We have already discussed the proper organization of the development process and the important role of the management. A successful release of the project depends on many factors, in particular, on the right beginning of the project. To begin it most effectively and consciously many companies use roadmaps. Today we’ll tell you why they are so important for mobile developments and how to make up a roadmap.
What is a roadmap?
That is a strategy for product development that includes focus areas, aims, and deadlines. A roadmap isn’t just a list of technical features for your project. It more answers the question “Why?” than “How?” That’s why excessive information and detailed task descriptions make it too complicated to visualize. The main purpose of a roadmap is to provide insight into the project to the majority of your team.
A roadmap represents priorities and plans in the long run. It also shows the influence of a current project on the target audience. It should include the purpose of product creation, explain its importance for the client.
Any roadmap should consist of the project aim, timescale and steps, results, risks, and dependencies. Some maps can be built just on one page, some of them may contain more info. For example, problem or hypothesis, synthesis of the facts approving of chosen approach, logic and tools, key team members (bus factor), steps for future development.
Of course, the purpose of roadmaps may differ. They can be commercial, made to sell your product to your potential customers. Or they can be technological insider maps to explain technical features of the moment.
What are the types of roadmaps?
As a rule, there are 2 types of roadmaps: Waterfall and Agile.
A Waterfall roadmap consists of clear and consequent steps that can’t be returned to previous stages. Due to this, the map forms a simple and understandable structure of the development process. Waterfall models are more business-oriented and based on financial metrics. These maps are made up for long periods of time (1-2 years). However, the lack of flexibility is the main disadvantage of this module.
An Agile model allows dividing the process into cycles and shows the result for each of them, which makes the work more flexible. Thus, it becomes possible to work simultaneously over the project. It takes from several months to several quarters to implement the project according to this model. Agile models are client-oriented.
How to make up a roadmap?
1. Clarify the context
First of all, put your project into a modern context focusing on the question “Why do we create it?” You can gather strategic goals, the project view for this. At his moment, you have to make research with your client, assess the market, and analyze the business metrics. The general picture will allow you to understand better the purpose and goals of the future project.
2. Decide on how to show it on your map
There are a lot of possible ways to tell about your new project. Often you can do this as a short Gantt diagram, but you can also go in for a chronological line. You should choose the approach that would suit exactly your project.
3. Define the time periods
Set the time periods in advance and the results that should be achieved by this moment. Set the preliminary time frames, so that you could discuss them with your core team.
4. Consider main risks and the strategies for their minimization
Don’t forget to write down the main risks in your project and ways to solve them. They may include not only project risks, but also program, market, and organization risks.
5. Point out the next and parallel steps
Imagine your project on a global scale and explain what profit it will bring after the release. How you will support it, what possibilities for the project scaling will be available.
Where can a roadmap be made up?
Any roadmap should be visualized in a high-quality and clear manner. Various task managers can easily cope with this task. In most cases, they possess the tools and patterns to create any roadmap kind. Most of them have such a useful function as automated push notifications to all team members if any changes were done. It may be useful if you want to keep your team in touch.
For example, the most popular services are Gantt Pro, Product Plan, Product Board, Aha!, and Propad. They possess almost the same functional features: data, ideas, and metrics compilation in one map, their synchronization with the data from Jira, GitHub, Slack, Pivotal Tracker, Trello, and other popular services.
We will make up a roadmap for your project!
The project managers from the Joy Dev team have experience in building up various roadmaps for the projects. Due to this, it became possible to start working over the mobile app development quickly, because all team members had the idea of tasks, purposes, and results of the project. Our specialists work closely with the client, defining all their needs and requirement for the project, analyze the competitors at the market, interact with marketing and technical departments.
If you want to create a high-quality and demanding project, write to us and tell us about your idea!
