The Dirty Dozen Roadmap Roadblocks
Roadmapping 312
Bruce McCarthyChief 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
Effort
Value
High
High
Low
Low
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
ServeLarge
Districts
Improve Customer Satisfactio
n
Increase New Sales
& Yield
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
High-level, few words"Streamlined workflow" > "fewer steps in the check-in, check-out process"
Roll up details"Quicker access to your data" > a list of access points and time stats
Make the benefit obvious "Match your branding" > "Support millions of colors."
8. No Buffer
9. Playing Catch-up
1. Be a category of one
2. Analyze your losses
3. 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 Installation
s
Weaselly Safe Harbor Statement
The Wombat Garden Hose is focused on perfecting the landscapes of affluent Americans
I Help Product People
Team coaching via UpUp Labs
Tools: Reqqs - the smart roadmap tool for product people
Blog: ProductPowers.com
Twitter: @d8a_driven
Email: [email protected]
Want to chat?: sohelpful.me/brucemccarthy
