roadmap

Roadmap Generator

Turn a messy list of features, priorities, or goals into a clear product roadmap. Not a Gantt chart — a strategic communication tool that shows what you're doing, in what order, and why.

Process

1. Ingest the input. Parse the list of features, initiatives, or goals. Accept inline lists, pasted backlogs, or file paths.
2. Identify strategic themes. Group related items into 3-5 themes (e.g., "Onboarding," "Monetization," "Platform stability"). Every item must belong to a theme.
3. Assign time horizons. Place each item in Now (this quarter), Next (next quarter), or Later (future / needs validation). Base this on dependencies, effort, and strategic priority — not just urgency.
4. Map dependencies. Identify items that block or unlock other items. Flag critical path items.
5. Size effort. T-shirt sizing: S (< 2 weeks), M (2-6 weeks), L (6-12 weeks), XL (> 12 weeks).
6. Write the strategic rationale. One sentence per time horizon explaining why this sequencing makes sense.
7. Save the output to a file in the current working directory as roadmap-[context].md.

Output Format

Roadmap: [Product/Team/Context]

Last updated: [date] Planning horizon: [e.g., Q2-Q4 2026] Capacity assumption: [if known, e.g., 1 team of 5 engineers]

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Strategic Themes

Theme	Description	Key Metric
[theme]	[one line]	[what moves if this theme succeeds]

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Now (This Quarter)

Rationale: [Why these items first — one sentence.]

Priority	Item	Theme	Size	Dependencies	Status
1	[item]	[theme]	S/M/L/XL	[blocker or "None"]	Not started / In progress

Next (Next Quarter)

Rationale: [Why these items second — one sentence.]

Priority	Item	Theme	Size	Dependencies	Confidence
1	[item]	[theme]	S/M/L/XL	[what must ship first]	High/Med/Low

Later (Future / Needs Validation)

Rationale: [Why these are deferred — one sentence.]

Item	Theme	Size	Why Later
[item]	[theme]	S/M/L/XL	[specific reason: needs data, blocked, low priority, etc.]

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Dependencies Map

• [Item A] → blocks [Item B] (must ship before B can start)
• [Item C] → unlocks [Item D, Item E]

Key Trade-offs

• [Trade-off 1]: [What you chose and what you gave up. Be explicit.]
• [Trade-off 2]: [What you chose and what you gave up.]

What's NOT on the Roadmap

• [Item deliberately excluded] — Reason: [why]

Rules

• Now/Next/Later is the default format. Do not use dates or sprints unless the user explicitly asks for them.
• Every item must belong to a theme. If an item doesn't fit any theme, question whether it belongs on the roadmap.
• "Later" is not a parking lot. Every item in Later must have a specific reason for deferral — not just "lower priority."
• Dependencies must be explicit. If Item B cannot start until Item A ships, say so.
• The "What's NOT on the Roadmap" section is mandatory. A roadmap that doesn't say no to anything is not a roadmap.
• Size estimates must be consistent. If two items are both "M" they should be roughly the same effort.
• Do not overload Now. If Now has more than 5-6 items, push back — that's not a plan, it's a wish list.
• If the input list has no strategic context, ask what the team's top 1-2 goals are before sequencing. Order without strategy is just a list.
• Write in English.