Product Roadmaps: How the Best Product Teams Plan for Uncertainty

Here's something that caught my attention — most product roadmaps are built on shaky ground. Teresa Torres points out that traditional feature roadmaps, with their fixed dates, are often more fiction than fact. They give a false sense of certainty, but in reality, features take longer, priorities shift, and plans change overnight. So, many teams moved to theme or outcome-based roadmaps, which offer flexibility and focus on strategic goals rather than rigid deadlines. But here's the kicker — these formats still leave the rest of the organization in the dark about what’s actually coming next. Torres highlights the Now Next Later approach, which balances uncertainty with predictability by clearly defining what’s happening right now, what’s next, and what’s later, all in different time horizons. It’s a smarter way to keep everyone aligned — sales, marketing, and product teams alike — without pretending we can predict the future perfectly. The bottom line? As Torres explains, adapting your roadmap to today’s fast-changing landscape is key to staying ahead.