How to Create a Product Roadmap

A product roadmap is more than just a plan; it's a strategic tool that aligns your team and stakeholders around your product's vision and goals. It's essential for keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring that your efforts are focused on what truly matters.

Creating an effective product roadmap isn't easy. It involves strategic thinking, gathering input from various stakeholders, and making tough prioritization decisions. That's why we've put together this step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process.

In the following sections, we'll break down each step of creating a product roadmap that works. From defining your product vision to setting realistic timelines and communicating the roadmap effectively, we've got you covered. By the end of this guide, you'll have a clear, actionable roadmap that can adapt to changes and keep your team focused.

What is a Product Roadmap?

A roadmap is a simple tool that helps teams focus on what’s important, prioritize product ideas, and communicate plans effectively. Think of it as a way to guide discussions around where to put your energy and how to make the most impact. It’s also a great way to keep other teams, like customer support or sales, in the loop if they rely on your work.

Roadmaps aren’t one-size-fits-all. They can cover everything from deciding priorities to setting expectations, and they often involve a lot of collaboration—both within your team and sometimes with customers or partners.

A good roadmap is always up-to-date, easy to understand, and focused on outcomes rather than tasks. It should clearly explain why certain things are prioritized and keep everyone aligned on the big picture. Importantly, a roadmap sets the right expectations, helping reduce constant interruptions and freeing up your time to focus on making an impact.

In short, a roadmap is your team’s guide to getting things done, but it’s also a tool to keep everyone informed and working toward the same goals.

Step 1: Define The Product Strategy and Outcomes

A product roadmap is not just about shipping features on time or within budget. If those features don’t deliver real value to your customers or your business, what’s the point?

Focusing solely on outputs—like launching a product for a conference—can blind you to the bigger picture. You might miss critical signals, like users not converting or customers churning due to unmet expectations. This output-centric mindset can also drain team morale, as it often feels like a race to check boxes rather than a meaningful pursuit of impact.

Instead, shift your focus to outcomes. This means measuring success by the value delivered, not just the tasks completed. For instance, aim to increase trial-to-paid conversions from 15% to 25%, rather than just shipping a feature by a certain date. When you prioritize outcomes, you empower your teams to experiment and adapt based on what they learn. This approach encourages a culture of continuous improvement, where teams are motivated to refine their processes and strategies.

Start by defining clear, SMART outcomes that align with your business goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound outcomes provide a solid framework for what you want to achieve. Ensure everyone understands these outcomes and how their work contributes to them. This alignment not only clarifies your mission but also boosts team morale, as everyone knows they’re working towards something meaningful.

Encourage your teams to think critically about how their efforts will drive these outcomes. This means moving away from the “when is X going to ship?” conversations and instead focusing on the expected impact of their work. By doing so, you create an environment where teams can iterate quickly, learn from failures, and pivot when necessary. So, ditch the output-focused mindset and embrace an outcome-driven approach. Your product—and your team—will thank you for it.

Step 2: Gather Stakeholder Input

Additional Considerations for Identifying Stakeholders

When it comes to identifying stakeholders, don’t just stick to the usual suspects. Aim for a diverse mix that includes customers, team members, executives, and even partners. Each group brings unique insights that can really help you understand the product landscape better.

Think about breaking down your customers into different segments based on how they use your product, their demographics, or specific business needs. Different user groups often have different priorities and pain points, so it’s important to gather input from a variety of voices. And don’t forget about the influencers in your organization or community. These folks might not have formal titles, but their opinions can carry a lot of weight. Engaging with them can help you get broader support for your initiatives.

It’s also important to recognize the difference between stakeholders who care about the long-term success of the product and those who are focused on immediate outcomes. Balancing these perspectives will help you create a roadmap that works well now and in the future.

Engaging Stakeholders Effectively

Building good relationships with stakeholders is key to getting open and honest feedback. Regular check-ins and casual conversations can go a long way in making people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. Be clear about why you’re gathering feedback and how it will be used. This kind of transparency helps everyone understand their role in the process and encourages them to share more meaningful insights.

Make sure to include voices from underrepresented groups. This not only adds depth to the feedback you receive but also shows that you value diversity and inclusion.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

One of the biggest mistakes is asking for feedback but not acting on it. If stakeholders see their input being ignored, they’re likely to lose interest and be less willing to share their thoughts in the future. While it’s important to gather input, be careful not to overwhelm people with too many requests for feedback; this can lead to fatigue and lower-quality responses.

It’s easy to get swayed by the loudest voices in the room, often the most senior or vocal stakeholders. Make sure you’re also listening to the quieter voices—those who might have valuable insights but are less likely to speak up. After you’ve gathered feedback, it’s crucial to follow up with stakeholders to share what you’ve learned and how their input influenced your decisions. This not only builds trust but also keeps the conversation going.

By keeping these points in mind and being aware of common pitfalls, you can create a more effective process for identifying stakeholders. This will lead to richer insights and ultimately a more successful product roadmap.

Step 3: Prioritize Features and Initiatives

Let’s be honest: prioritization is tough. As a product manager, you’re juggling conflicting priorities and making judgment calls that balance immediate business needs, long-term strategy, customer demands, competition, and ever-changing market conditions. Mastering prioritization is one of the most crucial skills you can develop.

Effective prioritization is a superpower for successful product teams. It allows them to move quickly and focus on what truly matters. On the flip side, when prioritization isn’t set up properly, it can lead to conflicts and decisions based on gut feelings or the loudest voices in the room.

The Art and Science of Prioritization

Prioritization is a blend of art and science. Your approach will depend on factors like company culture, team size, and product maturity. Generally, you want to mix structured methods with qualitative insights while leaving room for intuitive decision-making. Frameworks like RICE or the “impact versus effort” matrix can guide the conversation, but don’t forget to lean on your team’s knowledge from user interviews and feedback.

Keep in mind that your prioritization approach will need to evolve over time. For instance, if you’re working on an early-stage product, your focus might be on immediate customer needs. As you find product-market fit, you’ll shift your attention to user engagement and retention, while also addressing technical debt. With more mature products, the focus may shift to distribution and exploring new revenue streams. Regularly review not just your priorities but also how you prioritize.

Balancing Investments for a Successful Product

Many product teams think of prioritization as simply deciding which features to ship next. But that’s not enough. If you just ship everything your customers ask for, you might end up with a product that doesn’t meet their needs. Initially, it’s easy to move quickly by adding new features, but the real challenge lies in creating products that continue to delight users over the long haul.

One way to approach this is to think of your product roadmap as different buckets, each with its own budget allocation for key aspects of your product’s success. You might have one bucket for new features, another for improving existing ones, one for reliability, and another for distribution.

RUF: Reliability, Usability, New Features

We recommend balancing your investments between new product features, improving the current experience, and strengthening the engineering foundations. A framework that's popular with teams at Atlassian use is called RUF: Reliability, Usability, and new Features.

Reliability is what users expect first. They want to know that when they open your app, it just works. If there are bugs or reliability issues, you need to address those urgently. Next is usability improvements; it’s crucial to allocate budget to enhance the user experience of the most-used features. Finally, focus on new features that align with your overall strategy and user needs.

Make Prioritization Collaborative

Once everyone is on the same page with the data, invite participation in the prioritization discussion. Use the product backlog to turn prioritization into a collaborative exercise. Methods like the $10 game can help gauge the relative importance of ideas while considering constraints.

Ultimately, these methods will help you build a balanced view across various channels, allowing you to decide what your priorities should be—what you’re going to say yes to and what you’ll say no to. Out of this process comes your roadmap.

Step 4: Choosing the Right Format

When it comes to creating a product roadmap, the format you choose can significantly impact how effectively you communicate your vision and priorities. Traditional linear roadmaps can be misleading, as they imply a level of certainty that diminishes the further you look into the future. Instead, consider formats that reflect the inherent uncertainty of product development and allow you to tell the story you want to test.

Outcome-Based Roadmaps

One effective format is the outcome-based roadmap. This type of roadmap clearly outlines the outcomes your product team aims to achieve and narrates the journey of how you plan to get there. There’s no single right way to do this—what matters is that the format resonates with your team and stakeholders. For example, you might share a roadmap that details how your team is thinking about investments across various teams, providing clarity on your strategic direction.

Now/Next/Later Roadmaps

Another popular format is the Now/Next/Later roadmap. This approach helps align everyone on the current focus, the level of certainty around each initiative, and gives a rough idea of sequencing. It encourages discussions about outcomes and uncertainties without getting bogged down in the minutiae of delivery details, like Gantt charts.

In this format, “Now” represents what the team is actively working on, “Next” includes validated opportunities with a solid understanding of potential solutions, and “Later” covers opportunities still being assessed. This method avoids the pitfalls of traditional timelines by emphasizing what’s currently committed rather than making promises about future deliveries.

The Pitfalls of Time-Based Roadmaps

While time-based roadmaps, such as Gantt charts, can be useful in certain contexts—like when other teams depend on your work—they often focus the conversation on when something will ship rather than why it’s being developed in the first place. If not designed properly, these timelines can project a false sense of certainty and set the wrong expectations.

If your stakeholders insist on a time-based roadmap, consider combining it with a Now/Next/Later format. This hybrid approach allows you to communicate what is currently committed with enough certainty while plotting ideas in the “Now” column on a timeline to give a rough idea of when they might land.

Keeping Your Roadmap Up-to-Date

Regardless of the format you choose, it’s crucial to keep your roadmap current to maintain stakeholder trust. Regular reviews are key. Many successful teams conduct weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to assess insights gathered from user conversations and make necessary adjustments. Monthly checkpoints or quarterly reviews with stakeholders help ensure that goals remain aligned and that any strategic shifts are addressed.

By selecting the right roadmap format and keeping it updated, you can create a powerful tool that not only guides your team effectively but also adapts to the realities of product development. This structured approach enhances communication and fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels invested in the product’s success.

Step 5: Communicate the Roadmap

Once you’ve crafted your product roadmap, the next crucial step is effectively communicating it to your team and stakeholders. How you present the roadmap can significantly influence understanding, buy-in, and collaboration. Here are some best practices for sharing your roadmap, along with tools and the importance of transparency.

Best Practices for Presenting the Roadmap

When presenting your roadmap, tailor your approach to suit different audiences. For internal teams, focus on the details that matter most to their roles. Highlight how their work aligns with the roadmap and the impact it will have on achieving overall goals. Use clear visuals and straightforward language to ensure everyone understands the priorities and timelines.

For external stakeholders, such as executives or partners, emphasize the strategic outcomes and the rationale behind your decisions. They may not need to dive into the nitty-gritty details, but they should grasp the big picture and how it aligns with business objectives. Be prepared to answer questions about how the roadmap supports the company’s vision and addresses market needs.

Tools for Sharing and Updating the Roadmap

Utilizing the right tools can streamline the process of sharing and updating your roadmap. Tools like Released, Jira Product Discovery or Trello allow you to create, visualize, and manage your roadmap in one place. These platforms often include features for collaboration, making it easy for team members to provide feedback and stay informed about changes.

When it comes to presenting your roadmap, it’s best to steer clear of traditional PowerPoint presentations. While they may seem like a convenient option, they often lead to outdated information and misalignment.

When it comes to presenting your roadmap, it’s best to avoid traditional PowerPoint presentations. The time spent creating slides could be better used to ensure your roadmap tells a compelling story. Live roadmaps promote ongoing collaboration and discussion, allowing team members to ask questions and provide input continuously, rather than just once a quarter.

The Importance of Transparency and Regular Updates

Transparency is key to building trust with your team and stakeholders. By openly sharing your roadmap and the reasoning behind your decisions, you create a culture of collaboration and accountability. Regular updates are equally important; they ensure that everyone is aware of any changes, progress, or challenges that arise.

Establish a routine for reviewing and updating the roadmap, whether it’s weekly check-ins with your team or monthly reviews with stakeholders. This not only keeps everyone aligned but also allows for adjustments based on new insights or shifting priorities. When your team sees that the roadmap is a living document that evolves with their input, they’re more likely to feel invested in its success.

Step 6: Review and Adjust Regularly

As your product grows and the market changes, it’s super important to revisit your roadmap to keep it fresh and aligned with your goals.

Regular reviews help you stay on top of new information—whether it’s user feedback, market trends, or what your competitors are up to. This flexibility is key to making sure your roadmap continues to guide your product strategy effectively. By continuously reassessing your priorities, you can adapt to changes and grab new opportunities as they come along.

Plus, involving your team and stakeholders in these reviews encourages collaboration and keeps everyone on the same page. When you communicate any adjustments clearly, it builds trust and keeps the energy high.

At the end of the day, the best roadmaps are the ones that evolve. By committing to regular reviews and adjustments, you’ll ensure your roadmap remains a valuable tool for navigating the ups and downs of product development and driving your product’s success.

Step 7: Common Pitfalls to Avoid

As you work on your product roadmap, it’s easy to stumble into a few common traps. Here are some pitfalls to watch out for to keep your roadmap effective and relevant.

First up, overloading the roadmap with too many details. It’s tempting to include every little task and feature, but this can make your roadmap cluttered and overwhelming. Instead, focus on the big picture and the key initiatives that drive your product forward. A clear, concise roadmap helps everyone understand priorities without getting lost in the weeds.

Next, don’t ignore stakeholder input. Your roadmap should be a collaborative effort, and overlooking feedback from team members and stakeholders can lead to misalignment and missed opportunities. Make it a point to gather insights from various perspectives, as this will enrich your roadmap and ensure that it reflects the needs of everyone involved.

Finally, avoid failing to update the roadmap regularly. A static roadmap can quickly become outdated and irrelevant. Make it a habit to review and adjust your roadmap based on new information, user feedback, and changing market conditions. Keeping your roadmap current not only builds trust with your team and stakeholders but also ensures that it remains a valuable tool for guiding your product strategy.

Conclusion

Creating an effective product roadmap is essential for steering your product in the right direction. By focusing on clear outcomes, choosing the right format, communicating openly, and regularly reviewing and adjusting your roadmap, you’re setting your team up for success. Plus, avoiding common pitfalls like overloading with details, ignoring stakeholder input, and skipping regular updates will help keep your roadmap relevant and impactful.

If you’re looking for more in-depth guidance take a look at our ultimate guide to product roadmaps. It’s filled with helpful resources, tips, and best practices to help you navigate the ins and outs of product development.