Create Roadmap

Create Roadmap

Overview

Generate a Now/Next/Later roadmap where every item ties to a measurable outcome, not just a feature name. This format communicates strategic intent without false precision on dates, and forces prioritization by time horizon and confidence level.

Workflow

1. Read product context -- Scan .chalk/docs/product/ for the product profile, PRDs, JTBD docs, and metrics frameworks. Check .chalk/docs/engineering/ for architecture constraints and tech debt items. These inform what is feasible and what matters.

2. Parse scope -- Extract from $ARGUMENTS the product area, theme, or time horizon to roadmap. If unspecified, create a full-product roadmap using all available context.

3. Determine the next file number -- Read filenames in .chalk/docs/product/ to find the highest numbered file. The next number is highest + 1.

4. Categorize items into time horizons:

   • Now (current cycle, high confidence): Actively being built or about to start. Clear problem definition, validated need, committed resources.
   • Next (1-2 cycles out, medium confidence): Problem is understood, solution is taking shape, not yet committed.
   • Later (future, low confidence): Strategic bets, exploration areas, things that depend on learning from Now/Next.

5. Write each item with columns: Item, Outcome (measurable result), Confidence (high/medium/low), Dependencies (what must be true or done first).

6. Add strategic context -- Above the roadmap table, write a brief narrative explaining the strategic themes connecting the items and what the roadmap is optimizing for.

7. Write the file -- Save to .chalk/docs/product/<n>_roadmap.md.

8. Confirm -- Share the file path and highlight any items with unresolved dependencies or low confidence that need validation.

Output

• File: .chalk/docs/product/<n>_roadmap.md
• Format: Plain markdown with strategic narrative and Now/Next/Later tables
• First line: # Roadmap: <Product Area or Theme>

Anti-patterns

• Feature lists without outcomes -- "Add filtering" is not a roadmap item. "Users can find records in <10 seconds (reduce support tickets by 30%)" ties the work to value.
• Dates on everything -- Now/Next/Later intentionally avoids specific dates for Next and Later items. Adding dates to low-confidence items creates false promises.
• No dependencies called out -- Roadmap items without dependencies hide sequencing risks. If B requires A, say so.
• Confidence theater -- Marking everything as "high confidence" defeats the purpose. Be honest about what is validated versus what is a bet.
• Solution-shaped items -- "Build GraphQL API" belongs in an engineering plan, not a product roadmap. Roadmap items should describe user or business outcomes.