How do roadmap planning features work?

What is a Product Roadmap?

A product roadmap is a strategic document that outlines the planned features, improvements, and goals for your product over time. It helps teams:

• Align on product vision and priorities
• Communicate plans to stakeholders and users
• Track progress from idea to implementation
• Make informed decisions about resource allocation

Roadmap Item Management

Creating Roadmap Items

Build your roadmap by creating items that represent planned features or improvements:

• Title and Description - Clear, user-focused feature descriptions
• Priority Levels - High, Medium, Low, or Custom priority classifications
• Status Tracking - Planning, In Progress, Testing, Completed stages
• Due Dates - Target completion dates for planning and tracking
• Categories - Organize features by theme, area, or team

Priority Management

Organize your roadmap items by priority to focus on what matters most:

• High Priority - Critical features that drive key business goals
• Medium Priority - Important improvements that enhance user experience
• Low Priority - Nice-to-have features for future consideration
• Custom Priorities - Define your own priority system if needed

Status Tracking

Track the progress of each roadmap item through development phases:

• Planning - Initial ideation and requirements gathering
• In Progress - Active development and implementation
• Testing - Quality assurance and user testing phases
• Completed - Feature is live and available to users
• On Hold - Temporarily paused or postponed items

Integration with Changelog

From Roadmap to Changelog

WhatWeShipped connects your planning with your shipped features:

• Automatic Conversion - Completed roadmap items can become changelog entries
• Progress Tracking - See which planned features have been delivered
• Timeline Visualization - Understand the journey from plan to reality
• Stakeholder Communication - Show how plans translate to delivered value

Feature Lifecycle

Follow features through their complete lifecycle:

1. Roadmap Planning - Add upcoming features with priorities and timelines
2. Development Tracking - Update status as work progresses
3. Completion - Mark features as completed when shipped
4. Changelog Entry - Convert to user-facing changelog announcements
5. Public Communication - Share completion with users and stakeholders

Public Roadmap Sharing

Transparency with Stakeholders

Share your roadmap publicly to:

• Set Expectations - Let users know what's coming next
• Gather Feedback - Get input on planned features before development
• Build Excitement - Generate anticipation for upcoming releases
• Demonstrate Progress - Show consistent development and improvement

What to Share Publicly

Control what information appears on your public roadmap:

• Feature Descriptions - User-focused explanations of upcoming features
• Priority Levels - Help users understand what's coming first
• Status Updates - Show progress without revealing internal details
• General Timelines - Quarterly or seasonal targets rather than specific dates

Team Collaboration on Roadmaps

Role-Based Roadmap Access

Different team members can contribute to roadmap planning:

• Product Managers - Create and prioritize roadmap items
• Engineering Teams - Provide estimates and update technical progress
• Design Teams - Add UX considerations and design requirements
• Marketing Teams - Contribute to feature descriptions and launch planning

Collaborative Planning

Work together on roadmap development:

• Team Input - All organization members can contribute ideas
• Priority Discussions - Collaborate on feature prioritization
• Progress Updates - Team members update status as work progresses
• Review Cycles - Regular roadmap reviews and adjustments

Roadmap Best Practices

Planning Principles

• User-Focused - Describe features in terms of user value and benefits
• Realistic Timelines - Set achievable targets with buffer time for unexpected challenges
• Regular Updates - Keep roadmap current with actual progress and changing priorities
• Flexibility - Be prepared to adjust plans based on user feedback and market changes

Communication Guidelines

• Clear Descriptions - Write feature descriptions that non-technical stakeholders can understand
• Avoid Promises - Frame roadmap items as plans, not commitments
• Regular Updates - Keep stakeholders informed about changes and progress
• Context Sharing - Explain why features are prioritized or delayed

Advanced Roadmap Features

Filtering and Views

Organize your roadmap for different audiences:

• Priority Filters - View only high-priority items for focused planning
• Status Views - See all in-progress items or recently completed features
• Timeline Views - Organize by target completion dates
• Category Organization - Group features by theme or development area

Reporting and Analytics

Track roadmap execution and team performance:

• Completion Rates - See how many planned features are delivered on time
• Timeline Analysis - Understand typical development timeframes
• Priority Effectiveness - Evaluate if high-priority items are being completed first
• Team Velocity - Track feature delivery rate over time

Getting Started with Roadmap Planning

Initial Setup

1. Create your first project in WhatWeShipped
2. Navigate to the Roadmap section
3. Add your first planned feature with a clear description
4. Set an appropriate priority level and target date
5. Configure public roadmap sharing if desired

Building Your Roadmap

1. Brainstorm Features - List all potential improvements and new features
2. Prioritize Value - Rank features by user impact and business value
3. Estimate Effort - Consider development complexity and resource requirements
4. Plan Timeline - Arrange features in a realistic development sequence
5. Communicate Plans - Share roadmap with team and stakeholders