Behind every great product is a great team doing work in a way that guarantees results. They are following a roadmap from the starting point to the end product. But a product roadmap can be elusive. This talk addresses why it is important and presents an approach to make one.
19. Focus
○ Make a cake, not cookies or
brownies.
Alignment
○ Everyone is on board with the
cake style, flavor, and timing.
20. Focus
○ Make a cake, not cookies or
brownies.
Alignment
○ Everyone is on board with the
cake style, flavor, and timing.
Priority
○ When to mix flour & eggs, bake
the cake, slice the strawberries,
and when you can place the
candles on top
21. Focus
○ Make a cake, not cookies or
brownies.
Alignment
○ Everyone is on board with the
cake style, flavor, and timing.
Priority
○ When to mix flour & eggs, bake
the cake, slice the strawberries,
and when you can place the
candles on top
Visibility
○ How long until the cake is done?
The cake needs to be ready for
candles by 1:00pm.
22. Focus
○ Make a cake, not cookies or
brownies.
Alignment
○ Everyone is on board with the
cake style, flavor, and timing.
Priority
○ When to mix flour & eggs, bake
the cake, slice the strawberries,
and when you can place the
candles on top
Visibility
○ How long until the cake is done?
The cake needs to be ready for
candles by 1:00pm.
Coordination
○ What’s a birthday cake without
candles and a song?
23. Focus
○ Make a cake, not cookies or
brownies.
Alignment
○ Everyone is on board with the
cake style, flavor, and timing.
Priority
○ When to mix flour & eggs, bake
the cake, slice the strawberries,
and when you can place the
candles on top
Visibility
○ How long until the cake is done?
The cake needs to be ready for
candles by 1:00pm.
Coordination
○ What’s a birthday cake without
candles and a song?
Visionary
○ Maybe you need something
besides a cake next year?
26. It is not a release plan - so leave out specific dates!
What is not a Product Roadmap
27. It is not a release plan - so leave out specific dates!
It is not a list of features and/or components.
What is not a Product Roadmap
28. It is not a release plan - so leave out specific dates!
It is not a list of features and/or components.
It should not include job or user stories.
What is not a Product Roadmap
29. It is not a release plan - so leave out specific dates!
It is not a list of features and/or components.
It should not include job or user stories.
It is not a commitment.
What is not a Product Roadmap
30. It is not a release plan - so leave out specific dates!
It is not a list of features and/or components.
It should not include job or user stories.
It is not a commitment.
It is not waterfall… i.e.not a Gantt Chart
What is not a Product Roadmap
36. What is a Product Roadmap?
Focused on the big picture.
Strategic communication artifact that conveys the
path you’ll take to fulfill your product vision.
47. 1) Clearly defined Problem and Solution
Why? You have to know what you’re doing and why, before you start thinking about where you’re going.
PROBLEM SOLUTION
48. 2) Understanding of Your Users Needs
Why? You need to be able to empathize with your users so you can understand and anticipate their needs.
Think? Feel?
Hear? See?
Do?
Think? Feel?
Hear? See?
Do?
Name: Dick
Age: 55
Job: Salesman
Tasks: Develop trust
Motivations: Happiness
Obstacles: Time
Name: Jane
Age: 27
Job: Advertising
Tasks: Create programs
Motivations: Viral reach
Obstacles: Superiors
49. 3) User Journeys for the Current Experience
Why? You need to fully understand how they’re currently solving the problem in order to make it better for them.
Jane
wakes up
makes
coffee
walks
dog
catches
train
reads
paper
arrives at
office
51. When: at a time when ___________
What: [our product] is the only ___________
How: that _____________
Who: for ______________
Where: in ______________
Why: who ____________
Source: Janna Bastow
52. At a time when travel is frequent, but travelers plan less…
Trip Advisor has the only international restaurant recommendation engine…
that gives immediate recommendations based on location and review…
for the everyday traveler…
from countries all over the world…
who need to save time and energy on finding local eateries.
57. Find a restaurant at the last minute
Find a restaurant near my hotel
See feedback from other patrons
Find a restaurant by cuisine
Make me look knowledgable to my fellow travelers
Help me brag about where I’ve been
59. List of
Cuisines
Pictures of
food by cuisine
Select country of
origin on a map
Auto-populate
search box
Select flag for
country of origin
Ask a
local
Ask hotel
concierge
Find a restaurant by cuisine
60. List of
Cuisines
Pictures of
food by cuisine
Select country of
origin on a map
Auto-populate
search box
Select flag for
country of origin
Ask a
local
Ask hotel
concierge
Find a restaurant by cuisine
64. Grow advertising around restaurants
Find a restaurant by cuisine
Business Goal:
User Goal:
Product Goal: Pictures of food by cuisine + restaurant
restaurant sponsored food pictures
69. Best Prioritization Methods
Your CEO’s gut Not close enough
Analyst opinions Mostly backward-looking
Worst
Credit. Bruce McCarthy
70. Best Prioritization Methods
Your CEO’s gut Not close enough
Analyst opinions Mostly backward-looking
Popularity Most customers are small
Worst
Credit. Bruce McCarthy
71. Best Prioritization Methods
Your CEO’s gut Not close enough
Analyst opinions Mostly backward-looking
Popularity Most customers are small
Sales requests Change every week
Worst
Credit. Bruce McCarthy
72. Best Prioritization Methods
Your CEO’s gut Not close enough
Analyst opinions Mostly backward-looking
Popularity Most customers are small
Sales requests Change every week
Services requests Mostly incremental
Worst
Credit. Bruce McCarthy
81. Key Elements
○ Broad time frames
○ Themes by time
○ Key features (optional)
○ High-level product goals
○ Metrics for each stage
○ Dependencies & risks
○ Status/stage
○ Sales & Marketing Effects
○ Safe harbor statement
82. Customer Facing Roadmap
Q3-2016 Q4-2016 H1-2017 H2-2017
Theme A Theme C Theme D
Theme E,
Phase II
Theme B
Theme E,
Phase I
Theme F
Source. Bruce McCarthy
83. Customer Facing Roadmap: Lean Edition
CURRENT PLANNED CONSIDERING
Theme A Theme C Theme D
Theme B Theme E
Source. Bruce McCarthy
84. Internal Facing Roadmap
Q3’13 Q4’13 H1’14 H2’14
Themes Theme A Theme C Theme D Theme F
Likely
Features
Feature 1
Feature 2
Feature 3
Feature 1
Feature 2
Feature 3
Stage Active Development Prototype Testing Discovery Discovery
Metrics Ship all MVP features
10 schools
6 renew
4 say “must have”
10 schools 10 schools
Dependencies
& Risks
Claire sick for 3 wks
UX resource from
Project Beetle
New PM hire
S&M
Improved competitive
position
Annual industry event New regulations
Source. Bruce McCarthy
85. Portfolio Roadmap
Q3’13 Q4’13 H1’14 H2’14
Product Y
Stage: Development
Goal: Product/Launch Fit
MVP Soft Launch Learn Product/Market Fit Grow
Product X
Stage: Introduction
Goal: Product/Market Fit
Product/Market Fit
Scale On-Boarding
Process
Enhance Product Value Grow
Product Z
Stage: Growth
Goal: 50% Sales Growth
Channel Enablement Key Integrations Critical B&R UX Standardization
Source. Bruce McCarthy
87. Now Next Later
User Profile Auto-pop Search Social media API’s
Map of Cuisines
User Reviews and
Recommendations
Share with Friend
Restaurant Reviews Search by City
User Expertise
Rating
Customer Support OpenTable API
88. Extend user time in app
Grow advertising around restaurants
Enhance user experience
Color Coding
89. Now Next Later
User Profile Auto-pop Search Social media API’s
Map of Cuisines
User Reviews and
Recommendations
Share with Friend
Restaurant Reviews Search by City
User Expertise
Rating
Customer Support OpenTable API