·4 min read
How to Create an MVP Roadmap
An MVP is just the beginning. Here is how to plan the path from MVP to product-market fit.
MVP Roadmap Principles
- •Stay flexible: User feedback changes priorities
- •Ship small, ship often: 2-week cycles max
- •Focus on outcomes, not features
- •Say no more than yes
- •Revisit the roadmap monthly
Roadmap Structure
| Timeframe | Focus | Detail Level |
|---|---|---|
| Now (2 weeks) | Current sprint | Specific tasks |
| Next (1 month) | Committed work | Features defined |
| Later (3 months) | Planned direction | Themes only |
| Future | Vision | Very rough ideas |
Prioritization Framework
Score each potential feature on:
- •Impact: How much does it move the key metric?
- •Effort: How long to build?
- •Confidence: How sure are we it will work?
- •Strategic fit: Does it align with our direction?
Sources of Roadmap Items
- •User feedback: What are people asking for?
- •Analytics: Where do users drop off?
- •Support tickets: What causes problems?
- •Competitor moves: What are others doing?
- •Your vision: Where do you want to go?
Common Roadmap Mistakes
- •Building every feature users request
- •Planning too far ahead with too much detail
- •Ignoring technical debt entirely
- •Not having a clear north star metric
- •Roadmap as a list of features, not problems to solve
A roadmap is not a promise. It is a current best guess that will change as you learn.