Product map
When it is appropriate
The product map is useful in two main contexts:
- As an analysis method: building the map is the goal in itself, as a process for discovering, prioritizing, rethinking, or discarding the product's features. The map is built in collaborative sessions with the team and the stakeholders.
- As a communication artifact: the finished map is a document that visually summarizes the planned state of the product, making communication easier with stakeholders at different levels.
Relationship with the story map
The product map is a concept complementary to the story map (Jeff Patton's User Story Map). While the story map organizes stories around the flow of user activities over time, the product map can organize them by functional areas, epics, or strategic themes. Both are ways of giving visual structure to the Product Backlog.
Common mistake
Confusing the product map with the roadmap. The roadmap is a temporal artifact: it shows when features will be delivered. The product map is a structural artifact: it shows which features exist and how they relate to one another. A product map without dates is valid; a roadmap without a feature structure is just a schedule.
See also
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