Ask customers to rate how important an outcome is and how satisfied they are with current solutions. A common score is Importance + max(Importance - Satisfaction, 0). High scores point to important, underserved needs that deserve further discovery.
- Survey desired outcomes, not reactions to a feature pitch.
- Analyze meaningful customer segments separately before averaging results.
- Use a high score to direct discovery, then test whether a solution changes behavior.
Measure importance and satisfaction separately
Importance asks how much the customer cares about achieving an outcome. Satisfaction asks how well current approaches help them achieve it. The gap matters because a highly important outcome may already be served well, while a low-satisfaction outcome may not matter enough to justify investment.
Keep the outcome statement independent of a proposed feature. Instead of asking whether customers want an AI summary button, ask how important it is to capture decisions after a meeting and how satisfied they are with their current process.
| Customer outcome | Importance | Satisfaction | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find an old decision quickly | 9 | 4 | 14 |
| Change workspace colors | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Invite a teammate securely | 8 | 7 | 9 |
Turn a score into a discovery question
Relay's strongest opportunity is finding an old decision quickly. That does not prove search is the answer. The team should observe how people currently retrieve decisions, identify where the process fails, and compare smaller solution ideas before committing to a large feature.
Segment results when needs differ. An administrator and a daily project contributor may give the same outcome very different importance ratings. A single blended average can hide both groups.
Common mistakes
- Asking customers to rate a feature instead of the outcome they need.
- Combining distinct customer segments before checking their differences.
- Treating small score differences as precise when the sample is limited.
- Jumping from a high opportunity score to one preferred solution.
Check your understanding
An outcome has importance 8 and satisfaction 5. What is its score using Importance + max(Importance - Satisfaction, 0)?
11, because 8 + max(8 - 5, 0) = 11.
Sources
- ProductPlan: Opportunity ScoringReference for combining importance and satisfaction to identify underserved outcomes.