The Assistant team needs to choose: should we add more third-party integrations that increase complexity, or focus on core features?

Introduction

The Assistant team faces a critical trade-off: should we expand our third-party integrations, potentially increasing complexity, or focus on refining our core features? This decision will significantly impact our product strategy, user experience, and resource allocation. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining the context, evaluating potential impacts, designing experiments, and providing a data-driven recommendation.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm assuming our Assistant is an AI-powered productivity tool. Could you confirm if this is correct, and if there are any specific industry verticals we're targeting?

Why it matters: Helps tailor the solution to our target market Expected answer: Confirmation of product type and target industries Impact on approach: Would influence integration priorities and core feature focus

• Business Context: Based on our current market position, I'm thinking this decision might be driven by competitive pressure. How does this trade-off align with our current business goals and revenue model?

Why it matters: Helps prioritize solution against business objectives Expected answer: Details on revenue streams and growth targets Impact on approach: Would inform whether to prioritize short-term gains or long-term platform building

• User Impact: Considering our user base, I'm curious about the adoption rates of our existing integrations versus core features. Can you share any insights on user engagement patterns?

Why it matters: Helps understand user preferences and behavior Expected answer: Usage statistics for integrations vs. core features Impact on approach: Would guide resource allocation between integrations and core features

• Technical Feasibility: Given the potential complexity increase, I'm wondering about our current technical architecture. How scalable is our system for adding new integrations?

Why it matters: Determines the feasibility and cost of expanding integrations Expected answer: Overview of current architecture and scalability limits Impact on approach: Would influence the pace and extent of integration expansion

• Resource Allocation: Considering both options require significant effort, I'm curious about our current team capacity. Do we have dedicated teams for integrations and core feature development?

Why it matters: Helps understand resource constraints and potential trade-offs Expected answer: Team structure and available resources Impact on approach: Would impact the feasibility and timeline of either option