Why your startup doesn’t need a product roadmap yet!
Navigating early-stage uncertainty with flexibility, vision, and conviction
👋 Hey, Sam here! Welcome back to my ✨ monthly edition ✨ of The Product Trench. Each month, I share practical tips and stories related to product management, leadership and startups.
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A while back, I shared my experience at a mentor/startup speed-dating event on LinkedIn. Some companies were just a few months old, buzzing with excitement and fresh ideas as they were heads down building their MVPs. One question kept popping up: “How do you build a product roadmap at such an early stage?”
❌ The short answer is: You Don't.
The case against early roadmaps
At first glance, having a product roadmap seems like a smart move. It's a visual representation of your strategy, a plan to keep everyone aligned. But here's the kicker: at an early stage, things change. A lot. Daily, even!
Trying to stick to a rigid plan can be like trying to steer a ship through a storm with a paper map—it's just not going to work.
Startups, especially in their infancy, are in a constant state of flux. The primary goal should be to find product-market fit, which involves a lot of trial and error. In this environment, flexibility is your best friend. You need to be able to pivot based on user feedback, market demands, and unforeseen challenges. This means identifying and implementing the biggest bang-for-the-buck features that make a product stick. A fixed roadmap can hinder this agility, if not detrimental.
Vision and conviction as guiding principles
Instead of a detailed roadmap, what you need is a clear vision and conviction. Think of this as your North Star. It's less about plotting every turn and more about knowing the direction you're heading. This vision will guide your decisions, helping you prioritize the features and changes that align with your ultimate goal.
Here's the truth: Vision and conviction create a magnetic pull that keeps your team aligned and motivated. When everyone understands the ultimate goal, you can move forward with purpose, making adjustments as needed without losing sight of where you want to end up.
“But how do we keep track of progress and make sure we're not just spinning our wheels?” you might ask. Great question. Here are some practical tips:
Set short-term goals: Break down your vision into smaller, manageable milestones. These should be achievable within a few weeks to a couple of months.
Ideation, not prioritization: The goal is to generate and test ideas rapidly, not prioritize them in a long-term plan. Ideation allows for creativity and rapid iteration, which are crucial for finding product-market fit.
Stay close to your users: Constantly gather feedback and be ready to pivot. Your users will guide you toward what's working and what's not.
Embrace change: Be open to iterate and pivot. Change isn't just inevitable; it's essential for growth.
Challenges of changing operating models
While a roadmap is not needed at this stage, it won't be the case when your company matures.
Short-term focus vs. Long-term Vision
When you're in the trenches, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle of responding to user feedback and market shifts. This short-term focus is essential for early-stage survival but can make transitioning to a longer-term vision difficult. The risk here is losing sight of the bigger picture and the overarching goals that drive sustainable growth. Balancing immediate needs with future aspirations requires constant recalibration.
Adapting processes and culture
Shifting from a rapid iteration model to a more structured approach isn't just about changing processes—it's about transforming the company culture. Teams accustomed to quick turnarounds and immediate results might struggle with the slower pace of strategic planning. This cultural shift requires clear communication and buy-in from everyone involved. One startup I worked at gradually introduced longer-term planning by integrating it into our weekly sprints, slowly building a culture that valued both speed and strategy.
Timing the shift
Knowing when to start incorporating a long-term view is crucial. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but certain indicators can signal readiness. These might include achieving a stable product-market fit, consistent user growth, or reaching key milestones that require strategic resource allocation. For instance, a startup I advised knew it was time to pivot to long-term planning when their user base hit a critical mass, demanding more stability and predictability in product updates.
Maintaining flexibility during transition
Even as you start planning for the long term, maintaining flexibility is vital. One strategy is to keep long-term goals broad and adaptable, allowing for adjustments based on new information or market changes. This prevents the rigidity that can stifle innovation. Another approach is to implement rolling plans, revisiting and revising them regularly to reflect the latest insights and feedback.
Key takeaways
Embrace flexibility: Early-stage startups need to adapt quickly to changes and feedback. A rigid roadmap can hinder this necessary flexibility.
Vision over roadmap: A clear vision and conviction act as your guiding North Star, keeping your team aligned and motivated.
Short-term goals: Break down your vision into achievable milestones.
Focus on ideation: Generate and test ideas quickly rather than prioritizing long-term features.
Learn and pivot: Be ready to iterate and pivot based on what you learn from your users and the market.
Adaptability in transition: Maintain flexibility even as you incorporate long-term planning.
👋 Thank you for reading! See you next time.
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