How Can Hypothesis-Driven Development Help With Feature Decisions?
Hypothesis-Driven Development allows product managers to make informed decisions about whether to continue, pivot, or stop developing a feature based on observed impact. This reduces risk and improves value delivery.
Metaphor
It’s like airing a pilot episode to see if the show deserves a full season. The audience’s reaction guides whether to renew, rewrite, or cancel.
Hypothesis-Driven Development brings that same feedback loop to feature decisions—letting real impact, not just instinct, steer what gets built next.
Works Consulted
- An Explanation of Hypothesis-Driven Development | Scrum.org | Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
- What is a Hypothesis | Scrum.org | Accessed 23 Jun. 2025.
Connections
follows:: Small Experiments Prevent Overbuilding
Related | Backlog Items Are Hypotheses, Not Promises → A lot of teams approach work items as “requirements”, things that must be done. When approached as hypothesis, we can reduce waste, and encourage outcome tracking. Related | Small Experiments Prevent Overbuilding → If the small experiments we’ve been executing aren’t leading to the desired outcomes, we can stop building in this direction earlier, thus reducing waste.