What is a now, next, later roadmap?
A now, next, later roadmap groups work by time horizon instead of by date. Now is what the team is working on. Next is what comes after, with fairly settled scope. Later holds ideas and problems the team wants to explore but has not committed to. Product teams made the format popular after finding that dated roadmaps kept turning into broken promises.
When to use it
- When plans change faster than a dated roadmap can keep up.
- When stakeholders need to see the direction, not a delivery schedule.
- For early products, where what you learn decides what comes next.
How to build one
- Start with Now. List what is actually in progress, nothing more.
- Fill Next with the few items most likely to follow. If Next is longer than Now, it is probably a wish list.
- Put everything else in Later, written as problems or opportunities rather than features.
- Review the roadmap regularly, for example once a month, and move items between columns as you learn.
Example
The example roadmap belongs to an online bookshop. It is working on a checkout redesign, gift cards, faster search and order tracking. Wishlists, reading clubs, author pages and reviews with photos come next, while audiobooks, author events, second hand books and recommendations wait in Later.
Tips
- Write outcomes where you can: "faster search" says more than "search version 2".
- Link each Now item to its epic, so people can follow the detail and the progress.
- When a date really matters, plan that piece of work on a Gantt chart.
Use this template in Starlex
Open a project, go to Notes, then Whiteboards, choose New whiteboard and pick Now · Next · Later. To add it to a board you already have, use the board's ⋯ menu.
- Everyone in the project can work on the board at once, with live cursors and cursor chat.
- Run a timer for silent writing, and use dot voting to choose.
- Turn any sticky note into an issue, or bring real issues onto the board as live cards.
- Export the board as a PNG or SVG image, or embed it in an issue description.
Frequently asked questions
How is a now, next, later roadmap different from a timeline roadmap?
A timeline roadmap puts items on dates. A now, next, later roadmap only orders them by horizon, which keeps it honest when plans change.
How often should I update the roadmap?
Whenever priorities change, and at least once a month. Moving an item from Next to Now is the moment to plan it in detail.
Can I share the roadmap with people outside the team?
Yes. Give them read access to the project, or export the board as a PNG or SVG image for a presentation.