| name | roadmap-generator |
| description | Generate phased implementation roadmaps with Epic/Story/Task breakdown, effort estimates, and validation checkpoints. Use when cto-architect needs to create actionable technical roadmaps from architecture designs. |
Roadmap Generator
Creates structured implementation roadmaps that transform architecture designs into actionable plans with clear phases, milestones, and validation gates.
When to Use
- After architecture design is complete
- When translating strategic goals into execution plans
- Creating project timelines with realistic effort estimates
- Breaking down large initiatives into manageable phases
Roadmap Structure
Three-Phase Framework
Every roadmap follows MVP → Scale → Advanced phases:
Phase 1: MVP (Foundation)
├── Goal: Prove core value proposition
├── Duration: Typically 6-12 weeks
├── Success Criteria: Core functionality working
└── Exit Gate: User validation / metrics threshold
Phase 2: Scale (Growth)
├── Goal: Handle production load, improve reliability
├── Duration: Typically 8-16 weeks
├── Success Criteria: Performance SLAs met
└── Exit Gate: Load testing passed / uptime targets
Phase 3: Advanced (Optimization)
├── Goal: Competitive features, optimization
├── Duration: Ongoing
├── Success Criteria: Feature parity / differentiation
└── Exit Gate: Business metrics achieved
Epic/Story/Task Hierarchy
Epic
High-level capability that delivers business value.
- Duration: 2-6 weeks
- Format: "Enable [user] to [capability]"
- Example: "Enable customers to receive real-time order notifications"
Story
User-facing functionality within an epic.
- Duration: 2-5 days
- Format: "As a [user], I want to [action] so that [benefit]"
- Example: "As a customer, I want push notifications so I know when my order ships"
Task
Technical work to complete a story.
- Duration: 2-8 hours
- Format: "[Verb] [object] [context]"
- Example: "Implement WebSocket connection handler for notification service"
Effort Estimation Framework
T-Shirt Sizing
| Size | Story Points | Typical Duration | Characteristics |
|---|
| XS | 1 | 2-4 hours | Trivial change, no unknowns |
| S | 2 | 0.5-1 day | Simple, well-understood |
| M | 3 | 1-2 days | Some complexity, minor unknowns |
| L | 5 | 3-5 days | Complex, some research needed |
| XL | 8 | 1-2 weeks | Very complex, significant unknowns |
| XXL | 13+ | > 2 weeks | Should be broken down |
Estimation Guidelines
- Include buffer: Add 20-30% for unknowns
- Account for context switching: Multiply by 1.3 for teams juggling priorities
- New technology penalty: Add 50% for unfamiliar tech
- Integration tax: Add 20% for each external system integration
Team Velocity Calculation
Effective Capacity = Team Size × Working Days × Focus Factor × Skill Factor
Focus Factor:
- Dedicated team: 0.8
- 50% allocated: 0.4
- Ad-hoc: 0.2
Skill Factor:
- Expert team: 1.0
- Experienced: 0.8
- Learning curve: 0.5
Validation Checkpoints
Phase Gate Reviews
Each phase ends with a validation gate:
## Phase 1 Exit Gate
### Go Criteria
- [ ] Core features functional in staging
- [ ] Unit test coverage > 70%
- [ ] Integration tests passing
- [ ] Performance baseline established
- [ ] Security review completed
### No-Go Signals
- Critical bugs unresolved
- Core functionality missing
- Team capacity insufficient for Phase 2
- Business requirements changed significantly
### Decision
[ ] GO - Proceed to Phase 2
[ ] CONDITIONAL GO - Proceed with identified risks
[ ] NO-GO - Address blockers first
Mid-Phase Checkpoints
- Week 2: Architecture validation
- Week 4: Integration milestone
- Week 6: Feature complete checkpoint
- Weekly: Sprint review and course correction
Dependency Management
Dependency Types
| Type | Description | Mitigation |
|---|
| Technical | Service A needs Service B | Start B early, use mocks |
| Team | Need DevOps for deployment | Reserve capacity early |
| External | Third-party API integration | Validate early, have fallback |
| Data | Need production data for testing | Create synthetic data |
Critical Path Identification
- List all dependencies
- Identify longest chain
- Mark critical path items
- Add buffer to critical path (25%)
- Parallelize non-critical work
Output Format
Roadmap Document Structure
# Implementation Roadmap: [Project Name]
**Created**: [Date]
**Owner**: [Team/Person]
**Architecture Reference**: [Link to architecture doc]
## Executive Summary
[2-3 sentences on approach and timeline]
## Timeline Overview
[Visual timeline or Gantt representation]
## Phase 1: MVP (Weeks 1-8)
### Phase Goals
- [Goal 1]
- [Goal 2]
### Epics
#### Epic 1.1: [Name]
**Duration**: [X weeks]
**Dependencies**: [List]
| Story | Points | Owner | Dependencies |
|-------|--------|-------|--------------|
| [Story 1] | M | [Team] | None |
| [Story 2] | L | [Team] | Story 1 |
**Tasks for Story 1**:
- [ ] [Task 1] (S)
- [ ] [Task 2] (M)
### Phase 1 Exit Criteria
- [ ] [Criterion 1]
- [ ] [Criterion 2]
### Phase 1 Risks
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|------|-------------|--------|------------|
| [Risk] | High/Med/Low | High/Med/Low | [Action] |
---
## Phase 2: Scale (Weeks 9-16)
[Same structure as Phase 1]
---
## Phase 3: Advanced (Weeks 17+)
[Same structure as Phase 1]
---
## Resource Requirements
### Team Composition
| Role | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 |
|------|---------|---------|---------|
| Backend | 2 FTE | 3 FTE | 2 FTE |
| Frontend | 1 FTE | 2 FTE | 1 FTE |
| DevOps | 0.5 FTE | 1 FTE | 0.5 FTE |
### Infrastructure Costs
| Phase | Monthly Cost | Notes |
|-------|-------------|-------|
| Phase 1 | $X | Development environment |
| Phase 2 | $Y | Staging + production |
| Phase 3 | $Z | Full scale |
---
## Success Metrics
| Metric | Phase 1 Target | Phase 2 Target | Phase 3 Target |
|--------|---------------|----------------|----------------|
| [Metric 1] | [Value] | [Value] | [Value] |
| [Metric 2] | [Value] | [Value] | [Value] |
---
## Appendix
### Assumptions
- [Assumption 1]
- [Assumption 2]
### Open Questions
- [Question 1]
- [Question 2]
Anti-Patterns to Avoid
The Big Bang
Planning everything in detail upfront without iteration.
Fix: Plan Phase 1 in detail, Phase 2 at epic level, Phase 3 at theme level.
The Feature Factory
Listing features without connecting to business outcomes.
Fix: Every epic must connect to a measurable business goal.
The Happy Path
No buffer, no risk mitigation, assumes everything goes perfectly.
Fix: Add 25-30% buffer, identify top 5 risks with mitigations.
The Kitchen Sink
Including every possible feature in MVP.
Fix: Ruthlessly cut to core value proposition only.
Python Utilities
This skill includes Python utilities for roadmap generation:
generator.py - Core roadmap generation logictemplates/ - Output templates (markdown, JSON)
See generator.py for programmatic roadmap generation.
References
