The Dirty Dozen Roadmap Roadblocks

Roadmapping 312

Bruce McCarthyFounder & Chief Product Person, Reqqs

www.reqqs.com

Bruce McCarthy

What is a Roadmap?

A good roadmap inspires

It keeps you on course when storm clouds

threaten

“Is this more important than what’s already on the

roadmap?”

The Dirty Dozen1. Being Too Agile

2. Prioritizing on Gut

3. Over- or Underestimating

4. No Strategic Goals

5. Inside-out Thinking

6. Trying Too Hard to Please

7. Focusing on Features

8. No Buffer

9. Playing Catch-up

10. Not Getting Buy-in

11. Being Too Secretive

12. One Size Fits All

1. Being Too Agile

Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1957

“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”

2. Prioritizing on Gut

Value / Effort = Priority

3. Over- or Underestimating

4. No Strategic Goals

Ask yourself:

“Why are we doing this

product in the first place?”

Deriving Product Goals from Company Goals

Improve Student

Outcomes

ServeSm-Md

Districts

Improve Customer Satisfactio

n

Increase New Wins

Improve Engageme

ntX X X

Measure Usage X X

Show Results X X X X

5. Inside-out Thinking

A roadmap demonstrates

your commitment to

solving problems for a specific

market

6. Trying Too Hard to Please

Roadmaps are not a popularity

contest

7. Focusing on Features

Keep Things Simple

Fewer steps in the check-in, check-out process

Streamlined workflow

High-level, few words

Keep Things Simple

Quicker access to your data

A list of access points and time stats

Consolidate details

Keep Things Simple

Support millions of colors

Match your branding

Make the benefit obvious

8. No Buffer

9. Playing Catch-up

1. Be a category of one

Analyze your losses

Scare yourself

10. Not Getting Buy-in

Shuttle diplomacy

Eng

UX

Marketing

Services

Sales

HRFinance

BD

Customers

PartnersAnalysts

Your Boss

C-SuiteOther PMsTech

Lead

Architects

Legal

11. Being Too Secretive

12. One Size Fits All

Roadmaps should come in

flavors for different

markets, but all made from the

same basic ingredients

13. No Story

Your roadmap should tell the

story of how you will make people

(and yourself) successful

The Dirty Dozenbaker’s

V

13. No story

1. Being Too Agile

2. Prioritizing on Gut

3. Over- or Underestimating

4. No Strategic Goals

5. Inside-out Thinking

6. Trying Too Hard to Please

7. Focusing on Features

8. No Buffer

9. Playing Catch-up

10. Not Getting Buy-in

11. Being Too Secretive

12. One Size Fits All

H1‘14 H2’14 2015 2016

Benefit ALikely Feature 1Likely Feature 2Likely Feature 3

Benefit B Benefit DBenefit E, Phase II

Benefit CBenefit E, Phase I

Benefit F

Weaselly Safe Harbor Statement

Product X is focused on solving problem Y best for market Z

H1‘14 H2’14 2015 2016

Indestruct-ible hose

20’ lengthEasy connections

No-kink armor

Delicate Flower

Management

Putting Green

Evenness for Lawns

Infinite Extensibilit

y

Severe Weather Handling

Extended Reach

Permanent Installatio

ns

Weaselly Safe Harbor Statement

The Wombat Garden Hose is focused on perfecting the landscapes of affluent Americans

Discussion & Feedback

I Help Product People

Team coaching via UpUp Labs

Tools: Reqqs - the smart roadmap tool for product people

Blog: ProductPowers.com

Slideshare.net/bmmccarthy

Twitter: @d8a_driven

Email: bruce@reqqs.com

Want to chat?: sohelpful.me/brucemccarthy