Built-in roadmaps

A built-in roadmap is a timeline of larger pieces of work, such as projects or initiatives, that sits in the same tool as the day-to-day tasks. Each item on the roadmap is made up of the tasks beneath it, so its progress updates as the work gets done. For example, a project called Customer portal can show as 40 percent complete because that share of its tasks is finished. Linear is listed as having it.

Plans kept in a slide deck or spreadsheet go out of date within weeks, and nobody trusts them. A roadmap fed by the real work stays accurate and gives owners and sales teams a straight answer to when something will be ready. It suits teams with several projects running together. A very small team with one priority at a time can manage with a simple task list.

• Ask how the roadmap gets its progress, and whether it comes from task status or has to be updated by hand.
• Check whether the roadmap can be shared with people outside the team, such as clients or a board.
• Test how it handles dates that slip, and whether changes are visible afterwards.
• Ask whether it can be filtered by team, owner or project.