We Want Your Great Software Ideas
So you have a great idea on how to improve our software. Well, we’d like to hear about it. We don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm, but before you send us your idea, there are a few things that we would like to tell you with regard to what makes a great software feature request.
A great feature has the following things in common. The bottom line is that we tend to add the features that have the most appeal for the least amount of effort. AKA: The most bang for the buck.
- The feature would benefit the vast majority of our users.
- Your request should be extremely clear and well written. Include examples that help get the point across. Explain how this feature will provide benefit to other companies. No offense meant but we don’t have time to call and ask people to clarify what they meant.
- This feature should be fairly easy to use and understand for the end-user.
- This new feature would not create a lot of confusion or problems for those who do not need it or want it.
- It will not alter the way others are already happily doing their jobs.
- Not everyone may like your approach to the problem. So this new feature must not cause a backlash from other users who think your idea was poorly designed.
- The work needs to be fairly simple and straight forward for us to consider it.
Submit your feature request here. Don’t forget, you can always consider paid custom software programming.
The Five Question Assessment
Here is How Aptora Grades a Feature Request
On a scale of 1 through 5, with 1 meaning “No. Not at All“, 3 meaning “Maybe or For the Most Part“, and 5 meaning “Yes. Absolutely for Certain“, rate the feature request using the following five questions:
- This feature will greatly benefit and appeal to the vast majority of software users. Score ________ x 2.5 = ________
- This feature will offer a lot of great benefits for not a lot of programming labor hours. Score ________ x 2.25 = ________
- This feature will make Aptora’s sales demonstrations more powerful and increase buying urgency. Score ________ x 1.5 = ________
- This feature will be very easy to use and will not increase Aptora’s technical support burden. Score ________ x 1.25 = ________
- This feature will not interfere with users that do not wish to use it. Score ________ x 1.0 = ________
Total Points: ________ x 2.5 = Final Score: ________
How We Select a Feature
Several Aptora employees carefully consider these questions and score each feature request. We place a large emphasis on broad appeal and a lot of benefits for not a lot of labor hours and expenses. We want a feature that when people see it, they instantly see the value and say “Wow. That’s awesome. We would be absolutely nuts to try and manage our company without that feature”.
A score of 92 or higher has a great chance of being accepted.
How to Write Your Feature Request
Here is the easiest way to write a good feature request. Simply answer three questions in the form of a single concise paragraph. We will ask for details if needed.
- I am a _____________________________.
- I would like to be able to ______________________________________________________________________________________.
- This is because ____________________________________________________________________.
Example
I am a dispatcher. I would like to be able to see work orders that have not been completed because we are waiting on parts. This is because ordering, receiving, and distributing special order parts is essential to completing service calls, and hard to keep track of.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.”
― Steve Jobs
