Christian sits down with Lea to demystify roadmaps, stripping them down to their job-to-be-done: connect strategy to execution without pretending ideas are certainties. They dig into how to craft outcome-based roadmaps that ladder to business results, when timeframes beat dates, and how to use high-integrity commitments without turning your plan into a promise trap, or feature factory.
Today’s episode will discuss:
Why executives love roadmaps yet teams resent them
The two types of roadmaps destined to fail
How to frame outcomes in a roadmap
Why timeframes trump dates
When to use high-integrity commitments (HICs)
Coaching leaders to swap false control of features for real control of context
The four common roadmap anti-patterns
Who really owns the roadmap
How to ensure roadmaps and OKRs get along nicely
Earning trust with evidence and measuring impact, not output
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References:
Apple (iPhone): https://www.apple.com/iphone/
Atlassian Jira: https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
High-Integrity Commitments: https://www.svpg.com/managing-commitments-in-an-agile-team/
Slack: https://slack.com/
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More from SVPG on roadmaps:
SVPG on product roadmaps: https://www.svpg.com/product-roadmaps/
SVPG on outcomes: https://www.svpg.com/outcomes-are-hard/
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Where to find Lea Hickman:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahickman/
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Where to find Christian Idiodi:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cidiodi/
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Where to find SVPG:
Books: https://www.svpg.com/books/
Articles: https://www.svpg.com/articles/
Workshops: https://www.svpg.com/
Videos: https://www.svpg.com/videos/
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Timestamps:
(1:06) What is a roadmap?
(02:18) Why roadmaps are often hated
(04:18) The problem with top-down roadmaps
(05:32) You need outcome-based roadmaps
(10:02) Why roadmaps shouldn’t have dates
(12:38) How to give teams greater roadmap autonomy
(16:08) The four most common roadmap traps
(20:04) Who should own a roadmap?
(21:47) Focus on outcomes, not features
(25:24) Can roadmaps and OKRs co-exist?
(30:06) High-integrity commitments in roadmaps
(32:33) How to navigate the politics of roadmaps
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Disclaimer:
While this podcast is named “Product Therapy”, it is not hosted by licensed therapists or mental health professionals, and it is in no way a substitute for professional mental health services. We recognize the importance of mental well-being and encourage anyone facing personal difficulties to seek support from qualified professionals. See https://findahelpline.com/
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Production:
Production by supermix.io
