Roadmaps are Rubbish and OKRs are OK

Advanced Product Management Part 3. Some really interesting concepts covered in this session.

Roadmaps aren’t great – they can show things too far out for a truly agile company. They may be good as a fancy investor device but to work from, they aren’t Agile enough! Remember, “Working software over comprehensive documentation”

Tbh. I’ve always struggled with Roadmaps, because yes – what you’re up to has to change frequently. I think they may be good if there’s a MASSIVE program shift you need to enact, but for mapping out features and benefits on a day to day, they’re a bit meh.

Sadly though the tutor tried to say there was a better technique called the “3 buckets” near, mid and long term which BIG companies use to plan… I’m however highly doubtful as I found nothing about it online.

Instead the proposal is to use OKRs or “Objective and Key Results” to guide your daily work.

Now I always thought OKRs were a tool for personal goal mapping, a bit like a personal User Story – however the template, “I will X as measured by Y” does lend itself to the minutia of day to day benefit planning.

Now we stopped there and we’ll just have to see what’s next.