The Complete List of Product Roadmap Formats: Find Your Perfect Match

The product roadmap is probably the single most important tool for a Product Manager. Not to be confused with your product backlog, it’s where the vision for your product lives; a plan that outlines how your product is going to develop. It’s 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’re 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’re 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’t, check out our glossary post and then come back. 

There are many different product roadmap formats, and everyone’s 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’s better suited to how you work. Just because you’ve been doing things a certain way for years doesn’t always mean it’s the best. That’s how you get stuck in bad habits. 

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

To help you explore your options, here’s a complete list of product roadmap formats. Have an open mind, you may find your perfect fit.

Why is it important to choose the right product roadmap format?

We get it, change is hard. But if you’re 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’s off, you’re not going to excel. 

We’re firm believers at ProdPad that certain product roadmap formats can make you become a better product manager. By getting it right, you’ll ensure that all stakeholders are on the same page about what’s being worked on, and crucially why. 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’s a lot more to product roadmaps than just the format you can choose. If you’re looking to absorb knowledge of everything you need to know about these tools, we’ve 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. 

Now, we’ve 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). The Now-Next-Later product roadmap format works for us and for most modern organizations, but we’re also aware that it’s not the only option out there.

Each alternative product roadmap format will have its pros and cons and its ideal use cases. That’s why we’re putting them in a lineup for you to find the perfect one.

What are the two main types of Product Roadmap formats?

Essentially, most product roadmap formats fall into two categories: 

Agile or timeline. 

These two ways of running your roadmap are like two warring wolves, opposites of each other fighting for your favor. We think there’s a clear winner between the two, but we’ll 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’s being explored. Let’s dive into what makes these two main types of product roadmap formats so different.

What is an agile product roadmap format?

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

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

Agile product roadmap formats promote iteration and a focus on customer value. They don’t 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’s coming next. Instead of “this is getting done by the 1st of the month” it’s more “this is getting done first, then this thing next.”

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

What is a timeline-based roadmap?

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’t hide it, they’re icky and don’t 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’s 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’re 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’s a textbook example of a feature factory. 

By being so focused on dates, you zone in on getting things done for the sake of doing them. There’s less freedom for exploration and discovery and less flexibility. That’s why you need to move away from your Timeline Roadmap. Here are some steps on how 👇.

Of course, there are situations where you want to present things as a timeline. Your release planning is one of them, where you come up with how and when you’re releasing new features, updates, and bug fixes. You may also want a timeline-based plan for any work that’s immediate, but you certainly don’t want it for your roadmap. Your product roadmap is all about your long-term vision and strategy. Don’t 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’ll find that most of the product roadmap formats we explore will be more agile in their approach – that’s just the way the industry is evolving – but we have also provided examples of timeline roadmaps, too. It wouldn’t be a complete list without it. 

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

The complete list of product roadmap formats

Are you ready to go product roadmap speed dating? Here’s our complete list of the product roadmap formats to help you find your perfect match. 

Now-Next-Later roadmap

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. 

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’ll group your product initiatives and ideas into three columns, one for ideas you’re working on now, one for initiatives to be tackled next, and one for all the long-term stuff you’re going to look at later on. 

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

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’re working on, with the ability to dive deeper into each Idea. It’s an excellent way to see what you’re working on without getting overwhelmed by dates and deadlines that you’ll never hit. 

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’s 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 things done. The Now-Next-Later roadmap prevents that from happening. 

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 her reasons for inventing this product roadmap format, and how it can benefit you. 

Feature-based roadmap

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’ll 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’re using a feature-based approach but laying out those features across a Now-Next-Later roadmap format, you won’t technically 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’re working on, but it can be pretty limiting. There’s 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. 

Goal-oriented roadmap

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

Created by Roman Pichler, the roadmap is built around three main elements:

• Your Goals: The high-level achievements you want to achieve. These are often ambitious statements. 
• The Objectives: These are the specific, measurable metrics and KPIs that once hit show that you achieved your goal.
• Actions: This is where you detail the tasks and features you need to create to achieve the desired objective.

This approach helps you avoid feature creep, where you’re making more and more features for the sake of it without much rhyme nor reason. By adopting this product roadmap format, you’re forced to have a justification for every Idea you have. It ensures that everything you do is aligned with your overall objectives. 

By being focused on goals, it gives you the flexibility to try different ideas to hit those goals. It’s far less rigid, making it a good example of an agile roadmap. 

The drawback of these roadmaps is that they’re a tad less granular than other options. It’s harder to see the specific requirements of what you need to do, especially from a higher-level view. 

To effectively use a goal-based roadmap, you’re going to have to first set your OKRs and the metrics you want to track. Goal setting can be tricky, especially as there are so many metrics you can choose to track. Want to make things easier? Check out our eBook that details 25 ready-made OKRs that you can adopt. 

Goal-oriented roadmaps vs. outcome-based roadmaps

You may have come across the term outcome-based roadmap. This type of product roadmap format is essentially the same as a goal-oriented roadmap –  the term describes the same thing. They both organize your roadmap into the problems you want to solve and the goal you want each Idea on your roadmap to achieve. 

If you want to get super picky about things, you can choose to use the goal-based roadmap term to be super explicit about the link to your strategic product goals. Outcome-based roadmaps may refer to roadmaps that are a bit more broad with what you’re hoping to achieve and may not be as closely tied to your company objectives.

The Now-Next-Later product roadmap format is both an outcome-based format and a goal-oriented format. On a true Now-Next-Later roadmap, every item should declare a problem to solve and the desired outcome, as well as being linked to a specific product objective and key result. You can see how this works in real life by visiting the ProdPad sandbox environment, which is pre-filled with a host of example roadmaps that follow this structure. 

Theme-based roadmap

As the name suggests, a theme-based roadmap is organized around high-level themes instead of specific features or dates. These themes can be considered as broad areas of focus. By using a theme-based roadmap, you’re given better flexibility on how to meet your objectives. 

For example, a theme may be something like, “improving user onboarding”. Within that theme, you can explore the various features you can add, the experiments you can try, and the enhancements you can make to make that happen. 

Now a theme-based roadmap is pretty similar to a goal-based roadmap. In fact, you’ll find that most agile roadmaps have a lot of similarities and crossover. The difference here though is that a goal-based roadmap is focused on specific results aligned to business goals and metrics. A theme-based roadmap uses much broader areas of focus.

One of the reasons to use a theme-based roadmap is because it provides overall freedom while maintaining strategic alignment. You can communicate the overall direction of a product and explore new ideas without getting bogged down by specifics. 

Theme-based roadmaps are interesting, as they can be used in an agile way or a timeline way. Typically, they’ll be agile, allowing you to figure out what features or tasks best fulfill a theme through ongoing learning. That said, you can make them timeline-based if that’s what you really want to do (please don’t). 

This is done by mapping out the themes into their own swimlanes on a timeline roadmap so that each feature that belongs to a theme is grouped together. You’ll be working to rigid deadlines, but linking ideas and tasks to the broad themes that connect them. 

Release roadmap

Well, this is awkward. Release roadmaps are a weird one because we don’t really think they should be considered roadmaps at all. Instead, they’re more of a timeline that shows your deliverables. 

This way of planning your releases details the timing and scope of the upcoming product features you have planned. They’re used to break the development process into specific release schedules. 

Release roadmaps – let’s call them release plans because they ain’t roadmaps – they may be great for immediate planning, but not ideal for communicating longer-term strategic thinking. 

This ‘roadmap’ is extremely timeline-focused, making it rigid, especially for fast-paced environments where priorities can shift on a dime. 

Although many other people call this way of organizing your releases a roadmap, we think it’s better to see it as a way to plan your upcoming launches so that your entire team is coordinated with what’s due out. It doesn’t work as a roadmap because it’s so focused on the short term. 

By using this as a roadmap, you’re sacrificing your long-term decision-making and planning. It’ll also force stakeholders to judge you on output, not outcomes. If your roadmap is filled with releases, it suggests that you only value getting those new features out, and not the outcomes and effects of those releases.

Epics roadmap

If you’re working on huge tasks that span multiple sprints and require input from multiple teams, then you may be drawn to the epics product roadmap format. An epic is a large chunk of work that encompasses many smaller tasks within it. It’s the War and Peace of Product Management: long and tough to get thorough. They’re the big accomplishments you want to achieve on your roadmap.

To make any sense of epics, you’re going to need to cut it up into smaller pieces, known as user stories. An epics product roadmap format allows you to do just that. 

With an epics roadmap, you’re turning this whale of a task into more manageable chunks. By using this roadmap format, it helps you better keep track of your overall progress and maintain direction and strategy. All the ‘chunks’ (user stories) you create will be connected to your larger theme. Everything you complete within an epics roadmap will benefit the larger goal. 

The main purpose of an epics roadmap is to help you prioritize the different tasks that make up the epic, and work out what you need to do first. By visually breaking things down, it allows you to see what is more critical, helping you to have more of a solid plan for completing the epic.

When using an epics roadmap, it works best to take your overarching goal and place all the tasks and things that need to be done within that. You can then track the progress of each task, moving it into a done or ready state when completed. As epics often span across multiple teams, it’s good to assign responsibilities to create a sense of ownership and accountability to each task.  

Portfolio roadmap

If you’re a Senior Product Manager, Product Director or CPO overseeing multiple product lines, then it may be best for you to use a portfolio product roadmap format to give you greater visibility of all the products. 

Whereas a typical roadmap concentrates on one product, a portfolio roadmap shows the entire portfolio of the business. It lets you see everything that you offer. The benefit of this is that you’ll be able to get a better strategic overview of how each product relates to one another, helping with high-level decision-making. 

By seeing what’s being worked on for each product, it makes it easier to allocate resources, work out dependencies, and highlight potential conflicts. In this view that covers all your products, you can see the interdependencies, priorities, and timeframes of different initiatives, helping stakeholders understand how these projects align with the overall business strategy. It’s essential for organizations that have more than one product. 

Now, you can’t just have a portfolio roadmap and get away with it. With it being so top-level, you’re going to miss out on a lot of detail. Not all objectives in a portfolio roadmap will be in each product roadmap. The goal you want to achieve with one product may be different from another. That’s why you need to have your portfolio roadmap working alongside your more singular product roadmaps. 

Consider the portfolio roadmap an additional one that supports your product roadmaps to guide your entire product organization. 

In ProdPad, we make portfolio management easy, allowing you to create Portfolio Roadmaps that are either rolled-up overviews of your individual product roadmaps, and/or customized versions in their own right. 

Choose wisely

It’s so important that your chosen product roadmap format is a good fit for your business. Your roadmap is the blueprint of your Product Management processes and greatly influences the approach you adopt. 

We’ve laid out all the common product roadmap formats you need to know about to give you complete transparency of the options you can go for. That said, only one has truly captured our hearts: The Now-Next-Later Roadmap. 

This isn’t because of blind loyalty to our Co-Founders and its creators. We find it super effective and have seen, firsthand, how it’s helped thousands of people become better Product Managers. But, we get it, you can’t just take our word for it. 

ProdPad is designed around the Now-Next-Later roadmap, it’s one of our key features. Why not give it a try in our sandbox environment for a first-hand experience of how it works and how it can improve the way you do things? Go on, give it a whirl.