With shipit’s goals feature, you can now create OKR-driven product roadmaps.

We just released a new feature: goals. Goals implement the widely used OKR framework. OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. They originate from the tech-industry (Intel, Google) but can be effectively applied in any field, product, or department. The basic idea is that you 1. Set company and product objectives that you want to achieve with the team within a certain period of time 2. Track progress through a handful of key results per objective 3.

OKRs and product roadmaps

OKRs have become a popular way to set and track company objectives and associated results. They have been successfully applied both in large corporates and small startups. And rightfully so: OKRs are a simple, yet powerful way to align teams on company goals. This also applies to product teams. One immediate question that arises often is: how do product roadmaps and OKRs relate? In the outstanding book “Inspired” Marty Cagan suggests that OKRs are to some extent a superior alternative to product roadmaps.

Should you use Gantt charts for your product roadmap?

Gantt charts are one of the most common ways to visualize project plans. Hence they are also frequently used for product roadmaps, and most roadmapping tools offer Gantt chart views. But are Gantt charts the appropriate way to plan and visualize your product roadmap? This article explores alternative ways to show your product roadmap, and how to use Gantt charts without creating conflict with modern approaches such as Agile or outcomes over output.