From the request to the underlying need
A request suggests a solution. Research identifies the outcome customers need and the context in which it matters.
Product Roadmap Prioritization
Your next growth breakthrough may come from building fewer features
The next step in product development may call for focus, not additional features. Compare relevant customer needs before committing development and maintenance resources, to find where capacity can create the most value.
For CPOs, Product Managers, CTOs and SaaS companies.
More value from every choice.Where should development be focused?
How these teams made their decisions
- 500+Companies served by George Eich
- 650+Startups mentored through Startup SC
- 60+Startups supported through Cubo Itaú
Companies served by George Eich
- Techne
- Climoo
- PSA
- Ambev
- Evous
- Locates
Institutions and startup programs
- Sebrae
- ACATE
- MIDITEC
- Cubo Itaú
- Startup SC
Locates
While switching platforms, the team used customer needs to decide which features to include and which to defer.
EVOUS
The team used customer evidence to decide when to strengthen its core product and when to expand its offering.
“We gained a more strategic view of the product and were able to prioritize the roadmap and the company’s positioning.”Feedback shared with the Institute · English translation
George Eich InstituteDirection for the choice. Evidence for the decision.
500+companies advised by George Eich
10+ yearsof experience in strategy and execution
3 to 6 weeksreference for research and executive analysis, depending on scope
A oportunidade por trás do foco
What if evolving the product meant concentrar melhor o esforço?
The backlog grows and the team delivers, yet improvements that matter to customers may still be delayed. Every less relevant request takes capacity away from something that could better address essential needs.
Product
“Which improvement would matter most to customers?”
Technology
“Podemos concentrar esforço nas entregas certas.”
Customers
“We still need to solve this better.”
Leadership
“Where is the highest potential return?”
A more focused roadmap can strengthen the value proposition and free capacity. Start by identifying needs that are shared and still poorly met.
Da decisão à geração e captura de valor
What moves into the next cycle, what waits and what should stop consuming capacity?
A need may exist without justifying strategic priority. Research tests relevance, while leadership also considers capacity, feasibility and economic returns.
01 / Situação de compra
What is at stake
The team absorbs more commitments than it can sustain without displacing important work.
02 / Strategic Prioritization Study
What to investigate
Competing initiatives keep changing the sequence and expectations around delivery.
03 / Need-Based Value Matrix
How to apply
Urgent requests enter the plan without a sufficiently clear connection to relevant product value.
The Value Matrix guides decisions across three horizons: strengthen Core Business, expand through Expansion and create through Innovation. The Study supplies evidence, while value creation, capture and ROI also depend on economic conditions and execution.
Read more8 in 10customer needs identified did not demonstrate sufficient relevance to become strategic priorities in their respective bases.
Is your roadmap focused on what makes a difference to customers?
In The Need Gap 2026 sample, 80.32% of needs were prioritized by fewer than 30% of customers within their respective bases. This reach measure must be interpreted alongside other evidence when choosing where to focus development and investment.
The study covered 1,423 needs across 59 companies. In 1,143 cases (80.32%), reach was below 30% of customers in their respective bases.
Fonte: The Need Gap 2026, estudo de George Eich.
I want to find the prioritiesO efeito das escolhas
Dispersar desenvolvimento pode adiar o que faria a diferença.
When many requests compete for the same capacity, a product may grow in features without delivering proportional progress for the customers who matter most to the business.
Retention pushed into the background
Relevant problems continue to affect the experience of existing customers.
Expansão adiada
Melhorias com potencial de ampliar uso e receita disputam espaço com pedidos menores.
Complexidade acumulada
Every delivery increases maintenance obligations and reduces capacity for the next opportunity.
How the Institute helps
Encontre as melhorias que merecem focus your next cycle.
An executive interpretation that connects evidence to the decision your leadership needs to make. The deliverables reflect the agreed business context and scope.
Relevance and ICAN
Quantitative selection reveals who shares the priority; ICAN measures perceived need fulfillment.
Capacidade e valor
An updateable evidence base guides the roadmap. Feasibility, complexity and opportunities for value capture complete the choice.
I want to find the priorities
Tell us what your company needs to decide.
Focus for the product. Direction for investment.
An executive review of opportunities that deserve to move forward and choices that should wait.
Priority opportunities
Direction toward improvements combining customer relevance and business potential.
Evidence to invest
Evidence for discussing benefits, expected returns and required capacity.
Agenda mais concentrada
Recommendations on what to advance, investigate, defer or reconsider in the roadmap.
As entregas específicas são definidas conforme a decisão e o escopo contratado.
When to apply
Before committing o próximo ciclo.
Before planning the next cycle
When the team needs to focus on improvements with the highest potential.
When customers still face obstacles
When recurring problems persist despite new deliveries.
When the product needs to create more value
When leadership seeks opportunities to expand usage, revenue or margin.
When building more is not enough
When the team needs focus to improve what is already relevant.
About your roadmap prioritization.
How does roadmap prioritization work?
The engagement identifies relevant customer needs and connects them with product decisions. We assess reach, expected benefits, delivery capacity and economic potential to guide what advances, waits or requires reconsideration.
How can we assess the economic potential of an improvement?
Connect customer benefits with potential effects on retention, revenue expansion or margin. Then consider investment, maintenance costs and assumptions that require validation. Prioritization guides this analysis without promising guaranteed returns.
Does this engagement replace technical planning?
Priority guidance is built around business context. Estimates, dependencies and schedules are reviewed with the responsible team to turn direction into a feasible plan.
What does the company receive?
Executive analysis of priorities, the reasoning behind choices and recommendations for the development agenda. Specific deliverables depend on the decision and agreed scope.
Quanto tempo leva?
The typical reference is three to six weeks for structured research and executive analysis, depending on scope, information access and participant availability.
O que acontece na primeira conversa?
You describe the product, decision and competing deliverables. The conversation helps us understand the context and define how the Institute can contribute and what scope makes sense.
Which improvement could create more value in your next cycle?
Bring your product opportunities. We will discuss where to focus development to improve customer outcomes and business returns.
I want to find the prioritiesRequest a conversation with the George Eich Institute.
NEXT DECISION
Prioritize roadmap and product
Briefly describe the decision, investment or challenge you need to assess. We will follow up to understand your needs and agree on an appropriate scope.
