---
title: Feature Prioritization Matrix @ Varstatt Discovery
url: https://varstatt.com/discovery/feature-prioritization
description: Prioritize features by business impact. AI classifies core vs. supporting vs. generic and phases them into MVP, Growth, and Scale. Free.
section: AI Discovery Tools (https://varstatt.com/discovery)
step: 5 of 8
previous: User Personas (https://varstatt.com/discovery/user-personas)
next: Tech Strategy (https://varstatt.com/discovery/tech-strategy)
---
# Feature Prioritization Matrix
Prioritize features by business impact. AI classifies core vs. supporting vs. generic and phases them into MVP, Growth, and Scale. Free.

## Why Use This Tool

### Core, Supporting, or Generic — Every Feature Has a Type

Your matching algorithm is core — it's your competitive advantage, build it custom. User management is supporting — necessary but not unique. Auth and payments are generic — solved problems, buy them. The AI classifies every feature so you know where to invest engineering time.

### Everything Can't Be MVP

When all 15 features are 'must-have,' nothing gets shipped. The AI scores each feature by business impact and assigns phases — MVP, Growth, or Scale. Core features ship first. Supporting features get deferred. Generic features get bought.

### The Priority Matrix Becomes the Project Scope

This isn't an academic exercise. The feature prioritization matrix maps directly to development phases. MVP gets built first. Growth features have clear triggers for when to add them. Scale features wait until you've validated the business.

## How It Works

1. **List Your Features** — Paste a feature list or describe your product. The AI extracts features and classifies each as core, supporting, or generic.
2. **AI Classifies and Scores Everything** — The AI classifies each feature by domain (core, supporting, generic), scores business impact, and proposes phases — all at once. You review the full picture, not one feature at a time.
3. **Refine and Confirm** — Agree, push back, or ask questions. The AI challenges your assumptions but respects your final call. It flags risks when you override its recommendations.
4. **Get Your Priority Matrix** — Features classified by domain and phased into MVP, Growth, and Scale. Core domain features ship first, supporting features get deferred, generic features get bought off-the-shelf.

## FAQ

### What are core, supporting, and generic domains?

Core features are your competitive advantage — the reason someone picks you over alternatives. Supporting features enable core but aren't unique (user management, notifications). Generic features are solved problems (auth, payments, email). This distinction drives what you build custom, what you keep simple, and what you buy — and feeds directly into [Tech Strategy](/discovery/tech-strategy).

### How many core features should I have?

Typical products have 1-3 core features. If you say 5+, you probably have 0. "Important" doesn't mean "core." Auth is important — it's not your competitive advantage. The test: "The reason someone picks us over the alternative is ___." That's core. The discipline behind keeping it short is the [Find the Core](/principles/discovery/find-the-core) principle.

### Will it cut features I think are important?

It will challenge you. Auth and payments get flagged as "buy, don't build." Supporting features get deferred if they're not needed for MVP. You make the final call, but the AI flags scope risk when you keep everything. The principle behind cutting fast is [Scope Shaping](/principles/discovery/scope-shaping).

### How does phasing work?

MVP includes all core features plus the supporting features they depend on. Growth adds retention and expansion features with clear triggers for when to build them. Scale adds optimization. Each phase has concrete entry criteria, not arbitrary timelines. The MVP phase maps directly to [MVP in 6 Weeks](/production/mvp-in-6-weeks).

### How many features should I bring?

8-15 is the sweet spot. Under 8 is fine — the AI may suggest features you're missing. Over 25, the tool will suggest grouping into capabilities first, then prioritizing the groups. Once the list is sized, [Build Cost & Plan](/discovery/build-cost-plan) shows what fits in your budget.
## Usage

This tool is an AI-guided chat — it requires a browser to use.

Prefill the conversation with your project context via URL:

- `https://varstatt.com/discovery/feature-prioritization?context=I+am+building+...` (max 2000 chars)

Context carries forward across all discovery steps automatically once set.