In this article we cover advanced capabilities of the Strategic Roadmap.
We highly recommend reading Getting Started with Craft.io Strategic Roadmap first.
Add and Edit Releases
To add a new release to your Roadmap, you can either add a new release by clicking on the top + button, or double-click anywhere on the Roadmap itself.
Once added, you can:
Take a closer look at a specific Release by single-clicking on the Release name. Once open, you can edit the Release name, description, color, and statistics.
Additionally, from the release properties panel you can assign new Objectives, Key Results, Epics and Features.Set the color of each Release using the ‘3-dots’ icon which appears beside a Release name.
Drag and drop Releases into a different position, row, or lane. You can also drag and drop Objectives/Key Results/Epics/Features inside and between Release containers.
For any Release container, drag and drop its “diamond” edge to set its actual duration. Alternatively, set the dates within the properties panel.
Add Objectives & Key Results
To create Objectives and Key Results, you have two easy options:
Create them directly inside your Strategic Roadmap whilst in the OKRs view. To do so, hover over the ‘+’ button beside the Release name and click ‘Add Objective'. To add Key Results for a certain Objective, hover over the ‘+’ button beside the Objective name and click ‘Add Key Result’, or alternatively select from the dropdown list that appears beneath the Objective.
Navigate to the Strategic Inputs screen under the Strategy section and create them there using the editor
You can use the same OKRs for multiple releases.
Assign Epic/Features to a Release
While in the Epics/Features view of the Strategic Roadmap, you can assign both Epics and Features to specific Releases.
Hover over the release you would like to assign items to, and you’ll see a “+” icon for assigning work items.
Click on the “+” button and select which Epics/Features you like to assign to that Release.
To add a new Epic or Feature not already listed in Craft.io, open up the Assign Epics/Features menu box as per the previous step, then hover beside either the Product name or the first Epic title and click the ‘+’ button to add Epics and Features, respectively.
Managing your Roadmap
To update the dates visible in your roadmap view, click on the dates dropdown to either set your roadmap start and end dates or to switch to dateless mode. Craft.io will remember your preferences and load them on your next visit.
Adding Lanes
Using lanes in your Craft.io roadmap allows you to efficiently organize your various roadmap layers with a click of a mouse. You can create as many lanes as you want to set your release containers apart and give them more meaningful categorization. For example, you might want to name your lanes as “Infrastructure”, “Marketing Campaigns” or “Front End Development”.
You can add a new lane by clicking the blue ‘+’ button at the top right toolbar and select ‘Lane’.
To minimize, move, or rename your lanes, click on the 3-dot icon beside the name of Lane.
Adding Milestones
Milestones are a lightweight entity representing a significant event you’d like to mark on your Strategic Roadmap. For example, you could use milestones to mark a meaningful company event or a conference your team plans to attend.
Milestones consist of a name and a date (when the dateless mode is off) and can be added by hovering over the lane title bar and once you see the flag icon, clicking the location where you want to add your milestone. Alternatively, use the ‘+’ button and select ‘Milestone’ from the top toolbar. Click on the flag to rename or delete an existing milestone.
Using the Release Properties Panel
The Release panel can be accessed in any of the Strategic Roadmap views and gives you instant insight into the progress and structure of a specific Release.
Clicking on a Release name on the roadmap itself will open the release properties panel on the right-hand side to provide you with a high-level overview.
The Release properties panel allows you to:
Set the date, name, and description of the Release
Track progress statistics, including:
Completion progress: Set the completion by time spent, % Epics done, % Features done or % Story Points done.
See the connected Objectives and Key Results associated with the Release.
Review the parent/child hierarchy tree that outlines how Epics and their respective Features fall under the Product.
Discuss the progress of the Release with your team: at the bottom of the Release properties panel you can comment, tag team members, and touch base on specific Releases using Craft.io’s standard ‘Talk’ feature.
Sharing your roadmap
There are two main ways to share your strategic roadmap with stakeholders:
LiveShare (recommended): Clicking on the 'Share' button on the top right of any view on Craft.io, including the strategic roadmap, generates a view-only link of the page you’re on in Craft.io. If required, you can configure password protection for your view-only link.
Sharing a LiveShare view does not require a special login or license to access it, and anyone with the LiveShare view will always see a current, live version of the roadmap, which is automatically updated when changes are made.
2. Export PDF: Another option for sharing your strategic roadmap is exporting it to a PDF file. Simply click on the 'Action' button > 'Export to PDF' and a PDF file with your strategic roadmap will be generated. This may take a few minutes.
