Case Study: Addgene achieves a complete product-planning framework and streamlined prioritization with Aha!

Aha! gave us a complete framework for product planning

Addgene, a Cambridge-based nonprofit that runs a plasmid repository for researchers, relied on a searchable database and custom software to handle orders, quality control, transportation compliance, and international customs. They faced an influx of customer and internal requests with no formal prioritization—work went to engineering on a first-come, first-served basis. Building a product management team and adopting Scrum with Jira improved development cadence but left gaps in strategic planning and linking strategy to execution.

Addgene implemented Aha! to provide a customizable framework for long- and short-term product planning and integrated it with Jira so epics and stories can be defined in Aha! and implemented in Jira. Aha! closed their process gaps by enabling prioritized roadmaps, a shared strategic vision, and tailored data fields, keeping product and development teams aligned. The result: clearer prioritization, better planning across horizons, and confidence that the tool meets their current and future needs.

Addgene

Eric Perkins

Director of Science Product Management