User Needs vs Feature Requests

A customer says:

Please add CSV export.

The easiest response is:

Sure, we will add an Export button.

But first ask why they want it.

You learn that every Friday they copy order data into Excel because finance needs a weekly report.

Now the need is clearer:

Finance needs order data in its existing reporting workflow.

CSV export is one possible solution.

Maybe CSV is perfect.

But other options could exist:

• scheduled email report
• direct spreadsheet integration
• finance dashboard
• API access

The request tells you something is missing.

It does not tell you which solution is best.

Useful follow-ups:

What do you do after exporting?

How often do you do this?

Who needs the file?

What happens if you cannot export?

What information is actually needed?

These questions uncover the job behind the request.

This does not mean every button request needs six weeks of discovery.

Sometimes the need is obvious and the solution is cheap.

Product judgment includes knowing when to investigate deeply and when to just fix the thing.

Instead of writing:

Build CSV export.

Try:

Finance teams need a reliable way to move weekly order data into their reporting workflow.

Now the team can evaluate solutions against the actual need.

A feature request is evidence of a need.

Understand the need before treating the request as the solution.