The Now, Next, and Later Roadmap: A Detailed Guide for PMs

9 min readJul 23, 2024

The Now, Next, and Later Roadmap framework emerged from the need for a flexible yet structured approach to product planning. Traditional roadmaps often became obsolete quickly due to rapidly changing market conditions. To address this, agile methodologies influenced the development of the Now, Next, and Later framework, which offers a more adaptive and iterative planning process.

Key Milestones in the Evolution

Early 2000s: Agile and lean methodologies begin to gain popularity. Companies started embracing these methodologies to increase flexibility and respond quickly to market changes. The focus shifted from long-term, fixed planning to more iterative and customer-focused development cycles.
Mid-2000s: Product managers start seeking more adaptable planning tools. The limitations of traditional roadmaps, which often failed to accommodate unforeseen changes and new opportunities, became increasingly apparent. This period saw the initial conceptualization of more flexible planning frameworks.
Late 2000s: The Now, Next, and Later framework is conceptualized and gradually adopted in various industries. Influenced by the principles of agile development, this framework provided a clearer, more manageable way to prioritize tasks and projects. Companies like Spotify and Airbnb began to popularize its use.

For instance, consider Spotify’s approach to product development. Spotify adopted an agile methodology to stay competitive in the dynamic music streaming industry. They use a Now, Next, and Later roadmap to prioritize immediate tasks (like fixing critical bugs and deploying minor features) while also planning medium-term improvements (such as enhancing the user interface) and long-term strategic goals (like expanding into new markets).

Understanding the Concept of Now, Next, and Later Roadmap

The Importance of Planning Ahead

Planning ahead is crucial in product management to ensure that development aligns with strategic goals, resources are allocated efficiently, and the team remains focused on the right priorities. Without a clear plan, teams can become reactive rather than proactive, leading to missed opportunities and misaligned efforts.

Key Elements of the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap

The framework is divided into three distinct timeframes:

Now: Tasks and initiatives currently in progress. This includes granular focus, specific scope, specs & design, and user stories.
Next: Upcoming tasks and projects that are next in line. This includes wide focus and prototyping/mockups.
Later: Long-term goals and visionary plans. This encompasses high-level, broad scope, and big picture items.

Imagine a company developing a new social media platform:

Now: The team focuses on building core features like user authentication, profile creation, and basic posting functionality. They are working on specific user stories, such as “As a user, I want to create a profile so that I can share my information with others.”
Next: Once the core features are stable, the team plans to work on advanced features like a recommendation system, more sophisticated privacy settings, and integrations with other platforms. Prototypes and mockups for these features are created to get user feedback and refine the designs.
Later: The long-term vision includes expanding the platform to support new types of content (like live streaming), entering new markets, and possibly introducing monetization strategies. These high-level goals are crucial for guiding the overall direction of the platform.

Implementing the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap in Personal Life

Setting Personal Goals

To implement this framework personally:

Now: Focus on immediate personal goals such as daily tasks and short-term objectives. For example, completing a work project, attending a scheduled meeting, or finishing a book.
Next: Plan for medium-term goals like skill development or upcoming projects. For instance, enrolling in an online course, planning a vacation, or starting a fitness regimen.
Later: Outline long-term aspirations such as career growth or significant life changes. This might include earning a degree, buying a house, or achieving a major career milestone.

Prioritizing Tasks and Activities

By categorizing tasks into Now, Next, and Later, you can prioritize effectively, ensuring that urgent tasks are addressed first while also keeping an eye on future objectives. This approach helps balance immediate needs with long-term aspirations.

Consider a professional aiming to advance their career:

Now: They focus on excelling in their current role, completing projects on time, and networking within their organization.
Next: They plan to obtain relevant certifications, take on leadership roles in projects, and expand their professional network.
Later: Their long-term goal is to move into a senior management position or start their own business. They might outline steps to achieve this, such as pursuing an MBA or gaining experience in different departments.

Personal Productivity Tools

Utilize productivity tools like Trello, Asana, or even simple to-do lists to categorize and track tasks within the Now, Next, and Later framework. These tools can help visualize priorities and ensure nothing falls through the cracks.

Applying the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap at the Organization

Strategic Planning for achieving organization goals

Businesses can use this framework for strategic planning:

Now: Current projects and immediate deliverables. This includes tasks like addressing customer feedback, fixing bugs, and releasing minor updates.
Next: Upcoming product features or market expansions. Planning for the next product release, developing new features based on user feedback, and exploring new market opportunities.
Later: Long-term strategic goals like entering new markets or innovation initiatives. These might include researching emerging technologies, forming strategic partnerships, or setting long-term revenue targets.

Managing Business Tasks and Projects

Categorizing business tasks helps in allocating resources efficiently and maintaining a balance between short-term deliverables and long-term vision.

Take a software company developing a project management tool:

Now: The team works on improving the user interface, fixing bugs reported by users, and ensuring the current features are robust and reliable.
Next: They plan to introduce new features like integration with other popular tools (e.g., Slack, Google Calendar), enhanced analytics, and mobile app improvements. Prototypes and mockups for these features are created, and user feedback is gathered to refine them.
Later: The company’s long-term goals include expanding into international markets, incorporating AI for task automation, and exploring enterprise solutions. These high-level objectives guide the company’s overall strategy and resource allocation.

Business Tools

Businesses can use tools like Jira, Monday.com, and Roadmunk to implement and visualize their Now, Next, and Later roadmap. These tools facilitate collaboration, track progress, and ensure alignment with strategic goals.

Overcoming Challenges in Implementing the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap

Dealing with Procrastination

Procrastination can hinder the effective implementation of this framework. Strategies to overcome procrastination include:

Breaking Down Tasks: Divide larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps to make them less daunting.
Setting Clear Deadlines: Establish specific deadlines for each task to create a sense of urgency.
Accountability: Share your goals with a mentor or colleague who can help keep you accountable.

Imagine a team member struggling with procrastination on a critical project:

Now: They focus on completing small, immediate tasks such as gathering data or setting up meetings. Setting daily goals and checking them off can provide a sense of accomplishment and momentum.
Next: They break down the project into weekly milestones, such as completing a section of a report or developing a prototype. These milestones provide clear, manageable objectives that keep the project moving forward.
Later: The long-term goal is to deliver the final project. By maintaining steady progress on the immediate and upcoming tasks, they ensure that the long-term goal remains achievable.

Managing Time Effectively

Effective time management is crucial for the successful implementation of the Now, Next, and Later framework. Techniques include:

Time-Blocking: Allocate specific time slots for different categories of tasks. For instance, dedicate mornings to “Now” tasks, afternoons to “Next” tasks, and evenings to planning “Later” goals.
Prioritization Matrix: Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance. Focus on tasks that are both urgent and important, and plan for those that are important but not urgent.
Regular Reviews: Schedule regular reviews to assess progress, adjust priorities, and ensure alignment with overall goals.

A product manager could implement these techniques as follows:

Now: Every morning, they spend the first hour responding to customer feedback and addressing immediate issues. This ensures that critical problems are resolved quickly.
Next: During the afternoon, they focus on developing new features and collaborating with the design and development teams. By allocating uninterrupted time for these tasks, they make steady progress on medium-term goals.
Later: At the end of each week, they review the progress made and adjust the roadmap as needed. They also spend time brainstorming and planning for long-term strategic goals.

Alternatives to the Framework

While the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap is effective, there are alternatives such as:

Gantt Charts: Useful for detailed project timelines. Gantt charts provide a visual representation of the project schedule, showing the start and end dates of tasks and their dependencies.
Kanban Boards: Ideal for visualizing workflow and task progress. Kanban boards use cards and columns to represent tasks and their status, making it easy to see what’s in progress and what’s completed.
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results): Focuses on setting and achieving specific measurable goals. OKRs help teams set ambitious goals and track progress through measurable results.

Consider a marketing team planning a new campaign:

Gantt Chart: They create a Gantt chart to outline the entire campaign timeline, from initial brainstorming sessions to the final launch. This chart helps them visualize dependencies, allocate resources, and ensure that tasks are completed on schedule.
Kanban Board: They use a Kanban board to manage daily tasks, with columns for “To Do,” “In Progress,” and “Done.” Each task is represented by a card, making it easy to track progress and identify bottlenecks.
OKRs: They set OKRs to define the campaign’s goals and measure success. For example, an objective might be to increase brand awareness, with key results being a specific number of new followers on social media and a certain percentage increase in website traffic.

Cons of the Framework

Despite its advantages, the Now, Next, and Later framework has some drawbacks:

Lack of Detailed Timelines: May not provide specific timelines for task completion. This can lead to uncertainty about deadlines and potential delays. The team may struggle to estimate when specific features will be completed, leading to potential delays and misaligned expectations with stakeholders.
Potential for Oversimplification: Complex projects might require more detailed planning tools. The simplicity of the framework can sometimes overlook the intricacies of large-scale projects. If the project involves multiple teams and intricate dependencies, the Now, Next, and Later framework might not capture all the necessary details, resulting in coordination issues.
Dependency Management: Handling task dependencies can be challenging. The framework doesn’t inherently account for dependencies between tasks, which can complicate project management. If a key feature in the “Next” category depends on the completion of several “Now” tasks, managing these dependencies without a detailed plan can be challenging.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate these cons, teams can:

Integrate Detailed Planning Tools: Use the Now, Next, and Later framework in conjunction with Gantt charts or Kanban boards to manage detailed timelines and dependencies.
Regular Reviews and Adjustments: Schedule regular reviews to update the roadmap and address any emerging complexities or dependencies.
Clear Communication: Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders to ensure alignment and manage expectations.

Final Thoughts!

The Now, Next, and Later Roadmap is a versatile and adaptive framework that can significantly enhance planning and prioritization in both personal and professional contexts. By understanding its elements, applications, and potential challenges, product managers can leverage this tool to align their teams and achieve strategic goals effectively. While the framework is not without its drawbacks, integrating it with other planning tools and maintaining clear communication can help mitigate these challenges.

This comprehensive guide aims to provide a deep understanding of the Now, Next, and Later Roadmap, offering insights into its origins, implementation strategies, and potential challenges. By integrating this framework into your planning process, you can ensure a more structured and goal-oriented approach to product management, ultimately leading to greater success and innovation.

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