{"id":82489,"date":"2024-08-15T14:46:47","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T13:46:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prodpad.com\/?p=82489"},"modified":"2025-02-11T11:16:40","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T11:16:40","slug":"product-roadmap-formats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prodpad.com\/blog\/product-roadmap-formats\/","title":{"rendered":"The Complete List of Product Roadmap Formats: Find Your Perfect Match"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The product roadmap is probably the single most important tool for a Product Manager. Not to be confused with your product backlog<\/a>, it\u2019s where the vision for your product lives; a plan that outlines how your product is going to develop. It\u2019s both a tool that conveys your strategic priorities while also helping to plan and organize your work. You want the right product roadmap format to do that.

The tool lays bare what you\u2019re going to be working on, providing clarity for you, the development team, and any stakeholders who want to have a peek at how the product is evolving. 

We\u2019re not going to teach you to suck eggs by telling you what a product roadmap is. You’re a Product Manager, you know this stuff. If you don\u2019t, check out our glossary post and then come back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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Read our Product Roadmap glossary definition.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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There are many<\/em> different product roadmap formats, and everyone\u2019s got their favorites. You probably already have a certain product roadmap format that you live and die by, but we urge you not to be stubborn. Many alternative product roadmaps might be a great match for you, you may find one that\u2019s better suited to how you work. Just because you\u2019ve been doing things a certain way for years doesn\u2019t always mean it\u2019s the best. That\u2019s how you get stuck in bad habits. 

All we\u2019re saying is: maybe it\u2019s time to break up with your current product roadmap format? Maybe, like a bad relationship, it\u2019s holding you back. 

To help you explore your options, here\u2019s a complete list of product roadmap formats. Have an open mind, you may find your perfect fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is it important to choose the right product roadmap format?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We get it, change is hard. But if you\u2019re using the wrong product roadmap format, then we also think change is necessary. The product roadmap you use will massively affect how well you and your entire team can plan, communicate, and execute your product strategy. If it\u2019s off, you\u2019re not going to excel. 

We\u2019re firm believers at ProdPad that certain product roadmap formats can make you become a better product manager<\/a>. By getting it right, you\u2019ll ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page about what\u2019s being worked on, and crucially why<\/em>. Your team will have a transparent view of the product’s direction, boosting communication while also driving focus on the same aligned goals. Most importantly, a well-aligned product roadmap will help you remain flexible and responsive to changes in market conditions and your customer needs. 

By the way, there\u2019s a lot more to product roadmaps than just the format you can choose. If you\u2019re looking to absorb knowledge of everything you need to know about these tools, we\u2019ve got an ultimate guide to keep you busy. It covers all the theory to help you build one, manage one, communicate one, and use one effectively. Click the link below to explore our guide. <\/p>\n\n\n

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The Ultimate Guide to Product Roadmaps.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Now, we\u2019ve already picked our no.1 product roadmap format (no prizes for guessing what it is – after all, our Co-Founders here at ProdPad actually invented it<\/a>). The Now-Next-Later product roadmap format works for us and for most modern organizations, but we\u2019re also aware that it\u2019s not the only option out there.

Each alternative product roadmap format will have its pros and cons and its ideal use cases. That\u2019s why we\u2019re putting them in a lineup for you to find the perfect one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the two main types of Product Roadmap formats?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, most product roadmap formats fall into two categories: 

Agile or timeline. <\/strong>

These two ways of running your roadmap are like two warring wolves, opposites of each other fighting for your favor. We think there\u2019s a clear winner between the two, but we\u2019ll get to that in just a bit. 

The most common product roadmap formats can be grouped into these two camps based on their principles, the way the roadmaps are presented, and what\u2019s being explored. Let\u2019s dive into what makes these two main types of product roadmap formats so different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an agile product roadmap format?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The tech world is super fast-paced. The need to adapt to change increases every year. As such, Agile<\/a> has become the favored approach to product development in recent times. By introducing an Agile Product Development process<\/a>, organizations become more flexible, more adaptive, and able to continuously improve their products.

If you\u2019re a business working with an Agile methodology, you\u2019re going to need an agile roadmap that matches it. 

Agile product roadmap formats promote iteration and a focus on customer value. They don\u2019t emphasize specific features but instead are structured around themes or customer experiences. 

By staying away from a feature-oriented focus, teams that use agile product roadmap formats can easily shift gears and priorities when working out which specific initiatives best achieve the goals they want to hit. 

Agile roadmaps often have broad time horizons. This means that instead of strict dates and deadlines, things can be fluid, and ordered in priority of what\u2019s coming next. Instead of \u201cthis is getting done by the 1st of the month\u201d it\u2019s more \u201cthis is getting done first, then this thing next.\u201d

Now, let\u2019s get this out upfront – agile product roadmap formats, are far superior to their old-fashioned timeline forefathers. That\u2019s right, we\u2019re not beating around the bush here! Agile roadmaps aid with faster delivery and provide higher quality outcomes when compared to output-focused timelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a timeline-based roadmap?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ah, timeline roadmaps. The roadmap only a mother can love. Sorry to be harsh, but we really think you can do better than a timeline roadmap. We just can\u2019t hide it, they\u2019re icky and don\u2019t offer as much value as agile product roadmap formats. 

A timeline roadmap lays out what you have planned for a product on a chronological timeline. It shows what features or changes are planned and when you plan on making them. Nine times out of ten, a timeline roadmap will look like a Gantt chart, showing a clear linear view from the product’s current state to its future state.

On the surface, that looks like a pretty neat and tidy way of mapping things out. So, what\u2019s the problem?

Well, when is Product Management ever that simple? By setting deadlines on your roadmap, especially on potential ideas planned way in advance, you may be going too granular too early, as you\u2019re unlikely to have all the knowledge you need to make a good estimation. That results in deadlines getting pushed back or changed. Being so linear and rigid adds the pressure of hitting those deadlines. You can overpromise and underdeliver, which can result in your pushing out features that may not be ready or that may not have been 100% needed. That\u2019s a textbook example of a feature factory<\/a>. 

By being so focused on dates, you zone in on getting things done for the sake of doing them. There\u2019s less freedom for exploration and discovery and less flexibility. That\u2019s why you need to move away from your Timeline Roadmap. Here are some steps on how \ud83d\udc47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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Read 8 Steps to Convert Your Timeline Roadmap to Now-Next-Later<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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Of course, there are situations where you want to present things as a timeline. Your release planning<\/a> is one of them, where you come up with how and when you\u2019re releasing new features, updates, and bug fixes. You may also want a timeline-based plan for any work that\u2019s immediate, but you certainly don\u2019t want it for your roadmap. Your product roadmap is all about your long-term vision and strategy. Don\u2019t compromise it with a timeline.

Now, timeline-based roadmaps are becoming less and less popular (yay!), and we like to think that the Now-Next-Later roadmap has played a big part in that. You\u2019ll find that most of the product roadmap formats we explore will be more agile in their approach – that\u2019s just the way the industry is evolving – but we have also provided examples of timeline roadmaps, too. It wouldn\u2019t be a complete list without it. 

Naturally, we urge everyone to move away from the restrictive, old-fashioned timeline roadmaps, but we understand you\u2019re adults and can make your own decisions about what\u2019s best. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, so let\u2019s explore all the possible product roadmap formats to find you the ideal partner for your product planning.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The complete list of product roadmap formats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to go product roadmap speed dating? Here\u2019s our complete list of the product roadmap formats to help you find your perfect match. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Adore a roadmap that isn\u2019t on this list? Let us know in the comments or on social. We\u2019re always keen to see how other teams are doing things, and why PMs favor a certain roadmap over another.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Now-Next-Later roadmap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Now-Next-Later roadmap is the best example of an agile product roadmap format. It was created by our very own Co-Founders Janna Bastow and Simon Cast, so we know a thing or two about it.\u00a0

Also known as a lean roadmap or time horizon roadmap, its whole principle is stripping away deadlines and strict timelines and instead replacing them with broader timeframes. In this product roadmap format, you\u2019ll group your product initiatives and ideas into three columns, one for ideas you\u2019re working on now, one for initiatives to be tackled next, and one for all the long-term stuff you\u2019re going to look at later on.\u00a0

It\u2019s a product roadmap format designed around outcomes, built to enable more flexibility, allowing more time\u00a0 to put toward product discovery<\/a> and experimentation. It\u2019s not a to-do list; instead of organizing tasks to complete in order, you\u2019re declaring the problems you want to solve, giving your team more space for creativity on how they solve that problem.\u00a0

Now-Next-Later is a very visual roadmap and is designed to be easy to understand at a glance. You can get a good overview of what you\u2019re working on, with the ability to dive deeper into each Idea. It\u2019s an excellent way to see what you\u2019re working on without getting overwhelmed by dates and deadlines that you\u2019ll never hit.\u00a0

It works as an agile product roadmap format because it accommodates change. Prioritizes can shift, and blockers can be introduced. This approach lets you move things around and suits teams that value being nimble and responsive. The Now-Next-Later roadmap gives your entire team transparency on what they should be focusing on in the short term (everything in the Now column) while also giving them a heads-up on what\u2019s planned for Later.

Overcommitting to deadlines can lead you to push products out the door, focusing on just getting things done instead of getting good<\/em> things done. The Now-Next-Later roadmap prevents that from happening.\u00a0

Our CEO Janna has talked loads about why Now-Next-Later is the way to go. It is her baby after all. You can learn more about why Janna invented Now-Next-Later<\/a>, and how it can benefit you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To fully understand how Now-Next-Later works, access our dynamic product roadmap template. Explore the key features of Now-Next-Later, and learn how to deploy this product roadmap format for your own products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Feature-based roadmap<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Feature-based roadmaps are a pretty straightforward option. They focus on organizing your product development around the specific features you want to build. When working with a feature-based roadmap, you\u2019ll map out your features in priority order. You can choose to set specific deadlines for them (and make it a timeline roadmap) or position them across a Now-Next-Later format and use broad time horizons.

Having said that, if you\u2019re using a feature-based approach but laying out those features across a Now-Next-Later roadmap format, you won\u2019t technically<\/em> have a Now-Next-Later product roadmap. Fundamental to the Now-Next-Later roadmapping approach is structuring your roadmap items around problems to solve. The Now-Next-Later product roadmap format should have roadmap initiatives and within each Initiative, you have a few different Ideas that you will experiment with, test, and evaluate. If each roadmap item is a specific feature rather than a problem to solve, you have a feature-based roadmap, not a Now-Next-Later roadmap. Just having three columns labeled now, next, and later, does not make a Now-Next-Later roadmap. 

A feature-based product roadmap format can provide a clear plan of what you\u2019re working on, but it can be pretty limiting. There\u2019s little flexibility and can cause you to focus on just getting features out there instead of solving user problems. 

A feature-based roadmap can work if you have a clear understanding of what needs to be built and when, but can struggle to support product discovery and user objectives. This product roadmap format has a lot of the same pitfalls as a timeline roadmap and makes you far less adaptable to new ways of thinking to improve your product. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Goal-oriented roadmap <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Using goal-orientated roadmaps helps you rethink the way you perceive your product development and approach it from a different angle. Also known as the GO Product Roadmap format, this roadmap is structured around your business and product goals – not features, or themes. 

In the roadmap, you\u2019ll be inputting the desired outcomes and benefits that you want your features to achieve. This helps you justify the changes you\u2019re making and dive into why you\u2019re making them. By focusing on goals rather than features or output, you\u2019ll be driven to make stuff of value. 

Created by Roman Pichler<\/a>, the roadmap is built around three main elements:
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