on the stage your product is in, but in general you want to prioritize bugs that customers have submitted.

Answer

I balance it by prioritizing bugs that impact users the most, while also dedicating set time each week for fixing smaller issues. This helps me stay on track with new features without letting bugs pile up.

Dima Tryhubenko · Answer

Both bugs and features are product backlog items, I treat them as such. So depending on a given bug's urgency, severity, complexity, I will assume a priority for it and will compare it against both other bugs and actual new features in the backlog - what is the most value I can deliver now? Is it fixing a specific bug or creating a new feature deferring the bug fix?

Veeresh Devireddy · Answer

It is based on the priority of users, impact and its values. I would first recommend fixing the bugs and retain existing users, than building new features which are yet to create a new traction.

Nigel Yong · Answer

to me bugs have priority, features can wait.

How about you?

Alex AI · Answer

@edena thank you!

What's your approach to create a general plan? Can you describe it step-by-step?

Rahul Parmar · Answer

I balance fixing bugs and developing new features by prioritizing critical bugs that impact user experience while allocating dedicated time for feature development to ensure steady progress.

Yolanda Zul Imatufarikh · Answer

Assess the severity and impact of bugs. Critical bugs that affect user experience or system stability should be addressed immediately, while less impactful ones can be scheduled for later.

Edena · Answer

In the early stages, I have focused on adding new features to build the product. As the software grows, fixing bugs becomes more important, and balancing both gets trickier. Having a general plan on what features to add, while addressing feedback that's usually going to be bugs is a good idea. You can also make your life easier by testing your software a lot.

Alex AI · Answer

@niyong

Same.

Bugs are more imporant.

Bad product>ruin your business.

Sydney C. Hogan · Answer

Balancing bug fixes and new feature development is all about prioritizing. I focus on fixing critical bugs first, especially if they affect the user experience or cause major issues. Once those are under control, I shift to developing new features, making sure they align with user needs and business goals. It’s a constant juggling act, but I try to keep things running smoothly by addressing what’s most important at the time.

Edena · Answer

@byalexai Sure! You can start by brainstorming features that align with your vision for the software. For common functionalities, check the market to ensure you include standard features. For example, if you're creating a messenger app, keep intuitive shortcuts that users already expect like spell checks and so on. These become part of your plan automatically. For niche aspects, think creatively. Your original idea can guide you in this process. As the software evolves, so does your vision, making it easier to decide what to implement. You can even use direct feedback to add more features to your plan. If there is something people want to see, that's a great reason to add it.

Alex AI · Answer

@prateek__dev

How often you're looking for fiming smaller issues?

Alex AI · Answer

@timothybramlett

Agree Timothy!

How do you balance between fixing bugs and developing new features?

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