A now, next, later roadmap organises product work into three horizons instead of dates. Now holds what is under way and highly certain; Next, what comes after and is still being refined; Later, bets with more uncertainty. Each card states the outcome it should move, not just what will be shipped. The format communicates direction and priority without promising deadlines the team does not control.
How to use
- Enter the product name and the expected outcome for each horizon.
- Add the cards (up to 10 per column) with theme, column, outcome or metric, confidence and status, or import them from the RICE calculator or the impact effort matrix.
- Watch the board build itself and read the warnings: a card without an outcome is an output, not an outcome.
- Use presentation mode to show the board full screen in a meeting.
- Export as a wide PNG, a landscape PDF or Markdown, or create a link to share.
What each field asks for
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Product | E.g. grocery delivery app |
| Expected outcome for Now | The change the current work should cause. |
| Expected outcome for Next | E.g. customers come back to order every month |
| Expected outcome for Later | E.g. higher average order value |
| Theme | E.g. one-screen sign-up |
| Column | |
| Outcome or metric | What should change, and how to measure it |
| Confidence | |
| Status |
Example
A grocery delivery app wants, in Now, more customers to complete their first order. One-screen sign-up (conversion from 40% to 55%, high confidence) and one-tap payment sit in that column. In Next, the focus is monthly repeat orders, with the recurring shopping list. In Later, the average order value. Two cards, the new app icon and the free delivery subscription, carry the warning "this is an output, not an outcome".
When to use
- To present the product direction to stakeholders without committing to fragile dates.
- In quarterly planning, to tie each theme to a measurable outcome.
- After prioritising with RICE or the impact effort matrix, to turn the order into a plan.
- To review the current roadmap and find items that are only outputs, with no stated outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Why a roadmap without dates?
Dates on distant items tend to be guesses that turn into promises. Horizons communicate order and degree of certainty: what sits in Now is firm, what sits in Later can still change with what the team learns. Dates remain useful for real external commitments, recorded separately.
How is it different from a timeline roadmap?
A timeline shows when each delivery happens and works well for predictable work. Now, next, later shows priority and uncertainty and works better when the path depends on discovery. Many teams use a timeline only for Now.
What is an outcome and what is an output?
An output is what the team builds (a screen, an integration). An outcome is the change expected in customer behaviour or in the business (more customers complete their order). An outcome roadmap leaves room to swap the output if it does not move the outcome.
How many items should each column hold?
Few. Now should fit the team’s capacity, usually 3 to 5 themes. The tool accepts up to 10 per column, but a lean board communicates better and shows focus.
How should I communicate the roadmap to stakeholders?
Start with the outcome for each horizon, then show the themes. Explain that confidence drops from left to right and that Later may change. Presentation mode and the wide PNG help in meetings and documents.
How often should I review it?
Review it every planning cycle or whenever an outcome is reached or disproved. At each review, cards move from Later to Next and from Next to Now, and some leave the board.
How does the import work?
From the RICE calculator, the three highest-scoring items go to Now, the next three to Next and up to four to Later. From the impact effort matrix, quick wins go to Now, big bets to Next and fill-ins to Later. Outcomes are left empty for you to write.