You need to create a product roadmap for your team. What tools should you use?

When it comes to product roadmapping, a tool is helpful to deliver the ultimate deliverable - a framework. The right tool can help product teams to efficiently communicate and collaborate, as well as to document the progress. But the goal starts from the strategic level - by creating a framework where teams are free and safe to be creative, especially during the conceptual phase or brainstorming stage, and have the right tools to help facilitate the designated process or product needed for the bigger company goal, to deliver value to the stakeholder, business, customers and end-users.

When we look at agile in product development or management, it just not about the tool. There are plenty of options in the market, and they all aim to solve something that is really important: how to communicate and speed up alignment on what needs to be done. Agile methodology brings value for a quick and evolving understanding of the product definition. That also means quite a complexity in information and new definitions of what needs to be done. So it requires that each developer to understand exactly what they need to do in the sprint. It can done by simple having a shared Excel file, but today's tools (such as Jira) do contribute to making that communication faster and more efficient - specially in higher complexity projects.

I'd argue that the most important factor here isn't the tool you use, but how well your team adheres to an operations framework. It's much like an exercise bike, you can have the best one in the world but if you never use it with consistency, you won't see any fitness results. As far as a preference for tools, our team at BuyOrBorrow Music uses ClickUp and we love it. Not only can it be tailored to do a great job of managing sprints, but there are also a host of other helpful features for all sorts of operations needs. I've used Asana, Trello, and others. ClickUp is hands down the most powerful. But all things equal, I'd rather get a team on a free Trello account and get $hit done vs. get an advanced tool that no one uses.

While roadmapping itself isn't inherently social, it certainly benefits from strong social dynamics and engagement and as with any tool here are reason why a tool is useful Simplification: Product roadmaps can be complex, with multiple sources of input and shifting priorities. Collaboration: Involve your team, stakeholders, and even customers in the process. Tools provide feedback loops, discussions, and shared ownership. Alignment: Ensure your roadmap aligns with overall strategy and objectives. Tools help showcase the value proposition and communicate the plan effectively. Net it drives social collaboration, buy-in, communication, alignment. But also Strategic planning, ? technical expertise, process & tools.

Using a tool for product roadmapping helps to keep your team aligned, visualize the product vision, track progress, and communicate the roadmap effectively. It provides a centralized platform to collaborate, prioritize tasks, and maintain transparency throughout the product development lifecycle. But before you start using the tool, it is important that you clearly define your product vision, goals, and objectives before starting to create the roadmap.

This strongly depends on the audience and the level of granularity that is expected. For distribution within your development team, the tool you already use for organising the work (f.e. Jira, BusinessMap) will be great and easy to grasp by the team. When communicating to other stakeholders such as Sales, Marketing or leadership, other tools will be more suited (f.e. Miro, Notion, powerpoint, ProductBoard). My personal favourite is Miro as it allows for easy collaboration. You can work together with your stakeholders more easily 'on the spot' in Miro without having to go back and forth countless of times.

The 'best' roadmapping tool is subjective, often sparking debates! Popular tools like Aha!, Trello, and Jira offer varying degrees of complexity and customization. However, the real question isn't which tool is best, but which one best aligns with your team's workflow and product vision. I believe that a mismatch here can turn even the most acclaimed tool into a bottleneck.

Understand the level of granularity and who your audience is will define the tool. Another aspect is that multiple tools will incur in more cost to your company so it is a trade off question, staying with work management tools like jira that is already in the budget or adding more tools that may offer better features but needs more investment

Personally, I would go for Aha for roadmap development and execution. Tools like Trello, and Google sheets are helpful in smaller team environments though, but start-ups and larger organisations would find Aha or Roadmunk useful.

Microsoft Excel despite its limitations is widely used. Especially if you do not have the budget to invest in a road mapping tool.

Choosing the right roadmapping tool goes beyond feature lists and user reviews. It's about understanding your team's unique rhythm and product lifecycle. A tool that performs well in agile environments may not perform as well in structured settings. I believe that the key is not to follow the crowd but to deeply analyze your product development process and select a tool that enhances, not hinders, your workflow.

Here are some parameters I would consider in evaluating the tools: 1. Team Size: Determine if the tool can accommodate the size of your team and their specific needs. 2. Collaboration: Ensure the tool allows for seamless collaboration, commenting, and assigning tasks to team members. 3. Integration: Check if the tool can integrate with other tools your team uses, such as project management or development tools. 4. Flexibility: Assess the tool's flexibility to adapt to different roadmapping methodologies and allow for customization. 5. User Experience: Choose a tool that is intuitive, user-friendly, and can be easily adopted by the team.

tool is only as effective as the use it provides. It is suggestible to incorporate the use of the tool in the day to day activities of the team, not as an addl activity by itself, by ensuring the tool is providing input to team's productivity

- Effective roadmaps are built on a foundation of empirical and qualitative data, which provide evidence and support for the strategic direction. - Empirical data encompasses engagement statistics, metrics related to business growth, and the impact on the market or customers. - Qualitative data, on the other hand, includes valuable feedback from customers that may be more emotionally driven but equally important. - Obtaining and explicitly representing data in a roadmap can be challenging, as it is not always readily available. - New product managers often begin their role with enthusiasm for customer interactions but may unintentionally make assumptions. Sustaining that energy and curiosity is time-consuming but crucial for success.

Effectiveness in using a roadmapping tool isn't just about mastering its features. It's about integrating the tool into your team's daily processes, ensuring it becomes a natural part of your workflow. The greatest tool is rendered useless if it sits in isolation from the team's core activities. Continuous engagement and adaptation are crucial.

I always start with a Current Product “Life Cycle” Chart placing all the pertinent products in question on the chart under the headings of: Introduction Growth Maturity Decline This can assist in defining which products to zero in on and which to place a lower priority on.

I believe that sharing your product roadmap is a delicate art. Achieving the right balance between being transparent and maintaining discretion is crucial. Tools that offer customizable views and permissions can help navigate this, but the real mastery lies in tailoring the information to suit the audience's interest and investment in the product. Over-sharing can be as detrimental as under-sharing in building trust and managing expectations.

Consider a few things that go beyond sharing your roadmap and co-creating the roadmap Craft a Story, not just a Schedule: Instead of solely focusing on features and timelines, weave a narrative that resonates with your audience. Think beyond the Presentation: Don't just present the roadmap once and expect everyone to remember. Create a living document that evolves with feedback. Use interactive tools like polls and surveys to gather input, and host regular Q&A sessions to answer questions and address concerns. Transparency breeds Trust: Acknowledge the dynamic nature of the roadmap. Be open about potential challenges and course corrections. Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate achievements along the roadmap journey.

Beyond tool selection and usage, I would consider the roadmap's evolution. A roadmap is a living document, subject to change as market conditions, customer needs, and company priorities shift. Tools that facilitate easy updates and foster collaborative input will ensure your roadmap remains a relevant guide, not just a static document set in stone at the outset of your project.

"Destinations" change. Sometimes we need to change objectives, or revise a product design due to learnings along the way. Whether it is due to the market, technology, quality, legal, economic, or any other reason, be prepared for change and able to circle back on previous milestones for quick but successful execution. Good documentation in a project enables a fast recovery to changing designs or objectives. Foster flexibility and establish work processes to minimize repeat time when a difficult task has to be repeated. For example, in chemical process development, safety is key, and repeating reviews are essential as changes to the process are made to meet the project objectives and deliverables. Change Communication is critical too.

For creating a product roadmap, popular tools include Trello, Asana, or product-specific platforms like Aha! or ProdPad. Choose a tool that aligns with your team's preferences and integrates well with your existing workflow.

It is important to add that your product roadmap is a living plan. The world of product development is always changing and while you can plan for many known occurrences, a saying I share with my ventures often is that you need to ‘expect the unexpected’ and plan for it! Starting points are fixed, but the milestones and end points you’ve set can easily evolve and differ… You need to be okay with! It’s all part of an iterative development process.