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Create an epic roadmap from a story map
Create an epic roadmap from a story map
Tamás Párványik avatar
Written by Tamás Párványik
Updated over a week ago

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Epic roadmaps and high-level roadmaps

A roadmap is always about visualizing larger chunks of a story map. Choose the Epic roadmap or the high-level roadmap template if you group backlog items into epics, and those epics are located on the story map's backbone (top two levels).

If you have everything you want to visualize on a single story map, you can start with the 'Epic roadmap' template. Don't worry - if things get serious and you need to split your backlog into multiple story maps, you can switch to the 'High-level roadmap' template where multiple story maps can be linked.

💡 Tip - Learn more about Epic roadmaps and High-level roadmaps.

💡 Tip - Learn more about How to pick the right roadmap template.

How to create an epic roadmap from a story map

  1. Open the story map

  2. Click on “Roadmap”

  3. Select “Create new roadmap from this board”

  4. Select roadmap template “ Link epics to roadmap cards”

  5. Choose epic level

  6. Name the roadmap

  7. Pick a roadmap structure

  8. Organize your cards on the roadmap

  9. Add details to roadmap cards

  10. Add labels to roadmap cards

  11. Prioritize on the roadmap

Step-by-step guide to create an epic roadmap from a story map

First, you need to understand the connection between the story map and the linked epic roadmap. Epics on the story map can be at the top level (blue cards), or at the second level (yellow cards). This is important because the generated epic roadmap will be built using the epics of the story map. In the following example, epics are at the second level on the story map (yellow cards).

When the epic roadmap will be generated each epics from the story map will represent a single roadmap card on the roadmap. User stories bellow each epics will play a crucial role in tracking progression of each epics on the roadmap. The progression of epics can be tracked in specific releases or through all release to add value to reports.

To create roadmap from a particular story map, open the board and select “Roadmaps” then choose “Create new roadmap from this board”.


To create an epic roadmap, select “Link epics to roadmap cards” option and select roadmap template.

During the next step, you need to take into consideration where your epics are on the story map. They can be at the first or second level. Select the right epic level according to your structure and proceed to “Create roadmap”.

Accept the generated roadmap name or modify it. Select the desired structure of your roadmap.

The roadmap is created based on the story map you link to it, where epics and user stories are originated from. Every roadmap cards represent an epic from the story map. You can proceed to clean up the roadmap and move cards into the correct column.

As you can see each roadmap cards have a status bar indicating the progression of each epics. As the execution moves forward and the team completes related user stories these status bars will accurately provide information of the current state of the development process.

Provide further details to each roadmap cards, link epics or update releases you want to focus on. Access detailed status reports and estimated effort reports on each card on the roadmap. Additionally, you can customize your cards with labels to provide further information if necessary.

Switch to prioritization view and take advantage of Value vs Effort framework or RICE framework to provide more details to your roadmap.

💡 Tip - Learn more about Value vs Effort and RICE prioritization frameworks.

How to link a new epic to the roadmap

  1. Create new epic on the story map

  2. Create new card on the roadmap

  3. Name the roadmap card

  4. Provide description and further details

  5. Link roadmap card to the epic on the story map

  6. Add releases you want to consider progress

  7. Follow epic’s progression over time on the roadmap

Step-by-step guide to link a new epic to the roadmap

If a new epic added to the story map and you want to track its progression on the roadmap, you need to link the epic to your epic roadmap.

Create a new card on the roadmap in the appropriate column.

Name the new card, provide further details and link an epic to it from the story map.

Once the connection is established, you need to add releases where you want to track progression of the epic’s over time.

If you successfully added releases to your card a status bar appears on the card to indicate changes. The report will be updated according to user stories’ status changes in the added releases.

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