niopd-pd-roadmap

name	niopd-pd-roadmap
description	Creates product roadmaps with Mermaid Gantt diagrams showing feature timelines. Use for release planning, stakeholder communication, or team alignment on delivery schedule.

Product Roadmap Skill

This skill creates visual product roadmaps using Mermaid Gantt diagrams to communicate delivery timelines.

Theoretical Foundation

Roadmap Types

Type	Focus	Audience
Now/Next/Later	Simplicity, flexibility	External/Executive
Timeline-based	Specific dates, dependencies	Internal teams
Theme-based	Strategic goals	Stakeholders
Outcome-based	OKR alignment	Leadership

Key Principles

1. Outcomes over outputs: Focus on goals, not just features
2. Flexibility over precision: Acknowledge uncertainty
3. Alignment over detail: Ensure shared understanding
4. Communication over planning: Roadmap is a communication tool

When to Use

• Quarterly planning
• Executive presentations
• Team alignment
• Customer/partner communication
• Resource planning

Instructions

Step 1: Gather Inputs

• PRD or initiative documents
• Prioritized backlog
• Resource availability
• External dependencies
• Strategic timeline constraints

Step 2: Define Timeframe

• What period does the roadmap cover?
• Quarterly? Annual? Multi-year?
• What's the right level of detail?

Step 3: Group by Theme/Goal

• What strategic themes organize the work?
• How do features map to goals?
• What outcomes are we driving?

Step 4: Estimate Durations

For each item:

• Start date (or dependency)
• Duration (weeks)
• Dependencies

Step 5: Generate Mermaid Gantt

gantt
    title Product Roadmap [Period]
    dateFormat YYYY-MM-DD
    
    section Theme 1
    Feature A :a1, 2024-01-01, 4w
    Feature B :a2, after a1, 3w
    
    section Theme 2
    Feature C :b1, 2024-01-15, 6w
    Feature D :b2, after b1, 2w

Step 6: Add Milestones

Include key dates:

• Release dates
• External events
• Dependencies

Step 7: Generate Document

File path: 04-plans/[YYYYMMDD]-roadmap-v0.md

Contents:

1. Roadmap Overview
2. Strategic Themes
3. Feature Timeline (Mermaid)
4. Key Milestones
5. Dependencies
6. Assumptions and Risks

Output Specifications

• File Naming: [YYYYMMDD]-roadmap-v0.md
• Location: 04-plans/
• Template: references/roadmap-template.md

Related Skills

• niopd-st-rice: Feature prioritization
• niopd-pm-release: Release planning
• niopd-pm-dependencies: Dependency mapping
• niopd-st-okr: Outcome alignment