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Every software product starts as an idea that will meet certain market demands and business objectives. However, getting from that idea to a successful product takes a great deal of consideration and strategic thinking. This is where the product roadmap comes in. The product roadmap is a high-level view of the development process, and it is a result of strategic thinking that is meant to coordinate the product vision with the business objectives that it needs to achieve.
How do you create a product roadmap?
There are several steps to take when making a product roadmap. Once you have an idea in mind, it’s time to define your audience that you present your roadmap to. This will help you tailor how you present the information within it and the format that you will use. For example, the feature format is great for your engineering team but not suitable for your marketing department or management team.
You then want to set metrics that will help your team benchmark performance and progress. There are plenty of options here, and you can measure based on business or customer objectives. These metrics are also known as KPIs or Key Performance Indicators. You can draw inspiration on how to set KPIs and measure them by looking at the standards for your industry. You can also hire an industry analyst at this point to help you fine-tune your method of measurement.
And then you have your choice of tools that you can use. Some people will go with Excel, but that can be quite difficult to update. Instead, it would be best to opt for a cloud-based roadmapping tool. It will speed up the process and allow for real-time updates. Here are some of the tools that are available, with some of them being free, while others offer paid versions: OpenProject, Roadmap Planner, ProductPlan, Aha!, and Roadmunk.
Remember that the roadmap should not discuss tactics, just the general vision, and product strategy. It has to be clear and easy to understand, so any minor items of information should be minimized. As you progress in the development process, new information will start coming in, and new features and goals will become apparent. By updating the product roadmap, you can keep all stakeholders in the loop and make sure that everyone has a chance to input their opinion.
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