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Roadmaps in Featul provide a transparent, visual way to show users what you’re working on, what’s planned, and what you’ve recently shipped. They transform feedback boards into actionable development timelines.

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What is a Roadmap?

A roadmap is a Kanban-style board that displays posts organized by development status. Instead of just collecting feedback, roadmaps show the lifecycle of each request from submission to completion. Roadmaps help you:
  • Communicate progress transparently with users
  • Manage expectations about upcoming features
  • Prioritize work based on user demand and votes
  • Close the feedback loop by showing what gets built

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Roadmap Structure

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Status Columns

Each roadmap organizes posts into customizable status columns: Default Statuses:
  1. Pending: Newly submitted ideas awaiting review
  2. Review: Under evaluation by your team
  3. Planned: Accepted and scheduled for development
  4. In Progress: Actively being built
  5. Completed: Shipped and released
  6. Closed: Won’t be implemented (with optional explanation)
You can customize status names, colors, and order per board.

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Status Customization

Edit roadmap statuses in board settings:
  • Name: Label displayed to users (e.g., “Building”, “Testing”)
  • Color: Visual indicator (hex color code)
  • Order: Column position on the roadmap
  • Add/Remove: Create custom statuses or remove unused ones
Align status names with your development process. Use terms your users understand like “Coming Soon” instead of internal jargon like “Sprint Backlog”.

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Updating the Roadmap

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Changing Post Status

Drag and Drop (Roadmap View):
  1. Navigate to the roadmap page
  2. Click and hold a post card
  3. Drag to the new status column
  4. Release to update
Status changes are saved immediately and visible to all users. Status Selector (Post Detail Page):
  1. Open any post
  2. Click the status dropdown (workspace members only)
  3. Select the new status
  4. Add an optional note explaining the change
Bulk Actions (Workspace Dashboard):
  1. Select multiple posts using checkboxes
  2. Choose “Update Status” from the bulk actions menu
  3. Apply a status to all selected posts at once

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Roadmap Permissions

Status updates require workspace member permissions:
  • Members and above: Can update status for posts they own
  • Moderators: Can update status on any post in boards they moderate
  • Admins: Can update status on all posts across all boards
Public users can view the roadmap but cannot move posts between statuses. This prevents unauthorized changes while maintaining transparency.

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Roadmap Views

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Public Roadmap

Your public roadmap is accessible at yourworkspace.featul.com/roadmap and shows:
  • All posts with roadmap statuses
  • Posts organized by status column
  • Vote counts and comment threads
  • Real-time updates as statuses change
Public roadmaps are fully transparent - users see exactly what you’re working on.

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Filtered Views

Filter the roadmap by:
  • Tags: Show only posts with specific tags (e.g., mobile)
  • Board: Display posts from one board only
  • Status: Focus on specific stages (e.g., “In Progress”)
  • Date Range: View posts updated within a timeframe
Filters help users find relevant updates quickly.

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Collapsed Columns

Click the collapse icon on any status column to minimize it:
  • Reduces visual clutter
  • Focuses attention on active statuses
  • Preserves horizontal space
  • User preference is saved locally
Collapse “Pending” and “Closed” columns to highlight active development work.

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Creating Posts for the Roadmap

Any post on a feedback board can become a roadmap item:
  1. User submits feedback on a board
  2. Team reviews and assigns a roadmap status (e.g., “Planned”)
  3. Post automatically appears on the roadmap
  4. Team updates status as development progresses
  5. Post moves through columns until “Completed”
No separate creation flow - roadmaps are powered by your feedback boards.

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Direct Creation

Workspace members can create posts directly from the roadmap:
  1. Click “Create” button on any status column
  2. Opens the post creation modal
  3. Fill in title, description, board selection
  4. Set initial roadmap status
  5. Submit to add directly to the roadmap

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Roadmap-Specific Features

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Post Updates

Add progress updates to roadmap items without changing status:
  • Click “Add Update” on a post
  • Write a brief progress note
  • Publish to notify subscribers
  • Updates appear in post timeline
Use updates for:
  • Sharing milestones (“API integration complete”)
  • Setting expectations (“Delayed to next month”)
  • Requesting feedback (“Testing preview available”)

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Roadmap Notifications

Users who vote on posts automatically subscribe to status changes:
  • Email notifications when status updates
  • In-app notifications for progress updates
  • Weekly digest of roadmap changes (configurable)
Keep engaged users informed without manual outreach.

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Linking to Changelogs

When you ship a feature:
  1. Move the roadmap post to “Completed”
  2. Create a changelog entry
  3. Link the changelog to the original post
  4. Users who voted are notified of the release
This closes the feedback loop and builds trust.

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Roadmap Strategies

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Transparent by Default

Share everything you’re working on publicly. This approach:
  • Builds trust with users
  • Reduces “when is X coming?” support tickets
  • Generates excitement for upcoming features
  • Aligns expectations about timeline

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Selective Disclosure

Only show posts that reach certain criteria:
  • Minimum vote threshold (e.g., 10+ votes)
  • Specific tags (e.g., only “confirmed” items)
  • Certain statuses (hide “Pending” and “Review”)
Balances transparency with avoiding over-commitment.

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Timeline-Based

Organize statuses by quarter or timeframe:
  • Q1 2024, Q2 2024, Q3 2024, Future
  • This Month, Next Month, Later
  • Short-term, Mid-term, Long-term
Helps users understand when to expect features.

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Best Practices

Update Regularly: Move posts between statuses at least weekly to show active progress.
Add Context: Use post updates to explain delays, changes in scope, or technical challenges.
Set Realistic Statuses: Don’t mark something “Planned” unless you’re committed. Use “Review” for maybes.
Close the Loop: Always mark completed items and link to the changelog or release notes.
Moving a post to “Closed” signals it won’t be built. Add a comment explaining why to maintain trust.

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Roadmap Analytics

Track roadmap health metrics:
  • Completion Rate: Percentage of planned items shipped
  • Average Time in Status: How long posts spend in each column
  • Status Distribution: Balance across stages
  • Stuck Items: Posts unchanged for extended periods
Use analytics to identify bottlenecks and improve planning.

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Public Communication

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Sharing Your Roadmap

Embed or link to your roadmap:
  • Direct link: yourworkspace.featul.com/roadmap
  • Footer links on your main site
  • Email newsletters
  • Social media updates
  • Help documentation

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Roadmap Embeds

Embed a live roadmap view on your website: 
<iframe src="https://yourworkspace.featul.com/roadmap" />
Users see real-time status without leaving your site.

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RSS Feed

Subscribe to roadmap RSS for:
  • Automated newsletter generation
  • Integration with status pages
  • Third-party monitoring tools
Feed URL: yourworkspace.featul.com/roadmap/feed

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Integrations

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Development Tools

Connect roadmap items to:
  • GitHub Issues: Link posts to specific issues or PRs
  • Jira Tickets: Sync status between tools
  • Linear Issues: Bi-directional status updates
Integrations keep your roadmap in sync with actual development.

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Changelog Automation

When you close an issue in GitHub/Jira:
  1. Featul updates the roadmap post to “Completed”
  2. Optionally creates a changelog entry
  3. Notifies users who voted on the post
Fully automated feedback loop closure.

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Roadmap Templates

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SaaS Product

  • Under Review → Next Quarter → In Development → Testing → Released

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Mobile App

  • Submitted → Reviewing → Scheduled → Building → App Store Review → Live

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API/Platform

  • Proposed → Spec Review → Accepted → Implementation → Beta → GA

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Open Source

  • Issue → Triaged → Accepted → In Progress → Merged → Released
Customize to match your workflow and user expectations.

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Next Steps

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