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Product Roadmapping Processes for an Uncertain Market Environment: A Grey Literature Review

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Lean and Agile Software Development (LASD 2021)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing ((LNBIP,volume 408))

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Abstract

Context: Currently, most companies apply approaches for product roadmapping that are based on the assumption that the future is highly predicable. However, nowadays companies are facing the challenge of increasing market dynamics, rapidly evolving technologies, and shifting user expectations. Together with the adaption of lean and agile practices it makes it increasingly difficult to plan and predict upfront which products, services or features will satisfy the needs of the customers. Therefore, they are struggling with their ability to provide product roadmaps that fit into dynamic and uncertain market environments and that can be used together with lean and agile software development practices. Objective: To gain a better understanding of modern product roadmapping processes, this paper aims to identify suitable processes for the creation and evolution of product roadmaps in dynamic and uncertain market environments. Method: We performed a Grey Literature Review (GLR) according to the guidelines from Garousi et al. Results: 32 approaches to product roadmapping were identified. Typical characteristics of these processes are the strong connection between the product roadmap and the product vision, an emphasis on stakeholder alignment, the definition of business and customer goals as part of the roadmapping process, a high degree of flexibility with respect to reaching these goals, and the inclusion of validation activities in the roadmapping process. An overall goal of nearly all approaches is to avoid waste by early reducing development and business risks. From the list of the 32 approaches found, four representative roadmapping processes are described in detail.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reutlingen University, Alteburgstraße 150, 72762, Reutlingen, Germany

    Stefan Trieflinger, Jürgen Münch, Jan Schneider, Emre Bogazköy & Patrick Eißler

  2. Viastore Software GmbH, Magirusstraße 13, 70469, Stuttgart, Germany

    Bastian Roling

  3. Robert Bosch GmbH, Hoferstraße 30, 71636, Ludwigsburg, Germany

    Dominic Lang

Authors
  1. Stefan Trieflinger
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  2. Jürgen Münch
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  3. Jan Schneider
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  4. Emre Bogazköy
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  5. Patrick Eißler
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  6. Bastian Roling
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  7. Dominic Lang
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Correspondence to Stefan Trieflinger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland

    Adam Przybyłek

  2. Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland

    Jakub Miler

  3. Volkswagen AG, Wolfsburg, Germany

    Alexander Poth

  4. Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France

    Andreas Riel

Appendix. Articles Identified by the Grey Literature Review

Appendix. Articles Identified by the Grey Literature Review

  1. I.

    280Group: What is a Product Roadmap?, available at https://280group.com/what-is-product-management/documents-templates/product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  2. II.

    Abate, S.: A Guide to Assembling a Product Roadmap, available at https://www.productplan.com/assembling-a-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  3. III.

    Aha!: How Do Product Managers Build an Agile Roadmap?, available at https://www.aha.io/roadmapping/guide/product-roadmap/how-do-product-managers-build-an-agile-roadmap, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  4. IV.

    Blueprint: Agile Product Roadmap, available at https://www.blueprintsys.com/agile-planning/agile-product-roadmap, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  5. V.

    Choudhary, N.: Best Practices for Creating a Compelling Product Roadmap, available at https://www.tothenew.com/blog/best-practices-for-creating-a-compelling-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  6. VI.

    Holmes, R: Product roadmaps – an essential guide, available at https://www.departme tofproduct.com/blog/product-roadmaps-guide/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  7. VII.

    Justinmind: What is an agile roadmap? Product development tips, available at https://blog.prototypr.io/what-is-an-agile-roadmap-product-development-tips-3d81fcb59c88, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  8. VIII.

    Kukhnavets, P.: How to Make a Product Roadmap from Scratch?, available at https://hygger.io/blog/make-product-roadmap-scratch/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  9. IX.

    Layton, M. C.: Four Steps to Creating an Agile Product Roadmap, available at https://www.dummies.com/careers/project-management/four-steps-to-creating-an-agile-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  10. X.

    Mitra, M.: Don’t let your roadmapping process put you in handcuffs, available at https://www.productboard.com/blog/improve-your-product-roadmapping-process/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  11. XI.

    Perri, M.: Rethinking the product roadmap, available at https://melissaperri.com/blog/2014/05/19/rethinking-the-product-roadmap, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  12. XII.

    Pichler, R.: Working with the GO Product Roadmap, available at https://www.romanpichler.com/blog/working-go-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  13. XIII.

    ProductPlan: What is a Software Roadmap?, available at https://www.productplan.com/what-is-a-software-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  14. XIV.

    Product Manager HQ: How To Build A Product Roadmap Everyone Understands, available at https://productmanagerhq.com/how-to-build-a-product-roadmap-everyone-understands/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  15. XV.

    Lombardo, C. T., McCarthy, B., Ryan, E., Conners, M.: Product roadmaps relaunched - How to set direction while embracing uncertainty. O’Reilly Media, Inc., Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA, USA (2017).

  16. XVI.

    Melone, J.: How to successfully marry design sprints and product development, available at https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/how-to-successfully-marry-design-sprints-and-product-development/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  17. XVII.

    Roadmunk: A 5-step guide to agile product roadmap planning, available at https://roadmunk.com/guides/a-5-step-guide-to-agile-product-roadmap-planning/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  18. XVIII.

    Rai, A.: How to Build a Product Roadmap, available at https://hackernoon.com/how-to-build-a-product-roadmap-76b538923c6f, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  19. XIX.

    Seet, C.: Developing a strategy roadmap with design thinking, lean startup and agile, available at https://www.jibility.com/design-thinking-lean-startup-agile-strategy-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  20. XX.

    Sharma, R.: How to Craft the Perfect Product Roadmap, available at https://blog.hubspot.com/service/product-roadmap, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  21. XXI.

    Shymansky, S.: Product Development Roadmap – Your Guide Through the Product Strategy, available at https://railsware.com/blog/product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  22. XXII.

    Smartsheet: Best Practices and Expert Tips for Creating Product Roadmaps, available at https://www.smartsheet.com/best-practices-and-expert-tips-creating-product-roadmaps, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  23. XXIII.

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  24. XXIV.

    Tech at GSA: 3 Steps to Develop an Agile Product Roadmap, available at https://tech.gsa.gov/guides/develop_an_agile_product_roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  25. XXV.

    Theus, A.: Building Your First Product Roadmap from Scratch, available at https://www.productplan.com/building-your-first-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  26. XXVI.

    Trackmind.com: Creating a strategic product roadmap, available at https://www.trackmind.com/creating-strategic-product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  27. XXVII.

    Tsui, W.: How to use design sprints to push your company roadmap, available at https://medium.com/gusto-design/how-to-use-design-sprints-to-push-your-company-roadmap-f085bc9d9a7c, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  28. XXVIII.

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  29. XXIX.

    Van Os: The art of the strategic product roadmap, available at https://productcoalition.com/the-art-of-the-strategic-product-roadmap-c881f261b4eb, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  30. XXX.

    Walton, M.: Creating Good Roadmaps: 6 Practical Steps for Product Leaders, available at https://www.mindtheproduct.com/creating-good-roadmaps-6-practical-steps-product-leaders/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  31. XXXI.

    Weiss, E.: Build the Right Things - A 5 Step Plan to a Rock-Solid Product Roadmap, available at https://hackernoon.com/build-the-right-things-a-5-step-plan-to-a-rock-solid-product-roadmap-23a7c3fbd8d7, last accessed 1st October 2020.

  32. XXXII.

    Zinchenko, P.: Agile product roadmap: pros, cons, and best practices, available at https://www.mindk.com/blog/product-roadmap/, last accessed 1st October 2020.

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Trieflinger, S. et al. (2021). Product Roadmapping Processes for an Uncertain Market Environment: A Grey Literature Review. In: Przybyłek, A., Miler, J., Poth, A., Riel, A. (eds) Lean and Agile Software Development. LASD 2021. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 408. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67084-9_7

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