Satire
The Roadshow That Replaced the Roadmap
The strategy deck had 47 slides. The backlog had 3 tickets.
The product vision is compelling. It has been presented to six different audiences in the last three months.
The backlog has not been touched in six weeks.
What Actually Happens
The CTO is on the road presenting the vision to clients. The VP of Product is preparing materials for the next internal presentation. The engineering lead is in alignment meetings supporting the presentation after that. The one engineer trying to build something is blocked on a technical decision that requires the engineering lead's input. The engineering lead is in a preparation meeting for a presentation about the roadshow.
The quarter ends. Delivery is at 12% of the original plan.
The roadshow is described as a success. Two clients have expressed strong interest. Both want a product demo at the next meeting. The product is in the same state it was in three months ago.
“We have excellent velocity on the roadshow. Zero story points delivered to production this quarter. I consider these related.”
DivineForge Advisory
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Let's talk architecture →How a Builder Should Respond
You protect build capacity as a non-negotiable, not a residual after the roadshow is served. If leadership is spending more time presenting the vision than executing it, you identify the smallest thing that can ship without waiting for them — and you ship it. Something in production is worth more than any slide because it is the only thing that makes the next slide credible. When asked to support the roadshow, you ask what decision it is designed to unlock. If the answer is unclear, that is the real problem to solve — not the deck.
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