Product Management
In the field of product development, roadmapping plays a vital role in guiding the path towards success.
Sybren's article "Roadmapping" dives deep into the art and science of effective roadmapping, offering valuable insights and practical guidance, and we invite you to join the conversation! 🚀
AUTHOR
Sybren van Putten
Sr. Product Consultant
October 16, 2023 - 10 minutes read
One of the things we share as product owners, is the countless and countless times we are asked: “Can you please put this or that on our roadmap?”, or even better: “In which quarter (or even sprint) is this feature on our roadmap?”. While these are valid questions in a product context, they overlook what a roadmap actually is. There are so many misconceptions about the purpose of a roadmap, its form and its position among all other product management artifacts in the organization that it can be very difficult for you as a product owner to choose the right approach.
The 3rd edition of our Product Owner Circle focused on unraveling all these misconceptions and offering concrete tools with which you can be more successful through the right creation and use of roadmaps.
A roadmap is more than a prioritized list of features. When the roadmap has been created correctly, it becomes a strategic document that aligns with the mission, vision, short-term goals and long-term goals, providing direction to the product development organization. However, let's start from the beginning...
In software scale-ups, having a clear company mission and vision is the cornerstone of success. The mission outlines your company’s purpose and values, serving as a guiding star for all stakeholders. It tells everyone in the company why we’re doing what we’re doing. Vision, on the other hand, paints a picture of the future state, providing direction and motivation. Mission and vision are sometimes combined into one guiding statement.
The company vision informs the product vision, ensuring alignment with broader goals. And the product vision in its turn, translates the company's aspirations into tangible products. A well-managed interplay between these visions enables you as a product owner to create a roadmap that resonates.
Although not set in stone, note that visions must be fixed for as long as possible. Strategies, however, are adaptable and reactive, driven by factors like new knowledge and market behaviour. Many frameworks will serve you well when translating vision into strategy and plans. At 25Friday, we like the simplicity of the OKR framework.
Setting objectives and key results (OKR) has proven itself as a great way to steer software startups toward success. By defining ambitious and inspiring, objectives and quantifiable, timebound key results, you create a strategic framework that effectively provides alignment and motivation while closely measuring progress. OKRs thus not only guide development but also foster a culture of keeping focus, propelling your company toward sustainable growth. Note that OKRs are time-bound and can be applied to different time spans; e.g. the company might define a structure of yearly company OKRs as a guidance framework for the quarterly OKRs that are set by teams individually.
In the first quarter using the OKR framework, objectives may not be fully met as teams are adapting. Don’t be surprised. We have seen many of our customers fail at their first attempt to successfully use OKRs. It is essential though, to make sure that the teams as well as the leadership hold on to the framework after this somewhat expected setback. Introducing or strictly enforcing a framework like this means organizational change. And it’s the people in the organization that are changing, not the organization itself, so don’t rush into conclusions too soon. Over time, as the framework becomes ingrained in the company culture, teams will surely improve their focus and goal achievement.
Effective Roadmapping Techniques
Product Development Roadmaps
Strategic Roadmap Planning
Aligning Roadmaps with Objectives
Product Owner Roadmapping Guide
OKRs and Product Roadmaps
Prioritizing Roadmap Items
Value-Effort Roadmap Framework
Roadmap Communication Strategies
Agile Roadmapping Practices
Product Vision and Roadmapping
Collaborative Roadmap Development
Roadmap Prioritization Methods
Creating Goal-Oriented Roadmaps
Managing Product Development Roadmaps
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SaaS product teams need clear direction. This guide explores essential goal-setting frameworks like OKR, North Star Metric, HEART & AARRR. Understand why they're vital for SaaS success—from boosting retention to powering product-led growth. We compare their pros, cons & ideal uses, helping you select the right framework to connect strategy with execution, avoid the 'build trap' & achieve measurable impact.
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As a product manager in a SaaS scale-up, you’re constantly shipping features, improving user experience, and optimizing workflows. But how often do you step back and ask: is this actually moving the business forward?
As a Product Management consultant, I often find product teams celebrate launches as if shipping features is the goal. But releasing stuff is different from making an impact. Without a clear connection between product effort and business success, teams risk prioritizing the wrong initiatives, struggling to get stakeholder buy-in, and ultimately becoming a cost center rather than the company’s driver of growth.
Sybren van Putten
Sr. Product Consultant