Best Practice: Developing a Product Roadmap

Developing a product roadmap is a critical step in the product development process. A product roadmap is a high-level visual representation of the product development process that outlines the steps required to achieve the product’s strategic goals.

It helps to communicate the product vision, align the team’s efforts, and provide a clear path to success. In this particular Knowledge Base article, we discuss the best practices for developing a product roadmap.

DEFINE THE OVERALL VISION FOR THE PRODUCT

The first step in developing a product roadmap is to define the product vision. Take as much time as needed to do this as thoroughly as possible. This involves determining the product’s purpose, identifying the target customers, and understanding their needs.

The product vision should align with the company’s overall strategy and goals. It should be clear, concise, and easily understandable.

One key question to ask should always be what problem, or problems does this solve?

CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY ANALYSIS

Once you have defined the product vision, the next step is to conduct market research. This involves gathering information about the market, competition, and customer needs. The market research should be conducted by analysing data, conducting surveys, and interviewing customers.

This information will help to refine the product vision and identify potential product features and benefits.

PRORITISE FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS

After conducting market research, the next step is to prioritise features. This involves identifying the most critical features that align with the product vision and customer needs. The features should be ranked based on their importance and feasibility. The most important and feasible features should be prioritised for development.

CREATE A TIMELINE

Once the features have been prioritised, the next step is to create a timeline. The timeline should include the development phases, milestones, and deliverables.

The timeline should be realistic and should take into account any potential roadblocks or delays. It should be communicated to the team and stakeholders to ensure everyone is aware of the development schedule.

INVOLVE BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

It is essential to involve stakeholders in the product roadmap development process. Stakeholders include product managers, development teams, marketing teams, and customers.

The stakeholders should be consulted at various stages of the development process to ensure that the product roadmap aligns with their needs and expectations. The involvement of stakeholders ensures that everyone is aligned and working towards a common goal.

CONTINUOUSLY REVIEW AND REVISE

The product roadmap should be continuously reviewed and revised based on feedback from stakeholders and the development team.

The product roadmap should be a living document that is updated regularly based on new information and changing priorities. It is essential to be flexible and adaptable to ensure that the product roadmap remains relevant and effective.

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

Effective communication is essential in the product roadmap development process. The product roadmap should be communicated to all stakeholders, including the development team, marketing team, and customers.

It should be communicated clearly and concisely to ensure that everyone understands the product vision, features, and development timeline. Regular updates should be provided to keep everyone informed of any changes or updates.

USE A PRODUCT ROADMAP TOOL

Using a product roadmap tool can help streamline the product roadmap development process. There are many product roadmap tools available that can help to create a high-level visual representation of the product development process.

These tools can help to organise and prioritise features, create a timeline, and communicate the product roadmap to stakeholders. They can also help to track progress and make updates easily.

Below is a list of some tools you might find useful to achieve this:

• Dragonboat
• Airfocus
• Jira
• Wrike
• Aha!
• Productboard
• Roadmunk
• ProductPlan
• Trello