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Building & Strategy

What Drives Shadow Roadmaps?

Companies often create roadmaps that contradict their official plans.

2026-06-291 min read

The existence of shadow roadmaps is a phenomenon where teams within an organization create unofficial plans that differ from the company's stated goals. This can happen when employees feel that the official roadmap does not align with their own vision or priorities. As a result, they may create their own unofficial plans, which can lead to confusion and misalignment within the organization. The creation of shadow roadmaps can be driven by a variety of factors, including differences in opinion between team members and management, or a lack of clear communication about the company's goals.

The mechanism behind shadow roadmaps is often driven by a desire for autonomy and control. When teams feel that their ideas and opinions are not being heard, they may create their own plans as a way to exert influence over the direction of the company. For example, a 12-person team at a mid-sized software company may create an unofficial roadmap that prioritizes features that they believe are essential to the company's success, even if those features are not included in the official plan. This can lead to a situation where the team is working towards different goals than the rest of the organization, which can ultimately hinder the company's progress.

The existence of shadow roadmaps can have significant consequences for an organization. If left unchecked, shadow roadmaps can lead to a lack of alignment and cohesion within the company, which can ultimately impact the bottom line. Furthermore, the creation of shadow roadmaps can also indicate deeper issues within the organization, such as a lack of trust or communication between team members and management. To mitigate this, companies must prioritize open communication and ensure that all team members feel heard and valued.

Key insights
Shadow roadmaps can be driven by a desire for autonomy and control.
The creation of shadow roadmaps can indicate deeper issues within the organization, such as a lack of trust or communication.
Companies must prioritize open communication to mitigate the impact of shadow roadmaps.
Why it matters

Ignoring shadow roadmaps can lead to a lack of alignment and cohesion within the company, ultimately impacting the bottom line.

Use this tomorrow
1
Open your last 5 team meetings' notes and count how many times unofficial plans or side projects were discussed.
Go deeper

The concept of shadow roadmaps is closely related to the idea of emergent strategy, which suggests that organizations often develop strategies that are not explicitly stated. This can happen when teams within the organization respond to changing circumstances and create their own plans, which can ultimately shape the company's overall direction.

The existence of shadow roadmaps can also be influenced by the concept of Conway's law, which states that organizations often design systems that reflect their own internal structure. This can lead to a situation where teams within the organization create plans that are tailored to their own needs and priorities, rather than the needs of the company as a whole.