Don’t do big development projects without testing the idea manually first.
Want to build a quest/badging system with unique journeys for different members? Do it manually first (yes, reach out to each member with an email when they reach each stage).
You want all the information before you begin development.
Don’t launch a huge ambassador program, try to find some way of recognizing one person for their expertise and seeing how it works.
Don’t build an automation series without manually testing different ideas first.
Don’t revamp your homepage without testing the unique elements for popularity first.
Making changes post-development is expensive, time-intensive, and costs you a lot of internal capital. You need to test every major development before you do it. These insights will inform and drive what you do.
There aren’t many ideas you can’t test manually first.
Aside, 50% of the time you’ll learn that the big development project has no real impact and you can skip it. You’re welcome!