How can you tailor your product roadmap to product stages?

1 Define your product stage

Before you start creating your product roadmap, you need to define your product stage. This will help you set the right goals, scope, and timeline for your roadmap. Generally, there are three main product stages: discovery, delivery, and optimization. In the discovery stage, you are validating your problem-solution fit and finding your target market. In the delivery stage, you are building your product and achieving product-market fit. In the optimization stage, you are scaling your product and maximizing your value proposition.

2 Choose your roadmap format

Depending on your product stage, you may want to choose a different format for your product roadmap. For example, in the discovery stage, you may want to use a lean roadmap that focuses on the assumptions, hypotheses, and experiments that you need to test. In the delivery stage, you may want to use a feature roadmap that outlines the key features and functionalities that you need to build. In the optimization stage, you may want to use a goal-oriented roadmap that aligns your initiatives with your strategic objectives and key results.

3 Adjust your roadmap granularity

Another way to tailor your product roadmap to your product stage is to adjust the granularity of your roadmap items. Granularity refers to the level of detail and specificity of your roadmap items. For example, in the discovery stage, you may want to use high-level themes or problem statements that describe the customer needs and pain points that you want to address. In the delivery stage, you may want to use more specific user stories or epics that define the user requirements and acceptance criteria. In the optimization stage, you may want to use more measurable metrics or outcomes that quantify the impact and value of your initiatives.

4 Update your roadmap frequency

Finally, you need to update your product roadmap frequency according to your product stage. Frequency refers to how often you review and revise your roadmap based on new data, feedback, and learnings. For example, in the discovery stage, you may want to update your roadmap more frequently, as you are learning fast and iterating quickly. In the delivery stage, you may want to update your roadmap less frequently, as you are executing on your validated features and functionalities. In the optimization stage, you may want to update your roadmap periodically, as you are tracking your progress and performance against your goals and results.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?