The Donut Model in Product Development Lifecycle for Product Managers

The Donut Model in product development is a relatively recent conceptual framework, emerging in the early 2010s. It was created as a response to the limitations of linear and overly structured models that did not accommodate the iterative nature of modern product development, especially in the digital age. The name “Donut Model” comes from its circular, continuous loop representation, emphasizing ongoing iteration and feedback rather than a one-way progression.

7 min readJul 15, 2024

This model draws inspiration from agile methodologies and design thinking, both of which prioritize flexibility, user feedback, and iterative development. The Donut Model incorporates these principles into a comprehensive lifecycle approach that is particularly useful for product managers who must navigate the complexities of developing and managing digital products. The iterative loops reflect the necessity for constant evolution and improvement, which is critical in maintaining competitiveness and user satisfaction in fast-paced markets.

Step-by-Step Explanation of the Donut Model

The Donut Model can be broken down into several key stages, each interconnected to allow for continuous iteration and improvement. Let’s explore these stages with an example: developing a new feature for Snapchat.

Identify and Define the Problem
Suppose Snapchat identifies that users want a more engaging way to share their daily activities. The product team defines the problem as “Users need a more interactive and dynamic way to share their day-to-day moments.” This involves conducting preliminary research to pinpoint the core issues users face with current features and understanding the competitive landscape.
Research and Ideation
The team conducts user research, surveys, and studies to understand what users find lacking in current features. They brainstorm ideas such as animated filters, augmented reality (AR) enhancements, and new story formats. This stage may involve focus groups, user interviews, and analyzing data from existing features to generate a broad range of potential solutions.
Concept Development and Validation
From the ideation phase, the team narrows down to a few feasible concepts like “animated AR filters” and develops prototypes. They test these prototypes with a small group of users to gather feedback and validate the concepts. This stage ensures that the ideas are practical and align with user expectations and technical feasibility.
Design and Planning
With validated concepts, the design team creates detailed wireframes and mockups of the new AR filters. Concurrently, the product managers plan the development timeline, resources, and milestones. This phase includes collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment on goals, timelines, and deliverables.
Development
The engineering team starts building the AR filters. This involves coding, integrating with existing systems, and continuous testing. The development is done in sprints to ensure iterative progress and constant feedback. Agile practices are often employed here to allow for flexibility and quick adjustments based on testing outcomes.
Testing and Iteration
The new AR filters are tested rigorously in various scenarios to ensure they work seamlessly. User feedback is continually collected to make necessary adjustments and improvements. This may involve A/B testing, usability testing, and performance testing to ensure the feature meets high-quality standards.
Launch and Monitor
Once the feature is refined, it is rolled out to all users. The product team closely monitors the usage data, user feedback, and performance metrics to ensure the feature meets expectations and identifies areas for further enhancement. Post-launch monitoring includes tracking KPIs, user engagement metrics, and other critical performance indicators.
Evaluate and Learn
Post-launch, the team conducts a thorough evaluation of the feature’s success. They analyze what worked, what didn’t, and why. This learning is documented and used to inform future feature developments. Retrospectives and post-mortem meetings help in capturing insights that can be applied to subsequent projects.

This cyclical process ensures that product development is not just a one-time effort but a continuous journey of improvement and adaptation, much like a donut loop. Each iteration provides valuable insights that fuel the next cycle, ensuring the product evolves in alignment with user needs and market trends.

Scenarios Where Product Managers Can Utilize the Donut Model

New Feature Development
When introducing new features, such as Snapchat’s AR filters, the Donut Model ensures thorough research, validation, and iterative improvement. This approach helps in minimizing risks and ensuring that the feature delivers value to users.
Product Overhaul or Redesign
If a product needs a complete redesign, the Donut Model helps in breaking down the process into manageable, iterative steps, ensuring user feedback is incorporated throughout. For instance, redesigning the user interface of a mobile app can benefit from continuous iterations and user testing.
Addressing User Feedback
Continuous improvement based on user feedback can be efficiently managed using this model, ensuring that the product evolves according to user needs. This is particularly useful for mature products where user expectations continuously evolve.
Market Expansion
When adapting a product for a new market, the Donut Model helps in iterative localization, testing, and refinement to meet specific market demands. For example, launching a product in a new geographical region with different cultural norms and user behaviors.
Crisis Management
In scenarios where a product faces significant issues (e.g., a major bug or security flaw), the Donut Model’s iterative approach helps quickly develop, test, and deploy fixes. This ensures a responsive and efficient problem-solving mechanism.
Innovation Projects
For projects aimed at exploring new technologies or innovative solutions, the Donut Model supports experimentation and iterative learning. This is ideal for R&D teams working on breakthrough technologies or novel product concepts.

Drawbacks of the Donut Model

While the Donut Model offers many advantages, it also has its limitations:

Resource Intensive
Continuous iteration and testing can be resource-intensive, requiring significant time, effort, and financial investment. Smaller teams or startups with limited resources might find it challenging to sustain this approach.
Potential for Scope Creep
The iterative nature can lead to scope creep, where additional features or changes continually get added, potentially derailing the original project timeline and objectives. Clear prioritization and scope management are crucial to mitigate this risk.
Complex Coordination
Managing multiple iterations and feedback loops can be complex, requiring effective coordination among various teams and stakeholders. This necessitates robust project management practices and tools to keep everything aligned.
Delayed Time-to-Market
The emphasis on thorough validation and iteration might delay the product’s time-to-market compared to more linear approaches. In fast-paced industries, this can be a significant drawback if competitors are able to launch quicker.

Alternatives to the Donut Model

Waterfall Model
A linear and sequential approach where each phase must be completed before moving to the next. It is suitable for projects with well-defined requirements and minimal expected changes. However, it lacks the flexibility to adapt to changes during the development process.
Agile Methodology
Focuses on iterative development and flexibility, similar to the Donut Model, but often lacks the comprehensive lifecycle view and continuous feedback loop. Agile is more focused on rapid development cycles and frequent releases.
Lean Startup
Emphasizes building a minimum viable product (MVP) and using customer feedback to iterate quickly. It is ideal for startups and new product launches where speed and adaptability are critical. However, it may not provide the structured feedback loops present in the Donut Model.
Design Thinking
A solution-based approach that focuses on understanding user needs and developing creative solutions. It is highly user-centric and iterative but might not cover the entire product lifecycle. Design Thinking is excellent for the early stages of product development but may need to be supplemented with other methodologies for full lifecycle management.
Scrum Framework
A subset of Agile, Scrum focuses on iterative development through sprints. It is effective for managing complex projects but might lack the broader lifecycle perspective of the Donut Model. Scrum is highly structured with defined roles and ceremonies, which may not suit all types of projects.

Concluding Thoughts!

The Donut Model in product development offers a robust framework for managing the lifecycle of digital products, especially in dynamic environments where continuous improvement is critical. By emphasizing iterative development, user feedback, and flexibility, it ensures that products remain relevant and user-centric. However, product managers must balance the model’s iterative nature with the need for efficient resource management and clear project scope to avoid potential drawbacks. Understanding alternative models allows for a tailored approach, ensuring that the chosen methodology aligns with the specific needs and constraints of the project at hand.

The iterative loops of the Donut Model are designed to foster innovation, enhance user satisfaction, and adapt to changing market conditions, making it an invaluable tool for modern product managers. By continuously evaluating and learning from each development cycle, product managers can drive sustained product success and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.

Thanks for reading! If you’ve got ideas to contribute to this conversation please comment. If you like what you read and want to see more, clap me some love! Follow me here, or connect with me on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Let’a have a 1:1 call → https://topmate.io/rohit_verma_pm