The 80/20 Rule for Product Features

Let's talk about something that trips up almost every business leader when they're building their first product. You get excited about all the cool things your product could do, and before you know it, you're trying to make it perfect for everyone.

Here's the thing: that's exactly how you end up with a product that nobody loves.

What's This 80/20 Thing Anyway?

The 80/20 rule is pretty simple. About 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In the product world, this means 80% of your users will only use about 20% of your features.

Think about it. How many buttons do you actually use in Microsoft Word? Probably like 10, even though there are hundreds hiding in those menus.

Your Main Users vs. Edge Cases

Your main users are the 80% - the people who will use your product in the most common, straightforward way. They have the problem you're trying to solve, and they want the simplest solution possible.

Edge cases are the 20% - users with weird, specific, or unusual needs. Maybe they want to use your photo app to organize their collection of vintage bottle caps. Cool? Sure. Worth building for right away? Probably not.

The Trap Everyone Falls Into

Here's what happens to almost every team:

1. You build your core features for your main users
2. Someone says "But what if a user wants to do X weird thing?"
3. You think "Oh, that's a great point! Let's add that!"
4. Repeat 47 times
5. Your simple product becomes a confusing mess

Remember when Facebook tried to launch Facebook Home? They thought everyone wanted their entire phone to become Facebook. Turns out, most people just wanted to check their feed and messages - not turn their phone into a Facebook machine. The app was quietly discontinued after people overwhelmingly ignored it.

How to Stay Focused

Start with your core problem. What's the main thing your product solves? Every new feature idea should answer this question: "Does this help our main users solve their main problem better?"

If the answer is "Well, it would be nice for some users who might want to..." - that's probably an edge case. Add it to Canny and see how many of your users actually request it.

Use the Mom Test. Would your mom (or any regular person) immediately understand why this feature matters? If you have to explain it for five minutes, it's probably not essential.

Count the clicks. The more steps something takes, the fewer people will use it. Your main features should be obvious and easy to find.

When Edge Cases Actually Matter

Don't get me wrong - edge cases aren't always bad. Sometimes they become your biggest differentiator. But here's the key: build your core first, then add the fancy stuff.

Think of it like building a house. You need walls and a roof before you worry about the fancy chandelier. Your MVP should handle the 80% perfectly. Then you can add features for the 20%.

Real Talk: Your Users Will Tell You

The best part? You don't have to guess what your users want. Build your core features, launch them, and watch what happens. Your users will literally tell you (through their actions and feedback) what's missing.

Use tools like analytics to see which features get used and which ones get ignored. Spoiler alert: that super-complex feature you spent three months building? It might get used by 2% of your users.

The Bottom Line

Building for your main users isn't about being lazy or ignoring good ideas. It's about being smart with your time and money. A product that does three things really well will always beat a product that does thirty things poorly.

Your main users will love you for keeping things simple. And when you're ready to grow, you can always add more features later.

Trust me, your engineering team will thank you too. They'd much rather build something awesome than spend months on features that nobody uses.

Coming Next Week:

Distractions Disguised as Opportunities - How to tell the difference between bright shiny objects and real value.

At Keiboarder, we help startups to Fortune 500 companies avoid costly software development mistakes with expert fractional CTO leadership, a clear roadmap, and a proven process to build and scale market-ready products. Get in touch with us, and let's build awesome things together! 🚀 Contact us