A roadmap is a visualization of the Product Owner’s plan to deliver the product goal and fulfill the product vision. But in the real world, especially in complex environments, plans change—and that’s okay.
Agile frameworks like Scrum are used in complex environments where more is unknown than known. In complex environments, the time it takes to deliver value is affected by uncertainty, effort, risk, and other factors. Scrum embraces empiricism to help teams navigate these complexities. Empiricism relies on three pillars: transparency, inspection, and adaptation. Transparency ensures everyone knows what’s happening. Inspection allows those closest to the work to assess how things are progressing. Adaptation, perhaps the most important, means that it's okay to change direction as new information is uncovered.
When the roadmap changes, it means the Product Owner and Scrum team have learned something new. They’re adjusting the plan accordingly and making that learning transparent through the Product Backlog and, often, an updated roadmap. Instead of judging teams by how well they stick to a plan, organizations should evaluate whether the team is improving customer outcomes.
Benefits of a changing roadmap
Not only is it ok for the roadmap to change, here are five reasons why it's a good thing.
1. Respond to Market Changes: In fast-paced environments, customer needs and market conditions can shift quickly. A flexible roadmap allows the team to adapt and deliver solutions that are aligned with current demands, keeping the product relevant and competitive.
2. Continuous Learning and Improvement: As teams work, they uncover new insights that weren’t apparent during initial planning. Allowing the roadmap to change based on these insights ensures that the product evolves based on real-world feedback, leading to better outcomes.
3. Reduces Risk: Sticking rigidly to a roadmap increases the risk of delivering a product that doesn’t meet user needs or business goals. Adjusting the plan based on new information reduces the likelihood of wasting time, effort, and resources on low-value features.
4. Increases Focus on Value: A changing roadmap helps teams prioritize what’s most valuable at any given time. Leaders can steer the team toward features that provide the most impact, ensuring that effort is spent on what delivers the greatest return.
5. Promotes Agility and Innovation: Allowing the roadmap to change encourages a culture of agility and innovation. Teams feel empowered to experiment, pivot, and make decisions that enhance the product, fostering creativity and better solutions.
Does this mean Scrum teams can't meet deadlines?
Does this mean Scrum teams can’t meet deadlines? Of course not. Scrum teams are actually more likely to meet deadlines because they can adjust their plan—their roadmap—based on new information. They can make smart decisions, such as removing unnecessary scope early on, based on what they’re learning.
Conclusion
It's okay to change direction as you learn more. Scrum helps both the organization and the team adapt by making the work transparent and regularly inspecting progress. The team then takes these learnings to adjust the plan, ensuring they are better positioned to achieve the Sprint goal or meet the deadline.
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