Designing Product Roadmaps
Product roadmaps are important to develop so that there is some type of goal to where you are going. It doesn’t form a commitment but look at it more as a future vision. Some project management tools that you can create a roadmap are: Accept, FeaturePlan, FocalPoint and you can also use software you use every day like Microsoft Office.
So what purpose does a roadmap serve? First it is a tool to give the business a strategy and keeps everyone focused on one goal. Secondly, it communicates the schedule to customers or prospects. Lastly it is a guide for resource planning. It can be used for hiring, product purchases, and all resources in general. The more complex the roadmap is makes it harder to update and change.
Start by brainstorming all possible applications of your technology. Try to think "outside the box" as much as possible. Write every idea down, no matter how crazy. Talk to colleagues and friends in related markets, and ask for their ideas. As the flow of ideas runs dry, begin organizing them into related markets. Woodside Fund When you are designing the roadmap you want to keep it flexible so that you can use feedback to enhance the product. It is important that a company considers their goals when trying to gather feedback. It is important that when asking for feedback on a product or service that the business be willing to change.
