Roadmaps are strategic communication, not Gantt charts
A roadmap is a strategic communication artifact designed to align stakeholders around the sequence of problems the team intends to solve. It is explicitly not a commitment to a specific delivery date for a specific feature.
Now / Next / Later Format
The industry standard has shifted away from timeline-based roadmaps (which guarantee failure) to outcome-based Now/Next/Later horizons.
- Now: Granular, highly confident. Working on it currently. (Next 2-6 weeks)
- Next: Moderately confident. Discovery is happening. (Next 2-3 months)
- Later: Low confidence. Strategic intent only. (Future)
FAQ
How do I handle Sales asking for exact dates?
Provide dates only for items in the "Now" column where engineering execution has begun. For everything else, communicate the sequence of prioritization, not the timeline.