What's your approach to product road mapping?

After 10 years in product management, one clear rule that I have learnt is that you must ensure a clear goal and direction before building a product roadmap, you need that North Star before you start embarking on creating anything 1) identify and analyze the market landscape clearly 2) ensure you understand the consumer pain points, jobs to be done clearly and how competition is trying to delight the customers 3) analyze the trends impacting your industry and consumers 4) take your organization vision, strategy and product strategy into consideration 5) Analyze your company competency and competitive advantage 6) Define clear KPIs on how you would determine success 7) verify your roadmap direction with stakeholders before building it

Product road mapping involves defining a clear vision and goals for a product, understanding the target audience, and gathering input from stakeholders. Prioritization of features based on customer value and feasibility is critical, with timelines and milestones set for each. Effective communication and collaboration among teams and stakeholders are key to ensure alignment with the product's direction. The roadmap is a flexible document, subject to regular updates based on market changes and feedback. Measuring progress against key performance indicators is crucial for ongoing assessment. Alignment with the business strategy is essential, and an agile approach, documentation, and continuous feedback are vital for success.

PM's approach to product road mapping varies depending on the organizational context—B2B or otherwise—but it fundamentally centers on two key pillars: 1. Company Goals: What are the overarching objectives of the business? For instance, if the company is aiming to be AI-first, the roadmap would naturally prioritize features that leverage AI technology. 2. User Needs: What are the current challenges or pain points for our users? In a B2B setting, this often means prioritizing issues for clients who contribute the most to Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR). By balancing these two elements, PMs create a roadmap that not only addresses immediate user concerns but also aligns with long-term business strategies.

Start with a vision, understand the market, gather input, prioritize features, create a timeline, be flexible. I also believe that it is important to communicate the roadmap to the team and stakeholders on a regular basis. This helps to ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals.

If starting to build a new product, which I've done a few times, I would recommend going after the foundation, i.e. build foundation. Solve some of the difficult challenges that create value and help build a foundation on which the rest of your product can stand, or you can build upon. I've seen teams prioritizing the low hanging fruits, but if you are designing foundational elements, it certainly impacts your speed. For example, I would prioritize the POST API before a GET API. Defining a POST API first helps identify what to store and thus underlying data structure. Think about what is more foundational for your work and define it. This would make you slower initially, but would help gain speed over time.

When it comes to narrowing down a product roadmap, there are several key considerations that should not be overlooked by any means. These include: (1) Defining Vision and Strategy— this serves as the guiding principle leading to the definition of both long and short-term goals; (2) Understanding Stakeholders' Needs—engaging stakeholders increases chances of navigating the right path; (3) Involving Engineering Team in Roadmap Development—avoid planning projects/features that may never materialize due to high costs and limited resources; (4) Prioritizing MVP Elements—building a Minimal Viable Product (MVP) saves significant investment. These are a few aspects I would definitely consider when approaching a brand-new product roadmap.

A roadmap is a guide that supposes how we are going to execute our strategy to success and growth. One has to have insights into the market to understand how demands are changing/growing and how we as a company can respond to the market. It's a top-down approach of defining our response to market, from product/solution, to sales & marketing to operations. The goal should be to map out our strategy to succeed and scope should be based on market understanding as we learnt from our data, customer interactions and secondary market data.

Among all the products I have contributed to, I have always spent time understanding how this product has a strategic value to my organization and how it is serving the customers. Once I know that, then I try to build epics and stories that will benefit either of the two mentioned stakes; my org. or my customers. Your product doesn't need to have a jam-packed feature list to be successful. If you have done enough research to understand the market and your audience, then you would know what your customers actually benefit from. Invest time in research and understanding your customers. Your organization's strategic goals are generally pretty easy to follow , what's tricky is how you align your customer-centric goals with your org goals.

Building a product roadmap? Picture it like plotting a road trip. First, you need a clear destination in mind—that's your vision, the big dream. Always listen to your users and execs because their feedback & direction is gold. You'll get lots of feature requests, and while every new idea seems enticing, you've got to be selective. Data acts as your GPS, guiding your decisions. But never overlook the human element—it's not just about numbers, but emotions and experiences. Remember, plans can change. Life's unpredictable, so be ready to pivot when needed. And when you achieve something? Time to celebrate! 🍾 To sum it up: Set a clear goal, align with users/execs, harness data, remain adaptable, and relsih the journey. Enjoy the ride!

Vision & Mission: Establish long-term goals and company purpose. SWOT Analysis: Evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Market Research: Gauge market trends, analyze competitors, and discern customer preferences. Strategic Goals: Craft clear, measurable objectives. Product Strategy: Outline product ambitions, target users, market positioning, and unique selling points. Roadmap Development: Rank features, assign resources, and determine release dates. Engage Stakeholders: Gather insights from internal teams for holistic planning.insig Execution: Launch plans and oversee progress. Iterate: Update based on real-world feedback and shifts. Communication: Promote transparency and alignment within the company.

A product roadmap is like the Master Document of a product manager. It is a live shared document. Live that it has to stay up to date and shared that it has to be shared among different team members working on it. Never ever have different versions in circulations. When it comes to format there are several ways, let me list few ones I used through the years 1) Power point format where you have segments the range with years or quarters depending on the lifecycle with financial impact per SKU 2) Excel Format with each column representing quarter and rows representing the consumer need or market segment 3) using software that allows you to edit the different timing and features being added

A flow sheet diagram is valuable for road mapping product development: Opt for a large whiteboard for stages and iterations. Use colors for stages ideation, testing, and implementation. List all product versions/features to be tested. Mark parameters for each version; symbols denote changes. Update blocks with test results; use sticky notes for progression. Use symbols for completed tests and milestones. Link to management tools via QR codes for detailed tracking. Regularly update the board, adjusting as needed. Foster team engagement for alignment and feedback. Document the board for tracking history. Integrating a whiteboard with management tools provides a comprehensive view of development.

Selecting the right format and tools for your product roadmap is essential, and it isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. The choice—whether timeline-based, theme-based, goal-oriented, or feature-centric—hinges on your unique context and the audience you're addressing. While spreadsheets, presentations, and specialized software each have their merits, opt for what aligns with your requirements. Above all, ensure your chosen method remains clear, adaptable, and shareable, effectively acting as a dynamic blueprint for your product journey. #RoadmapEssentials 🛠️🗺️

I think format based on your audience, if you are breaking down your roadmap to tactical level to communicate to UX, dev. Then use a JIRA board, also depends on the tools your dev & design teams are used to. I think outside of the your core teams (UX & Dev teams), the roadmap should be kept high level, a still find a powerpoint slide or a Miro board to be the best tool to create your roadmap. As I PM I generally ask my stakeholder their reference then adapt my roadmap to that tool and level of sophistication. Specially early on, as I build social equity then I adapt & make chances.

Format should consider product's journey over time, show the evolution, track progress, and allow collaboration, all while ensuring the roadmap remains adaptable to changes in your product strategy or priorities.

In product management, road mapping flexibility is key. When shaping a new feature, we embraced various road map types, like goal-based or feature-based, adapting to context and audience needs. This dynamic approach ensures that the chosen format aligns seamlessly with our product strategy. Tools, be it spreadsheets, presentations, or dedicated software, are chosen for practicality. The focus is on creating a clear, concise, and adaptable road map—easy to update and share. It's about aligning format and tool with the evolving product journey, ensuring the road map remains a dynamic and communicative guide for the team and stakeholders.

Prioritization and validation in product road mapping are crucial, yet challenging steps. Balancing potential impact with feasibility and resources within a dynamic landscape can be tricky. I believe there's no one-size-fits-all solution. By utilizing different frameworks, conducting thorough validation, and remaining adaptable, you can prioritize and validate your product roadmap effectively, ensuring you focus on the ideas that deliver the most value to your users and business.

Combining multiple models can offer several advantages. Different models capture different aspects of the data, leading to a more holistic view of the problems. Covering more aspects, leading to a more comprehensive validation

Going beyond frameworks, you must also ensure the first principles of why the initiative is being picked and why is it being picked ‘now’

Prioritizing and authenticating ideas are pivotal in product road mapping. Since you can't tackle all ideas simultaneously, discerning which to pursue or shelve becomes crucial. Ground your decisions in real-world data and input from users and stakeholders. Utilize proven frameworks like RICE, Kano, or MoSCoW for prioritization, and embrace the lean startup mindset for validation. By ensuring ideas are both impactful and viable, you create a roadmap that truly resonates. #IdeasToImpact 🌱🔍

The classic 'You can do anything, but not everything' guide & product management tattoo candidate. To focus, you need to prioritise. And to prioritise, you need to understand the factors by which to rank. This is where frameworks come in handy. The core principle of any prioritisation framework is: 'Just because you have a hammer, it doesn't make everything a nail'. For example, RICE is great to add a system & structure to chaos by ensuring you do your homework on reach, impact, effort and what confidence you have in your assessment (e.g., supportive insights for RIE). MoSCoW offers a quick way to incorporate the customer's voice & needs in the structure. While classics, in the hands of a data-informed product manager they turn into gold.

In product management, the heart of road mapping is strategic prioritization and validation. Facing the reality of limited resources, decisions on what to build first are critical. We employed frameworks like RICE and the Kano model, aligning priorities with impact and user satisfaction. Validation, a cornerstone, involves gathering data and feedback. The lean startup approach guided our iterative process, ensuring ideas aligned with user needs. Deciding what to defer or discard requires a continual loop of validation and adaptation. In the dynamic world of product management, mastering prioritization and validation ensures that each step aligns with both user satisfaction and strategic goals.

"Prioritization has to be achieved via collaboration and alignment. To achieve a highly impactful prioritisation, Product Managers should call out the riskiest assumptions and the challenges with users and technology. One of the best frameworks to follow in roadmap discussion is Value vs Complexity Framework"

Everyone works in product. Don't limit your inputs to customer feedback or sales data. Ask your CX teams, asks your sales teams. Ask your head of finance. Everyone has used products, worked somewhere previously with a similar product or similar pain points. I feel like most product teams limit their inputs because they either don't think they'll be valuable or don't want to have to tell those people their ideas didn't make the cut. These are problems to be overcome not reasons not to engage. The best way to overcome these problems is to have a transparent framework like RICE (Reach x Impact x Confidence / Effort) and share your decision making. Make sure everyone has the ability to make suggestions and knows where to put them.

Stakeholder alignment in product road mapping is crucial. When I prioritized features using the RICE score, for example, it wasn't just my perspective; I consulted with our sales team, tech team, and users. Involving them early fostered buy-in and reduced friction later. By understanding their concerns and expectations, I could balance the overarching product vision with practical insights. Regular communication channels helped manage feedback and ensured everyone felt part of the journey. Aligning stakeholders is a blend of diplomacy and strategy, ensuring your roadmap has collective support. #TogetherInStrategy 🚀🤝

Firstly I strongly feel you should have different formats/narrative for different audiences. You should have different roadmaps for external vs internal stakeholders. And also different for Leadership vs functional partners internally. This helps in getting the right feedback/recommendations from each audiences. I use the following approached: - Outcomes based roadmap for leadership. - Feature/timeline based for cross functional partners (dev, design, marketing) - Product feature, benefit based for customers. This helps me tailor make narrative at the highest level in terms of product vision and get feedback on prioritization and read on if I'm headed in the right direction.

In product management, road mapping is a collaborative journey. Engaging stakeholders—customers, users, team, executives, and partners—is pivotal. We ensured continuous communication to understand their needs and expectations. Balancing stakeholder feedback and aligning it with the product vision was essential. It's not just about managing requests but strategically incorporating valuable insights. This collaborative approach, from ideation to execution, fosters a shared vision and ensures the product roadmap aligns with diverse perspectives, leading to a more robust and successful product development.

Your Product Goals are the business, user and technical outcomes you intend to drive. Having a balanced approach towards all 3 pillars will help you plan the roadmap clearly. It is important for you to understand - How to measure goal achievement and accordingly derive the success metrics. A practical framework here is Goals -> Signals -> Metrics It is important for the Product manager to facilitate collaborative discussions between stakeholders to arrive at a consensus and alignment in the goals and metrics

I have found that the Now-Next-Later roadmaps are great to communicate to all stakeholders in a clear and precise way. Fast-paced can easily share this publicly to carry even users along on what to expect and what they would like to get prioritized.

The most important thing to communicate is that a roadmap is a living thing. It can suffer frequent changes due to reprioritization, new insights or circumstances. It’s not something that should be set in stone, rather something that’s frequently revisited and updated.

Presenting my road map was an art in itself. When sharing with the tech team, I detailed the features using the MoSCoW method to prioritize tasks. With executives, I linked decisions to the company's vision, explaining the rationale using Kano model insights. For customers, I focused on the value they'd receive, emphasizing simplicity. A consistent visual style across all presentations ensured clarity, while tailoring content to each audience kept it relevant. I learned that while the plan is crucial, how you communicate it can make or break its success. Clear communication ensures everyone is onboard and understands the journey ahead. #RoadmapClarity 📊🗺️

While communicating your product roadmap to internal stakeholders, segregating your roadmap into must have, nice to have and parked for now is the best way. Have your next 3 months goals as must to have 6-12 months goals in nice to have or you can call it “next on the list” And the parking lot items are the ones that can be considered in future. It could be in a Gsheet, shared across your teams, so at any point in time your stakeholders within the company can access it without always having the need to reach out. Why a Gsheet and not any fancy tool? It’s convenient. Else you can also use Aha.io and maintain your roadmap by deployment versions.

Use visuals, and craft a compelling narrative to focus on the roadmap's objectives and impact. Use data to support evidence-based decision-making to your messaging. Demonstrate your choices based on real user needs or market opportunities.You can provide stakeholders with projections on how certain features might affect key performance indicators (KPIs) like user engagement, revenue, or customer satisfaction.

"A ship cannot sail to its destination without a guiding compass. Similarly, a product roadmap will not be driving the intended outcomes without the scope and vision Product Vision and Scope has to be planned based on - User Problems and Aspirations - Intended Business Outcomes - Market Competitiveness - Tech Trends A Product Vision must keep users, business and technology at the core A practical thought flow is User Aspirations-> Business Outcomes -> Product Vision -> Product Strategy -> Roadmap -> Features"

Creating long-term roadmaps for 6-12 months is common in startups. However, if you’re in an experimental phase or seeking Product-Market Fit, this could be counterproductive. The issue is uncertainty. Early stages are filled with unknowns—user behavior, key metrics, and even product direction can change rapidly. A long-term roadmap may lock you into outdated goals or features. Instead, opt for a flexible, 3-month roadmap. Review it monthly, adapting based on new learnings. This agile approach suits startups by allowing for quicker adaptations to market needs, thereby increasing chances of finding PMF. At Amicci, we review our roadmap the last Thursday of each month, and this approach make our product more relevant for our customers.

A road map is one thing and live another. The road map should not narrow our perspective. As an English proverb reads: "Man proposes God disposes". Flexibility is paramount.

In my experience with road mapping, adaptability was vital. I remember once we had set a solid quarter ahead, but a competitor's move caught us off-guard. Rather than sticking rigidly to our plan, we reviewed our road map, adapted swiftly, and communicated these changes to our team. On another occasion, after a feature launch, feedback poured in faster than anticipated. We paused, reassessed, and made updates to our roadmap, ensuring our next steps truly resonated with our users. Such instances reinforced the need for regular road map reviews. It's not just about plotting a course but navigating with agility, always keeping an ear to the ground and ensuring alignment with our evolving goals. #DynamicDirection 🗺️🔄

"Feedback is a gold mine. It means that you will dig up dirt as well as gold. Be mindful to focus on the gold and more importantly where the gold was found and delve deeper Seeking feedback via polls and surveys helps you collect data. However, 1-1 feedback and team retrospectives enable you to gain insights and stories. Ask your reviewers, "What improvement do you seek in me to run the product vision?" "What was the one initiative that helped you the most?" Open-ended questions are great thought-provoking ice-breakers"

Na minha empresa temos produtos diversos produtos que se aplicam a mais de uma persona, o que torna o gerenciamento de nosso portfólio bastante complexo. A priorização tem que garantir o alinhamento estratégico da empresa e as principais necessidades dos diferentes públicos alvo. Para que a gestão de portfólio funcione, precisamos conectar os clientes com o roadmap previsto, alinhando constantemente a rota. Além disso, é necessário um alinhamento constante com os stakeholders internos sobre o que está previsto e, principalmente, sobre o que está ficando de fora do roadmap. Com isso, alinhamos as expectativas de ambos os lados.

A product roadmap is a tool to communicate strategy. The format (scope, detail, presentation) would very much depend on the audience and the message. There is a distinct difference between roadmaps for customers, for internal stakeholders, for potential investors - they seek a different understanding of your strategy, and need different levels of details and horizons. A roadmap isn't a plan, isn't the strategy, isn't the vision, and isn't stable over time. It's merely a communication tool, to express your direction and current thinking. You must first understand what your audience wants and needs to hear, then match it up to the message you want to convey, and only then choose the most appropriate format and construct the roadmap.

During my road mapping journey, I encountered unexpected lessons. Once, when prioritizing features, I almost missed a critical customer pain point, but a casual chat over coffee with a user changed my perspective. It taught me the value of informal feedback. Another time, while presenting to stakeholders, a visual example helped bridge a complex concept, reaffirming the power of visual storytelling. Additionally, while tools and formats matter, adaptability is paramount. There was a shift in company strategy, and being nimble allowed me to pivot seamlessly. Always stay curious and connected; sometimes, the most profound insights come from the most unexpected places. #RoadmapReflections 🧭🔍

Managers can use the following key steps to build a product roadmap: create a vision and strategy, determine the audience, develop product themes, set product scope and goals, create a hypothesis for your goals, and remain flexible.

My product roadmap prioritizes agility. I always establish a clear product vision and long-term goals, but focus on achievable milestones within defined phases. Customer feedback and market trends are continuously analyzed to inform roadmap adjustments, ensuring we stay responsive to evolving needs and capitalize on opportunities.