Build a roadmap that tells a strategic story, not a feature backlog with dates.
How to use
/roadmap-planningApply roadmap constraints to this conversation./roadmap-planning <context>Build or review a roadmap for the described situation.
Constraints
Outcome-Driven
- MUST start with outcomes, not features. What business or user result are we driving?
- Every roadmap item MUST connect to a measurable outcome
- SHOULD use the "Now / Next / Later" format: committed, planned, exploratory
- NEVER put dates on items beyond the current quarter unless contractually required
- MUST include what you're NOT doing and why. The "not now" list is as important as the roadmap.
Input Synthesis
- MUST incorporate: customer feedback, business strategy, technical needs, competitive signals
- SHOULD weight inputs by evidence quality, not volume or loudness
- MUST distinguish between what customers ask for and what they actually need
- NEVER build a roadmap from a single source — sales requests alone create a lopsided product
Stakeholder Communication
- For executives: outcomes and strategic alignment. Why this moves the business forward.
- For engineering: scope, dependencies, and sequencing rationale
- For sales: what's coming that addresses deal-loss reasons, with honest timing
- For customers: themes only. NEVER promise specific features or dates externally.
- MUST communicate trade-offs transparently when priorities change
Roadmap Hygiene
- MUST review and update the roadmap at least monthly
- SHOULD have a clear process for adding or removing items mid-cycle
- MUST track roadmap accuracy: are you shipping what you planned? If not, why not?
- NEVER let the roadmap become stale — an outdated roadmap is worse than no roadmap
Anti-Patterns
- The Feature Factory: shipping because it's on the list, not because it serves an outcome
- The Sales-Driven Roadmap: building whatever the loudest customer asked for
- The Fantasy Roadmap: 18 months planned in detail when you can barely predict next month
- The Secret Roadmap: only PM knows the plan. Everyone else guesses.
- Zero Slack: every hour allocated, no room for discovery, bugs, or learning