How to create a High-level objectives roadmap

Communicate a high-level plan of measurable, time-bound goals across different teams over time. This visualization is ideal for aligning your product organization around outcomes - without prescribing specific solutions.

In this article:

• How to create a High-level objectives roadmap
  • Create your roadmap
  • Add objectives to your roadmap
  • Configure objectives status and visibility
  • Rearrange objectives timeframe and order
  • Align features under objectives
  • Add milestones to your roadmap
  • How to organize your High-level objectives roadmap
  • How to zoom into your High-level objectives roadmap
  • How to share and export your High-level objectives roadmap
• When to use a High-level objectives roadmap
• Learn more about using High-level objectives roadmaps

How to create a High-level objectives roadmap

Create your roadmap

1. Click the + button next to your teamspace or folder name.
2. From the drop-down menu, select Roadmap.
3. Select the High-level objectives roadmap from the left menu.
   
4. Click Choose roadmap.

Add objectives to your roadmap

1. Click the blue button to display a list of your objectives. Click on an objective to add it to the roadmap.
2. Click on a blank space on the roadmap to create a search bar. Click the name of an existing objective to add it to your roadmap. If the objectives already have a designated timeframe, you can keep that timeframe or update it.
3. Click on a blank space on the roadmap to create a search bar. Write the name of a new objective and click Create to create new objectives within the specified timeframe.

You can also assign a timeframe to objectives by clicking on that objectives name or from the Objectives tab of the Data section of the left-hand menu.

You can choose which entities you will work with in the roadmap by clicking Item type in the roadmap header and selecting the entity from the drop-down menu. You can turn on/off secondary or tertiary items on all roadmaps. You will then see which items you are displaying in the header. 

Configure objectives status and visibility

1. Click on the flag on the right side of an objectives card to adjust the status of the objective.

   Note: this will not impact the feature status of any underlying feature cards.

2. Click on a downward-facing caret to reveal underlying features and subfeatures attached to a release.
3. Click the  menu and select Hide to prevent contributors and viewers from seeing this card. You can choose to reveal hidden cards via your Settings menu if you wish.
4. Click the  menu and select Remove from roadmap to remove the objectives from your roadmap. This action will not delete the objectives or impact the relationship between your objectives and any underlying features.

Rearrange objectives timeframe and order

1. Drag and drop the ends of each objective card to adjust the start and stop dates of the timeframe field.
2. Drag and drop objective cards to adjust the order in which they are displayed.
3. Drag and drop an objective card to automatically update its timeframe field.

Align features under objectives

The High-level objectives roadmap makes it easy to align the timeframe of your individual features with the timeframe of your overall release. 

If a feature associated with objectives has a timeframe outside the date range of the objectives, the roadmap will display an overlap, indicated with a transparent background and a dashed outline.

To address an overlap:

1. Adjust the timeframe of the objectives by double-clicking on the overlap or dragging and dropping the end of the objectives to align with the outlying feature.
2. Adjust the timeframe of the feature by dragging and dropping the feature along the timeframe, or clicking on the feature to edit the date field.

1. If a feature does not have its own timeframe, it will display transparently on the roadmap.
2. Hovering over the feature will reveal a calendar icon. Click on the calendar icon to assign the objectives timeframe to the feature.
3. To remove a feature's timeframe, click  on a feature, then select Clear timeframe.

Features with assigned timeframes can be dragged and dropped into the same line:

Add milestones to your roadmap

1. Click above the top of your roadmap to place a milestone. Adjust the date via the drop-down calendar field if necessary.
2. When adjusting an objectives  timeframe, a guideline will appear when the timeframe approaches a milestone.

How to organize your High-level objectives roadmap

1. Click  Configure to open up the configuration menu.
2. Toggle Time horizons to display your features along broader units of time.
3. Toggle Feature visualization to display timeframes based on duration or end date.
4. Toggle Show subfeatures to display associated subfeature cards.
5. Click on the People section and select which avatar you want to visualize on each feature card - Owner, Teams, or Custom Member field.
6. Toggle Labels to display custom fields, or toggle on Tags to display a feature's associated tags on its card.
7. Toggle Effort to display story points on each feature card.
8. Toggle Priority to display how important this feature is towards the overarching objectives.
9. Toggle User impact score to display a feature's user impact score on its card.
10. Toggle Comments to display the comment icon on the feature cards. Clicking on this comment icon will navigate any user to the feature comment section.
11. Toggle Submit idea to display the Submit Idea button on the roadmap header. Clicking on this Submit idea will enable the user to create a new note either on behalf of the user/company or space member.
12. Toggle Show hidden cards to display feature and subfeature cards that have been manually hidden from contributors.

Add customizable swimlanes

1. Click Group in the top right corner to open up the configuration menu. 
2. Click the drop-down menu and select Customizable.
3. Rename your default swimlane.
4. Scroll down to click [+] to create another swimlane.
5. Drag and drop features into the desired swimlane.

Visualize feature duration

1. Click the  Configure button menu in the top right corner. 
2. Under Feature Visualization Settings, select how you want to display features under objectives. Select Duration to visualize feature duration or Flat list to show features without communicating their timeframes.
3. This will round up specific dates on your roadmap into broader time horizons and automatically align your cards into the correct column.
4. Click Save in the top right corner before sharing your roadmap.

Display time horizons on your roadmap

Note: Turning on time horizons is only a change in visualization. It won't affect the timeframes you've assigned to your features.

1. Click the  Configure menu in the top right corner. 
2. Under Timeline Settings, toggle on Time horizons. This will round up specific dates on your roadmap into broader time horizons, and automatically align your cards into the correct column.
3. Select Duration to visualize duration or End date to visualize anticipated release date.
4. Click Save in the top right corner before sharing your roadmap.

When time horizons are turned on, dragging and dropping a feature around your roadmap will automatically update that feature's timeframe.

How to zoom into your High-level objectives roadmap

In the bottom right corner of any timeline roadmap, you will see -100%+ indicating the current level of granularity. Click the minus button to zoom out and click the plus button to zoom in.

If using a trackpad-enabled device, you can zoom in and out of a timeline roadmap by pinching.

How to share and export your High-level objectives roadmap

1. Click Share to configure your roadmap-sharing settings.
2. You can share the roadmap with other members of your team or share it publically by toggling on the Share publically setting.
3. To print your roadmap click the  next to the share button, and click Print.
4. To export an image, Click Export to png from the dropdown list to generate a PNG of your roadmap. 

When to use an objectives timeline roadmap

Objectives timeline roadmaps are good for:

• High-level planning to ensure you're going to hit your most important deadlines and milestones.

Objectives timeline roadmaps might not be good for:

• Tactical meetings - resource allocation and sprint planning should involve more granular details. Consider a Releases timeline roadmap or a Features timeline roadmap.

See also:

• Guide: Plan releases to decide what to deliver when
• Guide: Choose the right roadmap for your audience