Looking to actually use Valkre for opportunity roadmaps, not just check another box? You’re in the right place. This guide is for product managers, customer success folks, and anyone tired of “strategy docs” that go nowhere. I’ll walk you through exactly how to set up, build, and keep an opportunity roadmap useful in Valkre—the stuff that matters, not just what the sales deck says.
Why Opportunity Roadmaps Matter (and Where They Go Wrong)
Let’s be honest: most “roadmaps” end up as pretty pictures for PowerPoints, or graveyards for ideas no one will ever act on. Opportunity roadmaps are supposed to be different. They should give you (and your team) a clear, prioritized path for growing business with a customer or segment. Done right, they help you focus on what’s real, not just what’s loudest.
Valkre promises to help with this. It’s a SaaS tool built for mapping, tracking, and updating customer opportunities—think of it as a living to-do list for account growth. But like any tool, it’s only as good as how you use it. Here’s how to set it up so it actually helps.
Step 1: Set Up Your Workspace
Before you start building anything, make sure you’re set up in Valkre. Sounds obvious, but skipping these basics leads to a lot of wasted time.
- Get access: If your company already has Valkre, ask your admin to add you. If not, you’ll need to sign up and get a workspace created.
- Pick your team: Decide who will actually use the roadmap. Don’t invite people just because you “should”—keep it tight.
- Clean up old stuff: Valkre sometimes pulls in legacy data. Archive or delete anything that’s not relevant. Starting with a messy workspace just makes things harder down the line.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink permissions. Start with you and a couple of key collaborators. You can always add more people later.
Step 2: Define the Scope of Your Roadmap
Before you add a single opportunity, get crystal clear on what your roadmap is for.
- Is this for a single account, a segment, or all customers?
- Are you focusing on revenue, retention, new features, or something else?
Write this down as a short description in Valkre’s workspace or in the roadmap’s overview. If you can’t explain the goal in two sentences, it’s probably too broad.
What works: Tight focus. For example, “Expand revenue in Acme Corp over next 12 months.”
What doesn’t: Trying to fit every possible initiative into one roadmap. If you find yourself adding things like “Explore new markets” and “Fix onboarding bugs” to the same list, stop and split them up.
Step 3: Gather Raw Opportunities
Now, it’s time to collect opportunities worth pursuing. Don’t get bogged down in formatting—just get the ideas down.
- Interview stakeholders: Talk to sales, support, and—most importantly—customers. Valkre lets you log feedback directly, so do it at the source.
- Review customer data: Look at usage, support tickets, NPS responses, etc.
- Brainstorm with your team: Sometimes the best ideas come from the folks on the ground.
Dump everything in Valkre’s “Opportunities” section. It’s better to over-collect now and prune later.
What to ignore: Vague ideas like “be more innovative” or “increase engagement.” If you can’t turn it into a concrete action, it doesn’t belong on the list.
Step 4: Qualify and Prioritize
Here’s where most roadmaps die—they become wish lists. Valkre gives you basic fields for status, priority, and value. Use them, but don’t let the tool make the decision for you.
- Score each opportunity: Valkre lets you rate by potential impact and feasibility. Be brutally honest.
- Kill or combine duplicates: If three people wrote “improve reporting,” combine them into a single line item.
- Cut low-value items: If it won’t move the needle in the next year, archive it.
Pro tip: Don’t let “pet projects” sneak in. If someone can’t defend why an item matters for this roadmap’s scope, it’s gone.
Step 5: Add Details That Actually Matter
Don’t waste time filling out every field in Valkre. Stick to what’s useful:
- Description: Clear, plain-English statement of the opportunity.
- Estimated Value: Ballpark revenue or impact. Don’t stress about perfect numbers—directional is fine.
- Owner: Name a single person. Shared ownership means no ownership.
- Next Action: What’s the very next step? “Discuss with IT” is better than “TBD.”
- Timeline: When do you want to start and finish? Avoid “ongoing” unless you like things that never end.
Skip the fields that no one will read. If it’s not going to drive action or decision-making, it’s just digital clutter.
Step 6: Build the Roadmap View
Now, organize your qualified opportunities into a view that makes sense.
- Group by priority: Valkre lets you drag-and-drop opportunities. Put the highest-impact items at the top.
- Visualize dependencies: If one item can’t start until another finishes, link them or note it in the description.
- Set milestones: Use the timeline or milestone features, but don’t go crazy with Gantt charts unless you have a real project manager who’ll keep them up-to-date.
What works: Simple, clear lists sorted by impact and urgency.
What doesn’t: Overcomplicating with swimlanes, phases, or custom fields—unless your team specifically asked for it.
Step 7: Share and Get Feedback
A roadmap isn’t useful if it just sits in Valkre. Share it with stakeholders:
- Export or share a view: Valkre lets you send a link or export to PDF. Pick the format people will actually use.
- Ask for pushback: Invite stakeholders to comment or flag missing items. If you don’t get any feedback, they probably didn’t look at it.
- Update based on real input: Don’t just collect “approvals.” If someone points out a missed opportunity or a phony estimate, fix it.
Pro tip: Schedule a quick review meeting. Ten minutes live beats a week of email chains.
Step 8: Turn the Roadmap Into Action
Don’t let your roadmap become “shelfware.” Valkre lets you track progress, but only if you and your team actually use it.
- Assign tasks: Break big opportunities into smaller actions. Add these as subtasks or notes.
- Update status: Mark items as “in progress,” “blocked,” or “done.” Don’t fudge these—honest updates are more useful than fake green lights.
- Review regularly: Set a recurring reminder to check the roadmap. Monthly is usually enough unless things are moving fast.
What to ignore: Fancy dashboard features you don’t need. If your team isn’t checking dashboards, just use the list view.
Step 9: Iterate, Don’t Overhaul
No roadmap survives contact with reality. Use Valkre to adjust as things change.
- Remove dead items: If something’s never going to happen, cut it. Don’t let the backlog rot.
- Add new opportunities: As you learn more, add and qualify new items.
- Adjust timelines: If something slips, update it. Don’t pretend everything’s on track if it isn’t.
Pro tip: If you’re spending more time updating the roadmap than acting on it, you’re doing it wrong. Keep it simple.
What to Watch Out For (And What to Ignore)
Watch out for: - Roadmaps that are just wish lists with no owners. - Too many priorities—if everything’s urgent, nothing is. - Letting the tool drive the process instead of your team’s real needs.
Ignore: - Overly detailed templates and “best practices” that don’t fit your situation. - Fancy reporting tools unless your stakeholders truly need them. - Keeping old opportunities “just in case.” If it’s not relevant, archive it.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
The best opportunity roadmaps are living documents, not monuments to planning. Valkre is a solid tool, but it won’t do the thinking for you. Focus on real opportunities, ruthless prioritization, and regular check-ins. Start simple, get feedback, and adjust as you go. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of progress—just get moving, and refine along the way.