Avoiding the feature factory trap

One risk of weak prioritization is turning into a feature factory. In this situation, teams measure success by the number of features released instead of the outcomes those features create. Requests from sales or large clients often dominate. For example, a single enterprise customer may demand a custom reporting dashboard or a unique data export option. These features might secure short-term revenue but take resources away from improving core workflows that affect thousands of users.

The result is a roadmap that looks busy but lacks coherence. Features accumulate without a clear link to vision, and technical debt grows as teams rush to satisfy one-off demands. Users see fragmented updates rather than consistent improvements that strengthen the product. To avoid this, backlog decisions must connect to strategy. If the roadmap emphasizes better onboarding, for instance, resources should focus on guided setup, simplified account creation, or faster first-use value. Saying “no” to requests outside these themes protects focus and ensures that effort compounds toward long-term user value and business outcomes.