089: What Makes a Good Roadmap?

SponsorsAudible - get a free audiobook from Audible with no strings attached at https://workingcode.dev/audibleLike Michelangelo with a block of marble, we engineers often like to dive right into the code and let the application reveal itself to us. And while this may work on a very small scale, this extreme bias-towards-action isn't prudent for larger teams or companies with a growing client-base. Mature companies have roadmaps. They weigh the benefits of building one feature against the opportunity cost of not building another feature. Mature companies get buy-in both internally and externally. They then evolve their vision based on that feedback when it make sense; or, they apply grit when it is required.Or, at least that's the hope. Because, in reality, building a roadmap isn't easy. There are so many competing interests and such a limited amount of time. And then, there are Black Swan events like Covid-19, that force us all to stop and completely re-evaluate everything.This week on the show, the crew talks about what goes into a good roadmap; how we can avoid certain pitfalls; and, we question how far into the future a company should be looking on their roadmap.Follow the show and be sure to join the discussion on Discord! Our website is workingcode.dev and we're @WorkingCodePod on Twitter and Instagram. New episodes drop weekly on Wednesday.And, if you're feeling the love, support us on Patreon.With audio editing and engineering by ZCross Media.