The document outlines key insights on creating and managing product roadmaps, highlighting the importance of tailoring the roadmap format to serve specific purposes, audiences, and success measurements. It provides a step-by-step approach for roadmap creation, including validation and communication with stakeholders, as well as how to adapt to changes like new threats or opportunities. Additionally, it lists resources and templates for effective roadmap development.

1. Charlottetown
Product & Project Management
and Business Analyst Meetup
1
Roadmap Deep Dive
July 24, 2017
Presentation by Brian Lynch

2. 2
Roadmap Deep Dive: Purposes Roadmaps can do different things,
and the purpose you are trying to
achieve should dictate your design.
∴ A single product might need more
than just one Roadmap.
Roadmaps
Product Planning
Product Scope
Balance
Resource
Management
Delivery Cadence
Communication
Scope Buy-In
(“Same-Paging”)
Role &
Responsibility
Setting
Accountability
Milestones
Targeting
Scope Definition
(Limiting)
Objectives
Delivery
E.g. I want to
confirm that we
are not overly
focused on one
aspect of the
product.
E.g. I want to
make sure
updates are
coming out at
regular intervals
or at the most
opportune times.
E.g. I want to
make sure
everyone knows
their part in our
upcoming work.
E.g. I want an
‘insurance policy’
against scope
creep this year.

3. 3
The type of roadmap you
build should be dictated
by the purpose you want
it to serve.
Roadmap Deep Dive: Formats

4. 4
1. Define Purpose
2. Determine Audience
3. Determine Success Measurements
4. Select Composition & Format
5. Validate and Revise with Stakeholders
6. Communicate Widely
7. Measure & Validate (Again and Again)
8. Change and Re-Socialize
Roadmap Deep Dive: Creation and Change

5. 5
Roadmap Deep Dive: Fluidity and Change
Change Agent Response
Newly identified direct threats
to product or production (e.g.,
new competition, product flaw,
lost resource)
• Confirm actual threat to overall goals and long-term strategic objectives (in KPI terms if possible).
• Predict the impact this threat will have to success of roadmap (in KPI terms if possible).
• Focus short-term work on roadmap work outside reach of threat.
• Trace-back to actual scope and determine room for change within current roadmap to address threats.
• Create proposals for change.
Newly identified opportunity
(e.g., new technology, new
resource)
• Confirm actual opportunity in terms of overall goals and long-term strategic objectives.
• Focus short-term work on roadmap work outside reach of threat.
• Trace-back to actual scope and determine room for change within current roadmap to address threats.
Product Underperformance • Confirm underperformance and project impact on strategic objectives (in KPI terms if possible).
• Predict the impact this threat will have to success of overall roadmap (in KPI terms if possible).
• Focus short-term work on roadmap components related to aspects of product performing well (if possible).
• Trace-back to actual scope and determine room for change within current roadmap to address performance.
• Create proposals for change.
New Stakeholder • Confirm that stakeholder has been fully briefed
• Confirm that roadmap is a good communication tool in current configuration
• Gap analysis to determine where Stakeholder’s ideas are not present in current roadmap
• Confirm limits of Stakeholder’s authority over roadmap
Change in company strategic
priorities
• Use Gap Analysis to determine what specific parts in the roadmap are off-side from new priorities (Do not do full halt or throw
out existing roadmap).
• Focus short-term work on roadmap work that is on-side with new priorities.
• Revise aspects of roadmap off-side from new priorities.

6. 6
Roadmap Deep Dive: Free Templates
Source URL Notes
Smartsheet Free Templates • https://www.smartsheet.com/free-technology-
roadmap-templates
• Excel Templates
• Excellent range of technology-focused roadmap
templates
“Mind the Product” • http://www.mindtheproduct.com/2011/09/tame-
your-roadmap/
• Excel Template
• Date and Quarter Template that allows for different
breakdowns of development (e.g., by objective or
Epic)
“Slidehunter” • https://slidehunter.com/topics/planning/
• https://slidehunter.com/topics/roadmap/
• https://slidehunter.com/free-business-powerpoint-
templates/product-development/
• PowerPoint Template
• Very simple, if not simplistic templates
PowerPoint Templates • http://www.free-power-point-
templates.com/articles/free-editable-agile-
roadmap-powerpoint-template/
• PowerPoint Template
• Very simple, if not simplistic templates
Office TIMELINE • https://www.officetimeline.com/fr/modele-de-
ligne-du-temps
• PowerPoint Templates
• Fairly sophisticated

7. 7
Roadmap Deep Dive: A Few ‘How To’ Resources
Links to A Few Articles
• http://www.mindtheproduct.com/2011/09/tame-your-roadmap/
• http://www.romanpichler.com/blog/10-tips-creating-agile-product-roadmap/
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/roadmaps-so-simple-anybody-can-understand-them-
niklas-ossl%C3%A9n
• http://www.romanpichler.com/blog/10-tips-creating-agile-product-roadmap/
• https://www.wootric.com/blog/5-guidelines-for-structuring-your-product-roadmap