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Now, Next, Later roadmap

Organize immediate, upcoming, and future roadmap plans

About the Now, Next, Later roadmap template

Every product team roadmaps a bit differently — both in terms of planning and aesthetic. What is most important is aligning everyone on what you will deliver, when, and why it matters.

A Now, Next, Later roadmap is ideal for sketching out near- and longer-term plans. It is common to use this type of roadmap when you are sharing broad themes or areas of focus. Once you start building, you may rely on a more detailed, time-based roadmap — for example, one that includes epics, releases, and features.

This template is streamlined for simplicity. Use it to facilitate communication and make tradeoff decisions based on what will bring the most value to customers. Then, convert any of its elements into actionable work items (e.g., ideas, features, epics, initiatives, or goals) and get busy.

Best practices

Prioritize work, align teams, and communicate a clear vision for strategic planning.

Capture the fundamentals Define what "now," "next," and "later" means for your team. Fill in product initiatives along the left-side column of the template and begin to outline areas of focus or important features for each. Provide links to relevant documentation, such as product goals or customer personas.
Refine together Gather the team for a review session. Use inline comments to capture insights and highlight areas that need deeper exploration. Treat the roadmap as a dynamic document and revise it as your plans evolve.
Link to real work When you are ready to move forward, convert elements on the whiteboard into actionable work items. That way, you can define the work, set dates, assign responsibility, and track progress in Aha! Roadmaps.

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