“Product Roadmaps Relaunched” is a book written by C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan, and Michael Connors that provides guidance on creating effective product roadmaps. The book covers a variety of topics, including how to align roadmaps with business strategy, how to involve stakeholders, and how to create effective visualizations of the roadmap. The authors argue that traditional linear roadmaps are no longer effective in today’s fast-paced business environment and provide a new approach to creating roadmaps, called “Outcome-Driven Innovation.” This approach focuses on the desired outcomes for the customer and the business and uses those outcomes to drive the development of the product. The book also covers the importance of regularly reviewing and updating the roadmap to ensure it remains aligned with the overall business strategy. Overall, the book provides valuable insights and practical advice for product managers and entrepreneurs looking to create effective product roadmaps.
The 10 most important recommandations
“Product Roadmaps Relaunched” is a book written by C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan and Michael Connors. The book focuses on the importance of creating effective product roadmaps and offers a practical guide for product managers and entrepreneurs to develop and maintain them. The book provides a new approach to product roadmapping by emphasizing the importance of creating a shared vision and alignment within the organization.
- One key recommendation from the book is to create a shared vision for the product roadmap. This means involving stakeholders from different departments in the creation process to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards the same goal. For example, a product manager could hold a workshop with the sales, marketing and development teams to gather input and ensure that the product roadmap aligns with their goals.
- Another recommendation is to focus on outcomes, not just features. This means identifying the specific business outcomes that the product should achieve and then prioritizing the development of features that will help achieve those outcomes. For example, a product manager for a SaaS company could prioritize the development of a feature that increases customer retention because it directly impacts the company’s revenue.
- The book also emphasizes the importance of creating a flexible roadmap that can adapt to change. This means building in regular reviews and adjustments to the roadmap as needed. For example, an entrepreneur developing a mobile app could include a monthly review to assess the progress of the app and make adjustments to the roadmap as needed.
- The book stresses the importance of involving the customer in the product development process. This means gathering feedback and input from customers throughout the development process to ensure that the product is meeting their needs. For example, a product manager for a B2B company could conduct customer interviews to gather feedback on the product and use that feedback to make adjustments to the roadmap.
- The book also recommends using data to inform the roadmap. This means gathering data on customer behavior and using that data to make informed decisions about the product’s development. For example, a product manager for an e-commerce company could use data on customer purchases to identify trends and make decisions about which products to focus on in the roadmap.
- The book also stresses the importance of communication and transparency when it comes to the product roadmap. This means keeping stakeholders informed and involved throughout the development process. For example, a product manager for a software company could hold regular meetings with the development team to share updates on the product roadmap and gather feedback.
- Another recommendation is to create a clear link between the product roadmap and the company’s overall strategy. This means ensuring that the product roadmap aligns with the company’s overall goals and objectives. For example, a product manager for a company that specializes in renewable energy could make sure that the product roadmap includes a focus on developing products that promote sustainable energy sources.
- The book also emphasizes the importance of creating a roadmap that is actionable. This means breaking down the roadmap into smaller, manageable chunks that can be easily executed. For example, a product manager for a company that develops educational software could break down the roadmap into smaller milestones, such as developing specific features or reaching certain user milestones.
- Another recommendation is to build experimentation into the product development process. This means testing different ideas and approaches to see what works best. For example, a product manager for a social media platform could test different features and analyze the results to determine which features to include in the final product.
- Finally, the book recommends creating a culture of continuous improvement. This means regularly reviewing the product roadmap and making adjustments as needed to ensure that the product is meeting the needs of the customers and the company’s overall goals. One example of creating a culture of continuous improvement from the book “Product Roadmaps relaunched” could be implementing regular retrospectives with the product development team. At the end of each development sprint or project phase, the team would come together to discuss what went well, what didn’t go well, and what could be improved in the next sprint or phase. This allows for the team to continuously identify areas for improvement and make adjustments to their processes and workflow. Additionally, giving team members the autonomy to test and implement new ideas can also foster a culture of continuous improvement.
Product Roadmap
According to the book “Product Roadmaps Relaunched” by C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan and Michael Connors, a good product roadmap is a high-level document that outlines the strategic vision and direction for a product. It is created by the product manager, in collaboration with other key stakeholders, and is used to communicate the product’s vision and strategy to the rest of the organization. The authors recommend that the product roadmap should be created using a collaborative process, involving input and buy-in from key stakeholders such as product managers, engineering teams, marketing, and sales. The product roadmap should be flexible and adaptive, so that it can be adjusted as needed to respond to changes in the market or customer needs. Additionally, the product roadmap should be used to drive alignment and focus across the organization, and to help teams prioritize and make strategic decisions about what features or capabilities to build next.
C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan and Michael Connors
C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan, and Michael Connors are the authors of the book “Product Roadmaps Relaunched.” They are experts in product management and have worked with companies of various sizes and industries to help them improve their product development processes. C. Todd Lombardo is an author, speaker, and product leader with over a decade of experience in product management, product marketing, and product development. Bruce McCarthy is an author, speaker and product leader with over 20 years of experience in product management, product marketing, and product development. Evan Ryan is an author, speaker, and product leader with over 20 years of experience in product management, product marketing, and product development. Michael Connors is an author, speaker, and product leader with over 20 years of experience in product management, product marketing, and product development.