Sheets Timeline Example

Here’s how to map your launch roadmap in Google Sheets.

Using their new Timeline feature, it takes a couple seconds 👇

I’ve been creating a number of templates for the Ready For Launch course and learned about this new feature in Google Sheets that lets you turn a table into a Gantt Chart in seconds.

A great use case for this is mapping out your launch roadmap and grouping launches by GTM theme.

For example, it could be based on company OKRs, use case, product line, customer value prop, etc.

Here’s how it works in 3 steps:

1️⃣

With PMM and PM working together, list out your upcoming launches for a particular time period. This could be an exercise you do for the entire year or every six months.

In a table, you’ll want the following fields:

• Project / Launch Name
• Launch Tier
• Theme
• Start Date
• End Date
• Owner

2️⃣

When you’re table is complete, just highlight it > click “Insert” in the toolbar > and select “Timeline.”

3️⃣

Finally, to group your launches by theme, go to your Timeline settings > look under “Card Group” > and select “Theme.”

Voila, you’ll instantly have a Gantt chart mapping your launch roadmap by relevant themes.

A few ways to use this:

1️⃣ Get alignment with your product team. Get clarity around what launches are planned for each quarter (Tip: in the menu select to view your timeline by Quarter)

2️⃣ Balance your workload. For example, make sure that you don’t sign up for 8 launches in a quarter, multiple tier 1s, etc.

3️⃣ Give other teams visibility into the launch roadmap and themes. For example, marketing could plan complimentary campaigns.

4️⃣ Spot bundling opportunities. You can spot multiple related releases that could roll up to a larger Tier 1 launch.

Hope you found this helpful.

If you like this sort of thing and are looking to up-level your product launches, check out Ready for Launch - our new course helping PMMs master product launches. It starts Oct 31st!

Bit(dot)ly/ready-for-launch

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