The Dirty Dozen
Roadmap Roadblocks
Roadmapping 312
Bruce McCarthy
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 Dozen
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

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
Serve
Large
Districts
Improve
Customer
Satisfaction
Increase
New Sales
& Yield
Improve
Engagemen
t
X 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
HR
Finance
BD
Customers
Partners
Analysts
Your Boss
C-Suite
Other
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 Dozen
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 A
Likely Feature 1
Likely Feature 2
Likely Feature 3
Benefit B Benefit D
Benefit E,
Phase II
Benefit C
Benefit 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’ length
Easy connections
No-kink armor
Delicate
Flower
Management
Putting Green
Evenness for
Lawns
Infinite
Extensibility
Severe
Weather
Handling
Extended
Reach
Permanent
Installations
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: bruce@reqqs.com
Want to chat?:
sohelpful.me/brucemccarthy