#3 All things roadmaps | Phil Hornby, Product Coach & Founder
Mar 29, 2024
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Phil Hornby, a product coach and founder of For Product People, shares his extensive insights on roadmapping. He tackles why some dislike roadmaps, highlighting misconceptions and the need for flexibility with frameworks like 'now, next, later.' Hornby discusses the alignment of roadmaps with OKRs, emphasizing storytelling and transparency. He also addresses the balance between confidence and evidence in decision-making, the importance of tailoring communication for stakeholders, and essential resources for product professionals looking to enhance their strategies.
Roadmaps should be seen as dynamic tools that facilitate communication and alignment rather than as rigid plans with fixed commitments.
Tailoring roadmaps to different audiences, such as teams and stakeholders, enhances understanding and fosters effective decision-making across the organization.
Deep dives
The Role of Roadmaps in Product Management
Roadmaps are viewed as essential tools for aligning teams and guiding the direction of product development, but misconceptions about their purpose often lead to disdain. Many perceive roadmaps as rigid plans filled with exact features and dates, which can foster unrealistic expectations. However, roadmaps should represent a 'direction of travel' and the intent behind product decisions rather than strict commitments to specific features. Acknowledging that roadmaps will evolve helps teams embrace them as dynamic tools that facilitate communication and alignment rather than constraints.
Exploring Different Roadmapping Formats
Various roadmapping formats serve different purposes and audiences, with options ranging from Gantt charts to the Now-Next-Later framework. In this context, the Now phase focuses on deliveries that are already validated, while Next emphasizes discovery and exploration of potential problems and solutions. The importance of framing these phases in a way that captures both certainty and uncertainty can help teams stay aligned with user needs and company goals. By understanding the applicability of each format to their specific context, teams can choose the optimal method to communicate their strategy effectively.
Aligning Roadmaps with Organizational Strategy
A well-crafted roadmap should work in tandem with organizational strategies and objectives, including OKRs, to clarify the path to desired outcomes. Roadmaps serve as a storytelling tool that helps align internal teams and communicate future directions to customers or stakeholders. It's essential for leadership to facilitate discussions around these strategic elements, ensuring all team members understand the goals and the rationale behind the decisions. This alignment fosters an environment where teams can effectively prioritize tasks and adapt to changing market dynamics.
The Importance of Context in Roadmapping
Roadmaps should be tailored to the audience, providing different views for teams, customers, and investors based on their respective informational needs. Senior leadership must balance providing direction and allowing teams to make decisions, promoting a culture of shared understanding and accountability. Establishing a collaborative environment where recommendations can be made strengthens decision-making processes across the organization. Ultimately, aligning product management practices with the maturity of the teams and organizational context is vital for successful roadmapping and product development.
Phil is probably one of the few people in the world that has seen hundreds of Product roadmaps.
He’s the co-creator of the renowned show “Talking Roadmaps” where he regularly interviews thought leaders like Teresa Torres, Marty Cagan, April Dunford, and John Cutler.
Phill works together with the one and only Bruce McCarthy as a Product Coach at Product Culture, and is the founder of For Product People.
We could have talked about anything Product, but in today's episode we talked about all things roadmaps:
* Why some people hate roadmaps
* Common misunderstandings
* Different types of roadmaps
* How to navigate Now / Next / Later roadmaps and tweak it according to your context
* How can roadmapping - when done well - help us transform our organizations to become more outcome-oriented
* What roadmaps are really for
* How to create different views from your roadmap to communicate with different audiences
* Tips and tricks on all things roadmapping
* And more.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit afonsofranco.substack.com
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