How do you approach getting approval for your roadmap from internal stakeholders?

I flinched at the word "approval" here. I don't like the idea that Product would be seeking roadmap approval from other departments in the org. What you really want is buy-in. You want your key stakeholders to be as confident and excited about the roadmap as you are.  Here's how to make that happen: 1) Provide channel(s) for continuous input and take that input seriously. Stakeholders will make sure their teams to provide good input so long as they see how that input influences the roadmap. You ...Read More

To get your roadmap approved, start by making sure everyone understands where you're trying to go - that's your vision. Think of it like your product's ultimate destination, and you need to get people to believe in it like you do. Make it clear by adding details where people are likely to ask questions to show you've done your homework. Next up is the strategy, which is just your plan for how to actually reach that vision. Be upfront about your goals, how you'll measure success, and any resource ...Read More

To get roadmap approval from internal stakeholders, we need to make sure that they're bought into the overarching product vision and strategy first. This means explaining and getting input into the direction for the product and the path we're taking to achieve the vision. It thus become easier to get approval for roadmap goals and sequencing from stakeholders, as they should logically follow the vision and strategy.  One thing to align with stakeholders on is the expected format of your product ...Read More

The question asks about getting approval, but I'll instead focus on how you gain feedback and improve your roadmap so that there's alignment around it. This distinction is important, you are responsible of the roadmap. Instead of trying to get approval, focus on building the best possible roadmap after incorporating stakeholder input, and then communicate it. To do this, I'd recommend the following: Have a strong grasp and communicate how your roadmap aligns with company priorities. By telling a ...Read More

The path to gaining product roadmap approval depends on the decision-making culture of the company: If you are in a place where approval rights are clear, the key is understanding what those stakeholders need to say "yes." What level of detail do they require to feel confident that the team is doing the right things? Do they like to be brought along on the journey or handed a solution? Are they most likely to respond to data, written descriptions, visuals? If you are in a place where approval is ...Read More