If you’re looking at outcome-based roadmaps for the first time, you may be asking yourself — is this even important? Do I really need to link objectives and key results to my roadmap? Do I even need initiatives? Can’t I just show features on a timeline?
These are valid questions. Your executives may even be asking them already.
A good product roadmap focuses on your product’s vision and direction. The what, the why, and for whom you’re building. It comes down to communicating strategy. It is not about how fast you work or what the final solution looks like.
“Your users don’t care about what you are building. They care about what problem you’re solving for them and what outcomes you’ll enable them to achieve through your product. Setting OKRs forces your team to focus and to deliver a meaningful result for your users and the business.”
Gabrielle Bufrem, Product Manager @ Pivotal Labs, and Mind the Product Trainer
Tying objectives and key results to your roadmap ensures your team and customers understand the value you’re bringing to them. But they also promote transparency, healthier conversations, and help you to manage expectations. Most importantly, they give your product team the flexibility to adjust and pivot as needed.
