Importance of Roadmaps while building in public

I think it will vary on who you ask.

I could see it as a way to market to customer and prospects. It shows you're transparent as a company.

I could also see it as a way to build rapport with your customers, especially if your company has a customer service team. Instead of your customers hounding them on when a feature is being worked on. They can just check the roadmap.

• This way, the customers could feel like they are being heard
• The company can communicate without having to actively communicate when something is being worked on.

From a product development stand point, I think it also helps share where the company is focusing their efforts on and how they prioritize work.

I think another way is if existing customers have the ability to speak into a roadmap, it helps validate where efforts should be put. In other words, it could easily surface money levers. If it's a painpoint that more than one customer is having, likely future customers will have it too. So, why not work on that first?

I know @sarah and her team at Canny have an excellent tool that seems to provide roadmaps and feedback loops. Might be interesting to get her insight.