# New feature requests default to public In Review

> Drop every new request into a visible In Review state so customers can see that the idea entered the system before it earns a roadmap slot.

- Canonical HTML: https://growth.iangoh.com/growth-ideas/new-feature-requests-default-to-public-in-review/
- Source: [buffer.com](https://buffer.com/resources/transparent-product-roadmap-v2/)
- GrowthDex source hub: [Buffer](/sources/buffer-buffer-com/)
- Last checked: 2026-05-28
- Rarity: uncommon
- Budget: free
- Channels: Community, Product Roadmap, Customer Feedback
- Stages: feedback, community-led growth, product strategy, trust


## Why this can grow

Most public roadmaps fail because they only show the polished middle. That makes customers feel like ideas vanish into a private room until the company is ready to announce something. Buffer puts all new suggestions into a visible In Review bucket first. That small move keeps the feedback loop legible, invites other users to add votes or nuance, and buys the team time to triage without going silent.

## Ian's take

From scaling consumer platforms across MENA and Southeast Asia, my default is to distrust growth work that only looks good in a slide. My bias is to treat this as a small market test first. Make the audience narrow, make the promise concrete, and let the first real response decide whether it deserves more work. I would run it small enough to learn quickly, then only scale the parts that real users repeat, save, reply to, or buy from. For this tactic, I would watch one clear growth signal before putting more time or budget behind it.

## Action plan

1. Define one narrow startup segment where new feature requests default to public in review can create a measurable lift.
2. Turn the tactic into one offer, page, campaign, or workflow for the Community and Product Roadmap channel.
3. Use the evidence from buffer.com to set the first version of the message, format, and audience.
4. Launch a small test for 7 to 14 days with one success metric: one measurable growth signal.
5. Review the result, keep the winning message, remove weak variants, and turn the learning into a repeatable growth playbook.

## Source-backed example

Buffer marks new suggestions as In Review by default so other users can upvote them while the team decides whether to move them onto the roadmap.

## Adjacent tactics in the same lane

- [All feature requests visible before roadmap prioritization](/growth-ideas/all-feature-requests-visible-before-roadmap-prioritization/) - same source, 3 shared channels, 3 shared stages
- [Signed-in feedback board links requests to customer identity](/growth-ideas/signed-in-feedback-board-links-requests-to-customer-identity/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 3 shared stages
- [Feature request stage emails for submitters and followers](/growth-ideas/feature-request-stage-emails-for-submitters-and-followers/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 2 shared stages
- [Open beta toggle inside product navigation](/growth-ideas/open-beta-toggle-inside-product-navigation/) - same source, 1 shared channel, 2 shared stages

## Read GrowthDex essays

Browse the plain-English essay index at [GrowthDex Blog](/blog/).

## Related GrowthDex essays

- [The feedback loop breaks when the middle stays hidden](/blog/the-feedback-loop-breaks-when-the-middle-stays-hidden/) - product-led growth, community-led growth, brand trust

## Advisory

If you want help turning this into a working growth system, Ian Goh offers advisory at https://iangoh.com/advisory.