Public Roadmap Examples: How Top SaaS Companies Share Their Plans

Deciding to make your roadmap public is one thing. Figuring out what it should look like is another. Here are common patterns used by successful SaaS companies, with what works and what doesn't in each approach.

Pattern 1: The Kanban Board

Issues flow through columns — Planned, In Progress, Done. Users see work moving left to right. This is the most popular format because it's intuitive and shows progress clearly.

What works: Visual progress. Users immediately understand what's active vs planned vs shipped.

What to watch: Don't let the "Planned" column grow endlessly. A column with 100 items signals no real prioritization.

Example setup: A public Linear board in kanban view with three workflow states visible.

Pattern 2: The Voting Board

A list of feature requests ranked by votes. Users browse, vote, and submit. The focus is on community input rather than team commitments.

What works: Surfaces demand. Users feel they're influencing the roadmap.

What to watch: Don't let it become a wish list with no action. Ship top-voted items regularly and communicate when you do.

Pattern 3: The Changelog-First Approach

Some companies don't show a forward-looking roadmap. Instead, they publish a detailed changelog showing everything they've shipped. The message: "We ship fast. Trust us."

What works: Shows velocity without making commitments.

What to watch: Users who want to know what's coming find this frustrating. Pair it with at least a minimal "In Progress" view.

Pattern 4: The Themed Roadmap

Issues grouped by themes — "Performance," "Integrations," "Mobile Experience" — rather than by status. This shows strategic direction without committing to specific timelines.

What works: Communicates priorities at a high level.

What to watch: Can feel vague if themes don't connect to specific issues.

Pattern 5: The Hybrid

The most effective approach combines voting, status tracking, and shipping announcements. Users submit and vote. Issues move through statuses. A changelog celebrates what shipped.

What works: Complete feedback loop. Users see their input lead to shipped features.

How to build it: A public Linear board with voting, submissions, kanban view, and a linked changelog.

What to Learn from These Examples

The common thread: successful public roadmaps are living documents, not static pages. They update automatically, invite participation, and close the loop between request and delivery.