LEAN STARTUP WEEK - NOV 2017

ROADMAPS RELAUNCHED
 ORACLE
ATG PRODUCT MANAGER
IMARKET DIRECTOR
D&B VP
NETPROSPEX CHIEF PRODUCT PERSON
NUANCE PRESIDENT
LOCALYTICS CEO
SKYHOOK WIRELESS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
VISTAPRINT ENGINEERING MANAGER
ZIPCAR UX DESIGNER
HOBSONS DATA ANALYST
JOHNSON & JOHNSON MARKETING
ENERNOC SCRUM MASTER
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC ENTERPRISE COACH
EVARIANT STARTUP ADVISOR
HUAWEI AUTHOR
INTRALINKS SPEAKER
BPMA

Bruce McCarthy
CEO, UpUp Labs
http://productroadmapping.com
OUR WORKSHOP VISION:
YOU BUILD A ROADMAP!
YOUR DAY

AGENDA
Why Relaunch Roadmaps? - 5 min
What is a Roadmap? - 5 min
Roadmap Components - 10 min (you tell me!)
Product Vision - 5 min
Business Objectives - 5 min
Themes & Features - 20 min (Let’s get creative!)
Prioritization - 20 min (it’s up to you!)
Buy-In- 5 min
Present & Share - 20 min (your turn to shine!)
Roadmap Evolution - 5 min
Relaunching in Your Organization - 5 min
HOW WE'LL PLAY

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Devices only when necessary

Write big, with a Sharpie!

Work with people you don't normally work with today

DON’T hold your questions until the end — it’s always Q&A time!
READY?
WHY RELAUNCH
ROADMAPS?
“EITHER I’M GOING
TO DISAPPOINT YOU
BY GIVING YOU
EXACTLY WHAT WE
THOUGHT SIX
MONTHS AHEAD OF
TIME WAS THE BEST
SOLUTION WHEN
IT’S NOT, OR BY
CHANGING COURSE
AND HAVING LIED TO
YOU.”
David Cancel, CEO, Drift
"PRODUCT ROADMAPS
MATTER. YOU CAN’T
BUILD A GREAT
COMPANY UNLESS YOU
HAVE A GREAT STRATEGY
AND A PRODUCT
ROADMAPS IS A WAY OF
CLEARLY ARTICULATING
THE STRATEGY.”
Jeffrey Bussgang, General
partner, Flybridge Capital
"WHEN YOU FOLLOW THIS
BOOK’S BRILLIANT ADVICE,
YOU’LL SHIFT FROM THE
STANDARD APPROACH OF
‘LOOK AT US AND WHAT WE
CAN DO’ TO ‘WE UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOU’RE DEALING WITH
AND WE CAN HELP YOU.’
ROADMAPS WILL BE YOUR
COMPANY’S COMPETITIVE
STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE.”

Jared Spool, CEO/Founding

Principal of UIE
WHAT *IS* A
ROADMAP?
A ROADMAP IS…

A STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATION
TOOL
A ROADMAP IS…

A STATEMENT OF
INTENT AND
DIRECTION
WHAT DOES ROADMAP LOOK LIKE?

A ROADMAP TAKES MANY FORMS

Figure 1-1. Product roadmaps can take many forms, and aren’t necessarily a single artifact or document. In fact, it’s
really not about creating artifacts at all—it’s about creating a shared understanding of where you’re going and why.

Kanban board Slide deck Spreadsheet Other

A ROADMAP IS NOT…

A RELEASE PLAN
OR A PROJECT
PLAN
MANAGES OUTCOMES

MANAGES OUTPUTS
ROADMAP
COMPONENTS
 PRODUCT VISION PRIMARY

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA SECONDARY

TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS PROJECT INFORMATION COMPLEMENTARY

CONFIDENCE DEPENDENCIES
THEMES
TARGET CMRS STATUS

DEV. STAGE EXTERNAL EVENTS

DISCLAIMER
PRIMARY
COMPONENTS
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

5 PRIMARY
TIMEFRAMES

COMPONENTS
THEMES

DISCLAIMER
 A product vision as how a specific customer will
PRODUCT VISION benefit from your product when it is fully realized and
ubiquitous.

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

TIMEFRAMES

THEMES

DISCLAIMER
PRODUCT VISION
Perfecting American lawns and landscapes by perfecting water delivery
WOMBAT

OBJECTIVES
Increase unit sales
Decrease number of returns
Decrease overall defects

H1’17 H2’17 2018 2019

Indestructible hose Delicate Flower

Putting Green Infinite
Management
Features: Evenness for Lawns Extensibility
Objective: Double ASP
• 20’ & 40’ lengths Stage: Discovery Pro Market
• No-leak connections Stage: Prototype
• No-kink armor
Severe Weather
Handling Extended Reach Fertilizer Delivery
Stage: Discovery Pro Market
Stage: Materials testing

Updated 10/30/17, subject to change without

VISION PRODUCT VISION
Perfecting American lawns and landscapes by perfecting water delivery
WOMBAT

OBJECTIVES
Increase unit sales
Decrease number of returns
Decrease overall defects

H1’17 H2’17 2018 2019

Indestructible hose Delicate Flower

Putting Green Infinite
Management
Features: Evenness for Lawns Extensibility
Objective: Double ASP
• 20’ & 40’ lengths Stage: Discovery Pro Market
• No-leak connections Stage: Prototype
• No-kink armor
Severe Weather
Handling Extended Reach Fertilizer Delivery
Stage: Discovery Pro Market
Stage: Materials testing

Updated 10/30/17, subject to change without

 PRODUCT VISION

What are the goals your product will accomplish?

What will be measurably different for your
BUSINESS OBJECTIVES organization? These powerful questions help you
explain the why of your roadmap in concrete terms

TIMEFRAMES

THEMES

DISCLAIMER
OBJECTIVES
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

Timeframes like calendar quarters or even “now,”

TIMEFRAMES “next,” and “later” provide guidance while
preserving some flexibility. The sequence
communicates what’s important now and what can
wait awhile.

THEMES

DISCLAIMER
TIMEFRAMES
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

TIMEFRAMES

Expressing themes as customer needs or

problems is very effective in guiding the
THEMES development of solutions. The key problems
customers face form the themes at the heart of the
roadmap.

DISCLAIMER
THEMES
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

TIMEFRAMES

THEMES

A disclaimer protects you from accusations of

DISCLAIMER broken promises; it also protects your customer by
making it clear that change is possible, even
likely.
DISCLAIMER
SECONDARY
COMPONENTS
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA

5 SECONDARY
TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS

CONFIDENCE
COMPONENTS
THEMES
TARGET CMRS

DEV. STAGE

DISCLAIMER
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES A complex product or a new product where basic

PRODUCT AREA
functionality is still being laid down may benefit
from labeling themes or features by product area.
Each product area may have its own team,
TIMEFRAMES
parallel development path, or business objectives.

FEAT/SOLUTIONS

CONFIDENCE
THEMES
TARGET CMRS

DEV. STAGE

DISCLAIMER
PRODUCT

AREAS
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA

TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS Features and solutions are the specific

deliverables that will fulfill the needs and solve
CONFIDENCE the problems identified in the roadmap themes.
THEMES
TARGET CMRS

DEV. STAGE

DISCLAIMER
FEATURES & 

SOLUTIONS
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA

TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS

CONFIDENCE
Level of confidence you have that items on the
THEMES roadmap will not change substantially.
TARGET CMRS

DEV. STAGE

DISCLAIMER
CONFIDENCE
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA

TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS

CONFIDENCE
THEMES
TARGET CMRS
If themes or features serve different types of
customers, call them out specifically.
DEV. STAGE

DISCLAIMER
Target Customers
TARGET CUSTOMERS
 PRODUCT VISION

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT AREA

TIMEFRAMES

FEAT/SOLUTIONS

CONFIDENCE
THEMES
TARGET CMRS

DEV. STAGE
The stage of development, such as “discovery,”
“design,” or “prototyping”

DISCLAIMER
STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
GATHER
INPUTS
HOW TO DO
GATHER INPUTS NOW?
GET THE INFO. FILTER IT

YOUR “PRODUCT” FOR TODAY

SELF-DRIVING
FAMILY CAR
ESTABLISH
PRODUCT VISION
WHAT’S YOUR
PRODUCT VISION?
TO ORGANIZE ALL OF THE DATA IN THE WORLD AND
MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE IN A USEFUL
WAY

TO PROVIDE A FAST, SIMPLE, AND SECURE BROWSER FOR

EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE THE MODERN WEB.

TO GIVE EVERYONE A VOICE AND SHOW THEM THE

WORLD.

HELPS PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE ENJOY GREATER

ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND OPPORTUNITY THAN EVER
BEFORE.
SpaceX Example
Company Mission: Make going to Mars a reality in this lifetime.

Product Vision: Create a high efficiency, low cost space

travel vehicle that can carry passengers to Mars.
YOUR PRODUCT VISION

SELF-DRIVING FAMILY CAR

Company Mission: To accelerate the world’s transition to

sustainable energy.
Product Vision: A safe, efficient, and autonomous mobile
platform for your family life.
OBJECTIVES 

& KEY RESULTS
OBJECTIVES ARE YOUR DESIRED OUTCOMES, FOR YOUR BUSINESS OR USERS

OBJECTIVES

➡ What? The outcome you want to see

➡ Why? To provide context about the purpose of the
work
KEY RESULTS ARE HOW YOU MEASURE PROGRESS

KEY RESULTS

➡ What? Numerically-based expressions of progress

towards an objective
➡ Why? To provide a reference for evaluating how well
you are executing on the objectives
COMPANY MISSION, PRODUCT VISION, AND OKRS TIE TOGETHER

EXAMPLE FROM SPACE-X

Company Mission: Make going to Mars a reality in this

lifetime.
Product Vision: Create a high efficiency, low cost space
travel vehicle that can seat multiple civilian passengers.
Objective: Reducing the cost of space travel to what an
average American family can afford.
Key Result: A target cost for travel to Mars under $200,000.
YOUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

SELF-DRIVING FAMILY CAR

Objective 1: Replace 10% of conventional minivan sales in 3

years.
Objective 2: Reduce the cost of an autonomous vehicle to
what a middle class American family can afford.
ROADMAP
THEMES
THEMES ARE
CUSTOMER /
STAKEHOLDER NEEDS
NEED OR
PROBLEM THEME SOLUTION

Propellent Methane propellant manufactured

Not enough fuel to
production 
 via the Sabatier process
return from Mars 2H2 + 3CO2 → CH4 + 2O2 + 2CO
on Mars
THEMES

FULL REUSABILITY
REFUELING IN ORBIT
PROPELLENT PRODUCTION ON MARS
RIGHT PROPELLANT
TERESA TORRES IS A GENIUS!

OPPORTUNITY SOLUTION TREE

CONTEXT FOR THEMES

THE AUTONOMOUS FAMILY CAR

Company Mission: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Product Vision: A safe, efficient, and autonomous mobile platform for your
family life.
Objective 1: Replace 10% of conventional minivan sales in 3 years.
Objective 2: Reduce the cost of an autonomous vehicle to what a middle
class American family can afford.
Theme 1: No Worries Autonomy
Theme 2: ???
CREATE YOUR THEMES 20 MINS

THEMES: EXERCISE OUTPUT

1. As a group, write the PRODUCT VISION and
OBJECTIVES on separate stickies, and lay them out
in a pyramid.
2. Discuss what CUSTOMER NEEDS you would most
need to fulfill to achieve that VISION and write 5-8
THEMES
3. Prioritize those THEMES according to your
BUSINESS OBJECIVES, and place them below your
objectives.
4. Are some of these really FEATURES or
SOLUTIONS? Ask yourselves WHY is this idea
important?
WHAT ABOUT
FEATURES??
OBTAIN
BUY-IN
HOW DO YOU GET YOUR
STAKEHOLDERS TO BUY-IN TODAY?
THREE CONCEPTS

ALIGNMENT
CONSENSUS
COLLABORATION
ALIGNMENT IS…

NOT
CONSENSUS.
CONSENSUS IS…

EVERYONE
AGREES ON A
DECISION.
COLLABORATION IS…

WHEN INDIVIDUALS
COOPERATE TO
ACCOMPLISH A
COMMON GOAL.
ALIGNMENT IS…

A WILLINGNESS TO COMMIT
TO A DECISION / DIRECTION


(that you may not agree with)

TO ACHIEVE A COMMON
GOAL.
SHUTTLE
DIPLOMACY
 Vendors
& Partners
Operations

Customer Sales
Support

Other
Product Teams
Product Core
Customers
Finance Product Owner
Design
Engineering
Executives

Research
Production

Marketing
& PR
1:1 GROUP
TEXT

THE G.R.O.W. FRAMEWORK

Goals — What are they trying to accomplish in the next [3]

months?
Reality —What’s on their plate now? What’s their recent?
Options —What options are they advocating for the
roadmap?
Way forward — Which options do you both agree on?
PRESENT
& SHARE
WHY SHARE YOUR
ROADMAP INTERNALLY?
WE HOPE YOU SAID...

REASONS FOR SHARING YOUR ROADMAP INTERNALLY

‣ Alignment — Get everyone on the same page (er.. map?)

‣ Feedback — Your roadmap is a product strategy prototype
‣ Inspiration — Head in the right direction, with gusto!
‣ Co-Creation — The IKEA effect
WHY SHARE YOUR
ROADMAP EXTERNALLY?
WE HOPE YOU SAID...

REASONS FOR SHARING YOUR ROADMAP EXTERNALLY

‣ Feedback — Your roadmap is a product strategy prototype

‣ Avoid Overpromise + Underdeliver — Manage
expectations
‣ Competitive Advantage — Leading the market vs playing
catchup
YOUR TIME TO SHINE
SHOW YOUR WORK 15 MINS

PRESENT & SHARE EXERCISE

1. You should have: OUTPUT

‣ A product vision
ROADMAP
‣ 2 Objectives
‣ A prioritized set of themes (and maybe
features)
2. As a team, fill in your roadmap workshop and
be ready to present!
3. Selected teams will have 5 minutes to present
EXAMPLE

JULIAN @ CHEF.IO
ROADMAP
EVOLUTION
ROADMAP EVOLUTION

EVERYONE HAS A PLAN

UNTIL THEY GET PUNCHED
IN THE MOUTH.
Mike Tyson
LIKE ANY LIVING THING

A ROADMAP MUST EVOLVE OR DIE

HOW LONG IS YOUR
ROADMAP? HOW OFTEN DO
YOU UPDATE IT?
COMMUNICATING CHANGE

ROADMAP MARKUP

PRODUCT VISION
Perfecting American lawns and landscapes by perfecting water delivery
WOMBAT

OBJECTIVES
Increase unit sales
Decrease number of returns
Decrease overall defects

H1’17 H2’17 2018 2019

Indestructible hose Delicate Flower

Putting Green Infinite
Management
Features: Evenness for Lawns Extensibility
Objective: Double ASP
• 20’ & 40’ lengths Stage: Discovery Pro Market
• No-leak connections Stage: Prototype
• No-kink armor
Severe Weather
Handling Extended Reach Fertilizer Delivery
Stage: Discovery Pro Market
Stage: Materials testing

Updated 10/30/17, subject to change without

WHAT DID YOU
LEARN TODAY?
TAKEAWAYS
IT IS A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION ARTIFACT
A ROADMAP IS NOT A PROJECT PLAN
INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO BUSINESS STRATEGY
FOCUS ON NEEDS, NOT SOLUTIONS
ADD MORE DETAIL AS NEEDED
HAVE A PLAN FOR PRIORITIZATION
USE SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY (1:1) AND GROUP MEETINGS
TREAT AS A LIVING, BREATHING ARTIFACT
RELAUNCHING IN
YOUR ORGANIZATION
THE SIX STEPS

HOW TO GET STARTED

1. Asses your situation and choose an approach

2. Get buy-in for change from your key stakeholders

3. Train your stakeholders how to contribute

4. Start small and work incrementally

5. Evaluate your results and align on next steps

6. Keep relaunching

Assess Your Product Roadmapping Process at

http://productroadmapping.com
STEP ONE

ROADMAP HEALTH ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

Strategic Context Customer Involvement
‣ The product vision is clear and understood by the ‣ You regularly present and share your roadmap to customers
team ‣ You seek customer feedback on the roadmap and
‣ Your business objectives are clear and measurable incorporate

Focus on value Level of Commitment

‣ Your roadmap focuses on customer needs
‣ All of the themes on the roadmap clearly tie to
customer
‣ needs and/or business objectives
Learning
‣ You update your roadmap regularly, leveraging an
evolving process?
‣ You allow space in the roadmap to determine
solutions
‣ work before committing to features
‣ You have specific features, solutions, fixes, or other
deliverables on your roadmap
‣ You have specific dates for items on your roadmap
Design
‣ You throughly design a solution before putting a customer
need or problem on the roadmap
Planning
‣ You add project info such as resources, milestones, and
dependencies into your roadmap

Prioritization
‣ You have an objective (accepted) is method to Rank each on a scale of 1 (disagree) to 4 (agree)
prioritize
‣ You regularly present and share your roadmap with
 stakeholders
 Chapter 1 FREE
http://productroadmapping.com