Technical Project Management #6: Features vs. Requirements vs. Things That Never End
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Video Description
Before you build elaborate hierarchies of epics, features, and stories, let me save you some pain: most of the time, you don't need all that structure. This video shows you when hierarchy helps — and when it just gets in the way.
What you'll learn:
• The "chewing the apple" problem: breaking work down for development ≠ shipping each piece separately • When requirements "graduate" to features (and when they shouldn't) • Two different concerns: 1. Software Development (dev team, requirements, Definition of Done) 2. Product Delivery (product owner, features, release coordination) • Why your dev team works on requirements, not features • The End Test: does this ever actually end? • Why categories like "Security" and "Admin" don't belong on your backlog • The three-question diagnostic for any item on your list
Key insights:
• A requirement is shippable functionality — if it ships alone and delivers value, you're done • Features emerge from necessity, not bureaucracy — requirements "graduate" when they need to ship together • Definition of Done lives at the requirement level. Always. • The dev team is indirectly working on features by completing requirements — but their focus stays on requirements • Features are the product owner's tool for release coordination — their "problem" to solve • If something never ends (Security, UX, Admin), it's a category, not a work item — use it as a tag • Empty parent fields are fine; don't create hierarchy you don't need
Previous Video: Why Small Requirements Win Next Video: "This Can't Be Split Any Further" ► Full Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGxFXI4dC2shCJwhTY-P2726zts26_AKF
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Does your team confuse requirements and features? Let me know in the comments!
#ProjectManagement #TechnicalPM #Agile #Scrum #Kanban #UserStories #Epics #Features #ProductManagement #SoftwareDevelopment #Tutorial #TechLead #EngineeringManager #ProductOwner
0:00 Features, Chunks, and Things That Never End 0:31 What Is a Requirement? 1:10 The 'Chewing the Apple' Problem 1:25 When Pieces Need Each Other 2:07 This Is When Features Emerge 2:43 Two Different Concerns 3:52 Who Owns What 4:16 A Simple Decision 4:35 Requirements vs. Features 5:33 Things That Never End 5:46 The End Test 6:29 Categories Are Just Tags 7:02 The Simplest Possible Structure 7:33 Common Mistakes 8:21 A Quick Diagnostic 8:57 Key Takeaways
Video Info
- Duration: 10:04
- Published: December 08, 2025
