Roadmapping

Introduction

The importance of roadmapping for successful product development

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.

Guiding product development and measuring success

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...

Company vision, mission and product vision

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.

Turning mission and vision into strategy by defining OKRs

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.