The problem:

During customer testing sessions, we consistently identified a number of small yet impactful usability fixes, which we affectionately referred to as "Pebbles." These Pebbles, though minor in nature, accumulated to form a significant barrier to an otherwise excellent user experience. Over time, we logged about 300 of these issues, each representing an opportunity to enhance our product’s usability and overall customer satisfaction.

Convincing the business to allocate engineering resources to address these Pebbles posed a challenge. The concern often revolved around prioritising larger features or major updates over these smaller fixes. However, it became clear that the cumulative effect of these Pebbles could lead to increased frustration among users, ultimately impacting retention and satisfaction metrics.

The aim:

To make a compelling business case for tackling the pebbles backlog, we focused on a few key points:

1. User Impact: We shared direct feedback from testing sessions, highlighting how these Pebbles affected users’ ability to navigate and enjoy our product. Providing real-life examples made the abstract concept of small fixes much more tangible and relatable.

2. Cost of Ignoring: We outlined the potential long-term implications of ignoring these issues. A poor user experience could deter new customers, decrease user engagement, and lead to costly support interactions. Addressing these Pebbles now could save significant resources down the line.

3. Prioritisation Matrix: By categorising the Pebbles based on their impact and effort required to resolve them, we presented a clear framework for prioritisation. This allowed the business to see that tackling these issues wouldn’t require extensive engineering effort for immediate gains.

4. Quick Wins: Focusing on quick wins from the Pebble list could boost team morale and user trust in the product development process. By resolving these smaller issues, the team could demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to user needs.

5. Potential for Bigger Changes: Lastly, we stressed that these Pebbles could serve as stepping stones towards more significant changes. Many of these minor fixes could highlight underlying issues in our design processes that warranted a more thorough examination, leading to improved workflows and future innovations.

In summary, while these 300 Pebbles may seem like minor nuisances at first glance, they represent real opportunities to create a smoother, more enjoyable experience for our users. By framing our argument around user impact, long-term costs, clear strategic prioritisation, quick wins, and future possibilities, we aimed to persuade the business to invest the necessary engineering effort into addressing these small yet significant issues.