5 Successful Roadmap Approaches
Part 6 - Successful Roadmaps Series
As we continue to explore roadmaps in this series or articles, below are some approaches to creating and maintaining roadmaps. Here’s 5 approaches to making your product roadmap successful.
Jello – Not Concrete
Thanksgiving is the best holiday. Mom walking out to the table with the Jello mold was always the highlight. It would wiggle around all over the place but magically still stay on the plate. Roadmaps need to be more like that Jello and less like concrete. They need to be flexible, adaptable, and ready for change right from the start, A good disclaimer on the bottom of a roadmap indicating it is subject to change without notice sounds a little harsh in tone, but that does set that expectation the roadmap will be changing at some point in the future. Thankfully lime Jello and carrots fell out of fashion. Flexibility and adaptability remain high fashionable.
Prioritization is a Must
Un-prioritized capabilities that are just slapped on to a roadmap is a sure recipe for disaster. Carefully consider the input from your entire organization on the order in which capabilities should be implemented. Don’t forget your external customers might have something to say about your priorities. Getting the customers viewpoint is an important part in prioritizing capabilities into releases on a roadmap.
Disastrous Complexity
As general rule of thumb, when creating a roadmap simplicity and easy to understand is the golden rule. You want the roadmap to be able to be clear and easily understood ay everyone in your organization. Simplicity is the complex thing to achieve. Simple direct statements that are meaningful will allow the vision and the order in which capabilities will be developed create a better visual communication. A great visual communication can do wonders in helping a product or project move forward by getting buy in from everyone in the organization.
Get Real
When creating releases on the roadmap be as realistic as possible when assigning capabilities to a release or milestone. Over committing capability delivery or smashing as much as possible into a release or milestone will cause significant changes and frustration. When you are assigning capabilities to the roadmap, you are setting expectations on delivery, When you add a date on top of that the expectation becomes even more intense that the capability will be delivered in that timeframe. Your points on the roadmap should stick to quarters, halves, or years. Avoid using months and days on a roadmap. The roadmap purpose is to be high-level and not date specific.
Oh, Organizational Change Management How We Love You
Roadmaps and organizational change management are like two peas in a pod. They work together to ensure that projects stay on track and teams remain aligned with the company's goals. But how exactly do these two concepts complement each other?
Roadmaps are like GPS systems for project development. They show you where you're heading and how to get there, but sometimes they need a bit of recalibration along the way. Similarly, organizational change management is like having a co-pilot who helps navigate any unexpected detours or obstacles that may arise during the journey. Roadmaps and OCM go hand-in-hand to help an organization weather the storms of change.
Roadmaps help plan out the steps needed to achieve the vision while organizational change management ensures that everyone is on board with any necessary changes.
Roadmaps and organizational change management are like Batman and Robin. One cannot exist without the other! Roadmaps provide direction while organizational change management ensures that everyone is moving in the same direction towards success. Imagine roadmaps as dance choreography; it requires careful planning and execution to achieve a seamless performance. Organizational change management is like ensuring all dancers know their moves and timing so they can perform in sync without stepping on each other's toes.
Roadmaps and organizational change management work hand-in-hand to ensure successful project development within an organization. With humor added into the mix will help alleviate some of those stressful moments when things don't go according to plan! Remember: keep calm, communicate effectively with your team members throughout every stage of development!