Thread by @swardley

X : You seem dismissive of technology roadmaps. What's the difference between a Wardley map and a technology roadmap?
Me : I'm not dismissive. They both have uses but one is a map, the other is a plan.
X : Why?
Me : Yes ... tea shop time. So, let's take a map of a tea shop.

... now on a map, the space has meaning, the nodes are stocks of capital and the lines exchange of capital of many forms.
X : Why are we using custom built kettles?
Me : Good question. Lets add that and call it ... debt, as in technical debt to some past where all kettles were.

Now with a map we can add metrics, so we can build income statements if we wish ... e.g. the current situation is this

... and our desired future is this. Don't forget to add inertia in, there's bound to be some to the change.

At this point we can clearly see and provide challenge around our starting and end points. We can cut down the choices and decide to act in this one area. That action is what we call our "Roadmap" or as I prefer to call it "plan".

Of course, our "roadmap" is just common sense (use a standard kettles) until we discover that the brand exclusivity of our tea is based upon it bringing immortal life due to some magic related to the custom built kettle. The map is bigger than the "roadmap" or "plan" ...

X : What this has to do with tech?
Me : It's an example. Just translate to tech. Same rules apply e.g. our roadmap to open source some function. It all works until we discover we need the function to be custom or exclusive to us because of some other reason.

... a "roadmap" (i.e. plan) is how we get from A to B but it presumes we understand the territory, the beginning and end states. The territory (in business) rapidly changes. Which is why it's important to look at the map itself ...

... in some case, the territory is so unknown that you can't have a roadmap. You have to explore, to find your way, to sense. Though it's useful to map where you've been.

X : How about using Cynefin?
Me : If your map of the tea shop looks like this and you don't know where to start then why wouldn't you? Are you really going to try to "roadmap" or plan a future based upon .. well ... gut feel, whatever's popular in HBR, magic thinking?

X : Well, if the kettle is magic.
Me : Ok, I think we've exhausted this conversation.

Roadmaps are defined paths (a plan of action) in a territory.

A map is a representation of the territory itself.

The two are not the same and only one is a map.