Field Notes: Product Roadmaps Relaunched

Field Notes: Product Roadmaps Relaunched
Author: C. Todd Lombardo, Bruce McCarthy, Evan Ryan, Michael Connors

Why This Book
I revisited this book while formalizing a lifecycle system that multiple teams had to operate inside without friction. The timing mattered — this was about alignment, not planning.

Core Thesis
Roadmaps are tools for shared understanding and strategic alignment, not predictive schedules for delivery.

The Insight That Stuck
The fastest way to break trust is to treat a roadmap as a promise instead of a conversation.

How This Changed My Thinking
I previously treated roadmaps as a planning artifact that preceded execution. I now treat them as governance mechanisms — contracts that align leadership, product, and delivery around intent, constraints, and tradeoffs.

Where This Shows Up in My Work
This framing directly informed how we designed lifecycle stages and phased execution at American Savings Network. We prioritized clarity at every handoff before committing teams to build, removing guesswork without over-specifying outcomes.

What This Is Not
This is not an argument for vague vision decks, endless discovery, or avoiding accountability. Alignment only works when it is paired with ownership and measurable outcomes.

One Line I’ll Carry Forward
Alignment beats acceleration.

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