Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
You're getting ready to present a product roadmap to stakeholders. It includes new features, enhancements, and some technical debt cleanup. Given our current resources, we can't do everything at once. Your task is to explain why certain things are prioritized and the trade-offs involved. The goal is to get everyone on board and aligned.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Product Manager (You)
You're presenting the roadmap, explaining priorities and trade-offs.
Your goal: Clearly communicate the strategic direction and get stakeholder support by addressing their questions and aligning priorities.
Role B – Technical Lead
You provide insights on technical considerations and constraints.
Your goal: Support the PM by highlighting technical dependencies, risks, and the impact on future development.
Role C – Stakeholder (Optional)
You represent the business’s interests, focusing on customer impact and business goals.
Your goal: Ensure the roadmap aligns with business objectives and voice any concerns.
Suggested Openers
Product Manager:
- “Thanks for joining today. I’m here to walk you through our proposed roadmap and discuss how we’ve prioritized our goals while managing constraints.”
- “Let’s go over the roadmap. We’ve had to make some tough prioritization decisions, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.”
Technical Lead:
- “As we discuss the roadmap, I’ll provide context on technical dependencies and their impact on our timelines.”
- “I’m here to answer any technical questions, especially about the trade-offs we’ve made.”
Stakeholder:
- “I’m interested in seeing how this roadmap supports our business goals.”
- “I’m particularly keen on understanding how we’re balancing new features with tech debt cleanup.”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Product Manager:
“Thanks for being here, everyone. Today, I’ll be presenting our roadmap for the next two quarters. We’re focusing on delivering features that boost user engagement while also tackling some critical tech debt to ensure our systems stay robust.”
Technical Lead:
“Tackling tech debt now will make future feature rollouts quicker and reduce long-term costs and potential risks.”
Stakeholder:
“How do these decisions impact our revenue targets? Specifically, how do new features stack up against tech debt regarding customer satisfaction?”
Product Manager:
“Good question. By prioritizing Feature A, we’re aiming to boost user retention by 15%, which directly impacts revenue. Addressing tech debt, like improving backend performance, makes our app more reliable and faster, which keeps customers happy.”
Technical Lead:
“Fixing backend performance issues now also helps us avoid outages, supporting our uptime promises to customers and preventing revenue loss.”
Stakeholder:
“Got it. What’s the risk if we delay some of these tech debt items?”
Product Manager:
“If we delay, we might see higher maintenance costs and slower responses to new feature requests. It's about finding the right balance between immediate gains and long-term system health.”
Stakeholder:
“Thanks for explaining. I’m okay with the proposed order as long as we can revisit if customer needs change.”
Product Manager:
“Absolutely. We’ll stay flexible and keep communication open. Let’s set up regular check-ins to make sure we’re all aligned.”
Technical Lead:
“I’ll identify potential risks in our tech plans and share them in our next meeting.”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Introduce one of these challenges mid-roleplay to test adaptability:
- The stakeholder insists on a new high-priority feature not currently on the roadmap.
- Technical Lead identifies an unexpected technical constraint that impacts the timeline.
- Stakeholder questions the ROI of a proposed feature, asking for supporting data.
Reflection Checklist
As the Product Manager:
- Did you communicate the roadmap clearly and persuasively?
- Did you address stakeholder concerns with evidence and empathy?
- Did you facilitate a discussion that encouraged collaboration and alignment?
As the Technical Lead:
- Did you provide valuable technical insights without overwhelming the discussion?
- Did you support the PM by reinforcing the rationale behind technical decisions?
As the Stakeholder:
- Did you voice business priorities and concerns clearly?
- Did you remain open to the trade-offs presented by the PM?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using too much technical jargon without context
- Not addressing stakeholder concerns directly
- Lacking data or rationale to justify prioritization decisions
Pro Tip
Think of this as storytelling. Present the roadmap as a narrative that connects business goals, customer needs, and technical realities. This helps stakeholders see the big picture and buy into the journey.