Roadmaps 101: Creating “Consensual Reality”
Why a Roadmap?
Harry defines a roadmap as a shared lens on the journey ahead—one that helps stakeholders and customers see “what’s next,” how it will get there, and the relative certainty (or uncertainty) around those plans. In his words, the roadmap is a “consensual reality” that aligns people on both the current and future state of a project or product.
“The purpose of a roadmap is to create consensual reality.”
—Harry Max
Who’s Involved?
- Internal Stakeholders: Product managers, designers, engineers, executives, and anyone who influences the product’s success.
- External Stakeholders: Customers, partners, vendors—people who rely on (and often need visibility into) the roadmap to align their own planning.
The Connection Between Priorities and Roadmaps
Harry is currently finishing a book on prioritization, a practice that he believes underpins every dimension of a roadmap—not just features. He stresses that the best companies prioritize effectively at all levels:
- Capabilities & Resources: What kind of skills do we need more of—designers, product managers, or engineers?
- Risk Management: Which uncertainties demand attention now, and which can wait?
- Projects & Products: Which features or services deliver the highest value soonest?
When done well, prioritization shapes your roadmap into a realistic guide rather than a wish list.
The “Certainties” Roadmap: Three Swim Lanes
Harry’s go-to structure is the “certainties roadmap,” featuring three distinct tracks:
- High Certainty
- Commitments with dependable timelines and well-understood requirements (e.g., version updates, near-term fixes).
- Medium Certainty
- Initiatives still in design, discovery, or experimentation (e.g., new capabilities under feasibility testing).
- High Uncertainty
- Aspirational ideas or “wish-list” items that might significantly impact the future but lack concrete requirements or timelines.
By separating high-assurance projects from more speculative ones, the roadmap becomes a transparent reflection of what’s truly in flight vs. what’s still on the drawing board. This helps manage expectations and keeps teams honest about progress and risk.
Creating a “Plan of Record”
Beyond the Single Document
According to Harry, one crucial practice is embedding the roadmap in a “plan of record.” This plan evolves dynamically, capturing:
- Short-term changes (e.g., slips in schedule or shifting priorities).
- Long-term vision (how near-term work supports overarching goals).
- Context (principles, strategy, and any relevant constraints or dependencies).
“A roadmap doesn’t stand alone; it sits in the context of a plan of record that shows how everything works together.”
—Harry Max
Two Views of the Road Ahead
- Swim-Lane View
- Three lanes for different certainty levels, each item labeled with degrees of risk, confidence, and whether deadlines have shifted.
- Use stoplight colors (red, yellow, green) to show whether items are on track, in caution, or at risk of missing deadlines.
- Targeting View
- A bullseye with the center representing now and concentric rings marking upcoming months or quarters.
- As time moves on, items should move closer to the center. If something starts slipping, it visually shifts outward, prompting a conversation about why and how to address it.
By pairing these two perspectives, teams grasp both the “big picture” and the real-time changes that affect plans.
Avoiding Roadmapping Pitfalls
According to Harry, the biggest mistakes include:
- Committing to Specific Dates Too Early
- Use ranges and confidence levels instead of rigid deadlines.
- Ignoring Risk & Confidence
- Indicate whether a roadmap item is a sure thing, a “cautious maybe,” or a major gamble.
- Failing to Keep It Current
- A static roadmap rapidly becomes out-of-date. Update it frequently to maintain trust and accuracy.
When roadmaps become inaccurate or out-of-touch, you create what Harry calls “false reality,” leading teams astray and undermining credibility.
Final Tips: Roadmapping as a Leadership Tool
- Lead with Conviction
- Know why certain things matter most—and reflect that in the roadmap.
- Stay Honest with Uncertainty
- Not everything is equally knowable or urgent. Label items’ status openly.
- Maintain the Conversation
- Roadmaps are living documents. Involve stakeholders often, capture new developments, and adapt.
“The best organizations aren’t always neat—they’re sometimes messy—but they’re effective because they know how to keep their priorities straight.”
—Harry Max
Take the Next Step
Are your roadmaps a source of clarity—or confusion? Start by identifying your three swim lanes of certainty and ensuring key stakeholders align on what’s truly locked in vs. still up for discussion. Pair that with a living plan of record, and you’ll transform a static document into a powerful framework for building consensual reality—one that unites teams, customers, and partners around what matters most.
Ready to improve your own roadmapping approach? Try adopting Harry’s “certainties roadmap” to reflect reality more clearly—and share it regularly with your team. By staying candid about what’s known, what’s unknown, and where risks lie, you’ll create a roadmap people trust, champion, and follow.