releaseplanlegging

Release planning, or releaseplanlegging, is the process of defining and coordinating the content, timing, and resources required to deliver software releases. It bridges product strategy and execution by translating a product roadmap into a sequence of release milestones that deliver value to users while managing risk and capacity.

The primary goals are to align multiple teams and stakeholders, optimize time to market, and provide a transparent forecast of what will be delivered and when. It establishes boundaries for release scope, sets expectations with customers, and serves as a basis for prioritization and budgeting.

Typical activities include collecting and prioritizing requirements from the product backlog, estimating effort, assessing dependencies and risks, determining team capacity, and defining a release cadence and dates. Teams collaborate to select a slice of backlog for each release, specify acceptance criteria, and plan integration, testing, and deployment activities. Change management and governance may be included.

Outputs include a release plan with milestones and dates, the scope for each release, a risk and dependency log, resource assignments, and a communication plan. Roles commonly involved are the product owner or product manager, release manager or program manager, project managers, and development teams. Tools may include roadmaps, product backlogs, and sprint plans.

Release planning is used in both traditional project management and agile contexts, including scaled agile frameworks. The planning horizon is typically several weeks to several months, with frequent re-planning as priorities and capacity change. The approach emphasizes collaboration, traceability from backlog to release, and continuous alignment with business objectives.

Benefits include improved predictability, better coordination across teams, and clearer alignment of features with customer value. Common pitfalls involve over-optimistic estimates, scope creep, and failing to account for integration and deployment challenges.