By Marty Cagan · svpg.com · LinkedIn
Marty Cagan answers the most common questions readers raised after his article proposing an alternative to conventional product roadmaps. He argues that engineers should help decide what to build, that outcome-based planning needs a broader product vision, and that routine maintenance work can go straight onto the backlog. He distinguishes OKRs from product scorecards, explains how to wean an organization off feature roadmaps over time, and shows how focusing on outcomes is the core of product discovery. The piece matters because it addresses practical objections teams face when trying to move from feature-date commitments to business results.
01Key takeaways
- Treat engineers as a source of product innovation, not just a build team that executes requirements.
- Pair outcome-based roadmaps with a broader product vision so teams understand the bigger picture.
- Put bug fixes, compliance and partner work straight onto the backlog without outcome framing.
- Use product scorecards to rank the outcomes that define 'good', and OKRs to show current team focus.
- When moving off feature roadmaps, always state the target business metric and report the impact after launch.
02Key sections
- Who decides what to build
- Cagan rejects the idea that only the CEO or stakeholders should decide what to build. He argues engineers are often the best source of innovation because they know what technology makes newly possible.
- Outcomes, vision and OKRs
- Outcome-based roadmaps need more than an outcome statement, so a comprehensive product vision supplies the bigger picture. OKRs map cleanly onto an outcome-based roadmap.
- Keep-the-lights-on work and commitments
- Bug fixes, compliance and partner requests can go directly onto the backlog without outcome framing or validation. High-integrity commitments are tracked in a Plan of Record owned by delivery leadership.
- Scorecards and themes
- Product scorecards prioritize the outcomes that define a good product and help choose between A/B variants, while OKRs describe current team focus. Theme-based roadmaps resemble outcome roadmaps but are a different concept.
- Transitioning the organization
- Keep the existing roadmap for 6-12 months while always tying each feature to its business outcome, reporting the metric before and after launch, and celebrating or openly acknowledging the results.
03From the post
“A partnership dedicated to teaching best practices to product teams and product leaders”
04Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.