Turning Random Thoughts into Roadmaps (Without Losing Your Mind)

In the ideal world, new product ideas would arrive neatly packaged, following every step from the standard discovery process, with detailed analysis, clear objectives, and a ribbon on top. But let’s be honest - that world doesn’t exist.

Most of the time, especially in corporate environments, new product ideas or feature requests come as a quick email, a vague message, or a five-minute rant in a meeting. Sometimes it's just a sentence with drafted outcomes sprinkled in. And while it's tempting to roll your eyes and wonder why nobody follows the literature on proper product discovery and initial design, let's skip the frustration for a second.

Here’s the thing: an outcome, even a loosely defined one, is a step forward.

I’m not here to question the intrinsic value of these ideas. Sure, I’ve seen my fair share of useless implementations, but for the sake of this argument, let’s assume the ideas are valid. What matters is how you take that random thought and turn it into something actionable - without losing your mind in the process.

Step 1: Start Backwards

When you receive an idea, don’t focus on how incomplete it is. Focus on the outcome mentioned, even if it’s vague. Starting backwards means working from that outcome and asking, “What would need to exist for this outcome to be real?”

Think of it like reverse-engineering a product from its final form - kind of like trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the manual, hoping all the pieces magically make sense. Instead of waiting for someone to tell you exactly how to build it, you start discovering how the pieces fit together.

Step 2: Read Between the (Scarce) Lines

When you “read” these ideas, keep a checklist in mind:

• Legal Requirements: Is there a compliance or legal factor hidden in this vague idea?
• Actual Outcome Needed: What’s the true goal behind this? Is it efficiency, revenue, user engagement?
• Target Users: Who will actually use this product or feature?
• Dependencies/Integrations: Does this need to work with other systems or products?
• Constraints: Budget, timeline, technology stack, or even political dynamics within the company.

Step 3: The Ecosystem Matters

In a corporate environment, products don’t exist in a vacuum. Even if the idea is for something brand new, it will almost certainly integrate with existing systems. Understanding that ecosystem helps you identify potential risks, technical limitations, and areas where the idea might either overlap with existing functionalities or completely contradict them.

Step 4: Identify the Need, Ignore the Want

Stakeholders often describe what they want, not what they need. Your job is to dig deeper:

• Want: “We need a dashboard with real-time data.”
• Need: Better decision-making based on timely insights.

Focusing on the need helps you avoid building flashy features that look great but add no real value.

Step 5: Build from There (Skip the Fluff)

Once you've got a clearer picture, draft a proposal. Don’t get lost in the details or flavors. Start simple:

• What problem are we solving?
• Who are we solving it for?
• What’s the simplest way to deliver value?

Bonus Tactic: Treat every vague idea as an opportunity to shape the narrative. The less detail you get, the more influence you have in defining what the final product looks like.

Turning random thoughts into roadmaps isn’t about having all the answers upfront. It’s about asking the right questions, framing the problem correctly, and keeping your sanity intact while doing it.

During my years in corporate environments, I started to enjoy this initial phase. It’s a discovery phase, where you start showing your first skills. It’s a game of "Should I set a clarification meeting?" or "Should I email the conclusion (or doubts)?" It's political, and sometimes it’s your first introduction to the stakeholder. Knowing who the real decision-maker is can make all the difference (but that's a story for a future post).

Don’t ignore this phase from a political point of view because it might set the stage for the later phases. By 'political', I mean the subtle office dynamics, stakeholder relationships, and unspoken rules that can influence decisions more than you'd expect. Did I mention that almost everything in a corporation is political? If not, let me mention it again for dramatic effect.

As a final note, I know it’s important to make a good impression, but what’s even more crucial is not being afraid to ask the 'stupid question'. Trust me, ignoring your doubts now might come back to haunt you in the later phases.

So, the next time you receive an idea that looks like it was scribbled on the back of a napkin, just remember: every roadmap starts somewhere, even if that 'somewhere' is a 2 AM email titled 'Need urgent feedback' with zero details. And hey, have fun while you do it… because if you’re not having fun, you’re just collecting acronyms!

• D. Scope