7 Frameworks For Building Roadmaps

At Herdr, we leverage GenAI and automation, delivered through cutting-edge customer experiences, to bring big-company planning capabilities to individuals and small teams. Our mission is to help them accelerate their goals—whether it’s a vision, product, feature set, or project.

For example, here are seven frameworks you can use to build roadmaps, tailored for different contexts like departments, products, or projects:

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1. Goal-Oriented Roadmap

Purpose: Focuses on achieving specific business objectives.

• Best for: Strategic planning for departments or products.
• Structure:
  • Goals: Define measurable outcomes (e.g., increase customer retention by 20%).
  • Initiatives: List high-level efforts to achieve goals.
  • Timeline: Assign timeframes to each initiative.
  • Metrics: Track progress against key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Example:
  • Goal: Improve onboarding experience.
  • Initiative: Redesign onboarding flow by Q2.
  • Metrics: Reduce time-to-value by 30%.

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2. Theme-Based Roadmap

Purpose: Groups efforts under strategic themes.

• Best for: Product roadmaps with a broad focus.
• Structure:
  • Themes: Organize work into overarching categories (e.g., “User Growth,” “Core Features”).
  • Subtasks: Break themes into actionable items.
  • Timeframes: Plan by quarter or milestone, but focus less on specific dates.
• Example:
  • Theme: User Growth
  • Subtask: Launch referral program.
  • Timeline: Q1 2025.

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3. Timeline-Based Roadmap

Purpose: Uses a strict chronological order for deliverables.

• Best for: Projects with fixed deadlines or dependencies.
• Structure:
  • Phases: Organize work into project phases (e.g., Discovery, Development, Launch).
  • Milestones: Key dates or achievements.
  • Dependencies: Show relationships between tasks.
• Example:
  • Phase 1: Prototype by Feb 2025.
  • Milestone: Usability testing complete by March 2025.

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4. OKR-Aligned Roadmap

Purpose: Links roadmap items directly to Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).

• Best for: Departments focused on measurable outcomes.
• Structure:
  • Objective: Broad goal (e.g., “Enhance customer satisfaction”).
  • Key Results: Quantifiable targets (e.g., “Achieve NPS of 40+ by Q2”).
  • Initiatives: List actionable steps to meet the OKR.
• Example:
  • Objective: Improve operational efficiency.
  • KR: Reduce onboarding time from 10 days to 5.
  • Initiative: Automate training workflows.

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5. Agile Backlog Roadmap

Purpose: Uses sprints or iterative cycles to prioritize work dynamically.

• Best for: Agile teams managing product or project roadmaps.
• Structure:
  • Backlog: Prioritize items based on business value.
  • Sprints: Assign deliverables to time-boxed cycles.
  • Releases: Combine multiple sprints into launch plans.
• Example:
  • Sprint 1: Implement login feature.
  • Sprint 2: Add two-factor authentication.
  • Release: Full login system by May 2025.

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6. Capability-Based Roadmap

Purpose: Focuses on building specific competencies or resources over time.

• Best for: Departments aiming to improve internal processes or tools.
• Structure:
  • Capabilities: Identify areas to enhance (e.g., “Data Analytics”).
  • Steps: Break down what’s needed to achieve each capability.
  • Phases: Progress through “Baseline,” “Advanced,” and “Optimized.”
• Example:
  • Capability: Data Analytics
  • Step: Hire a data scientist (Q1 2025).
  • Phase: Advanced by Q4 2025.

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7. Vision-Led Roadmap

Purpose: Centers around achieving a long-term vision.

• Best for: Products or departments with ambitious, transformative goals.
• Structure:
  • Vision: Define a clear end-state (e.g., “Leader in sustainable tech by 2030”).
  • Milestones: Break down the vision into achievable steps.
  • Workstreams: Focused efforts to move toward the vision.
• Example:
  • Vision: Fully automated project reporting.
  • Milestone 1: MVP of reporting tool by Q2 2025.
  • Milestone 2: Integrate AI for insights by Q4 2026.