By the numbers
Product roadmap statistics, with their sources
Last updated: November 2026 Published by Cydney Mar
Published figures show that spending more than half of a product manager's time on strategy is the exception, and that many software features end up rarely used, which is why the order of a roadmap matters.
Idea to Income Roadmap, published by Cydney Mar, collects the numbers below exactly as their sources state them. Each figure links to where it was published. Cydney's own career figures are listed separately and are her own, not independent research.
How much time do product managers spend on strategy?
According to the Product-Led Alliance's product management statistics (2026), product managers are reported to "spend 25% or less of their time on product strategy", some "spend 0 to 5% of their time on strategy", and those who "spend more than 50% on strategy" are the exception, not the rule.
| Statistic | Source | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Product managers who spend 25% or less of their time on product strategy | Product-Led Alliance, 2026 | Product management statistics roundup |
| Some spend 0 to 5% of their time on strategy | Product-Led Alliance, 2026 | Same roundup |
| Spending more than 50% on strategy is the exception, not the rule | Product-Led Alliance, 2026 | Same roundup |
| Roughly 80% of features were rarely or never used | Pendo 2019 Feature Adoption Report, cited by Lovable | Usage across 615 accounts in Pendo’s own customer base; software products |
| The often-cited "64% of features are rarely or never used" should not be presented as if every product carries that much dead weight | Lovable, citing Mike Cohn | A caution about how the figure is repeated |
| Add a little extra, say 10%, to a break-even analysis for unpredictable expenses | U.S. Small Business Administration | Planning guidance for new businesses |
What do these numbers mean for a physical product?
The feature figures come from software, so treat them as a caution, not a measure of physical products. The lesson carries over: building things nobody asked for is expensive. For a consumer product, that looks like extra colorways, trims or sizes added before the first version has sold.
The strategy figures point the same way. Time spent on Product Clarity and on costs before production is the cheapest time in the whole product development roadmap.
| Figure | What it measures |
|---|---|
| 45+ years | Time designing and building fashion and consumer products |
| $300M+ | Global retail, TV and direct-to-consumer sales over her career |
| 800+ hours | Live television selling |
| 8 countries | Countries where her collections aired on QVC, over 15+ years |
Source: Cydney Mar's speaker page.
This page is part of the idea to income product roadmap guide, which shows how each stage fits together from first idea to first sale.
Common questions
- What is the difference between an outcome-based and a feature-based roadmap?
- A feature-based roadmap lists things to build, while an outcome-based roadmap lists results to reach, such as a target margin or first sales. Lovable’s roadmap guide notes that a feature roadmap can report 100% on-time delivery in a quarter where no metric moved. For physical products, outcomes like an approved, costed sample make the more useful milestones.
- What are the four types of product strategies?
- The four product strategies most often taught come from the Ansoff Matrix: market penetration (existing product, existing market), market development (existing product, new market), product development (new product, existing market) and diversification (new product, new market). Most founders using an idea to income roadmap are doing product development or diversification, because the product itself is new.
- What are the 7 stages of product management?
- A commonly cited seven-stage model for new products is idea generation, idea screening, concept development and testing, business analysis, product development, test marketing, and commercialization. Models vary by source. Cydney Mar’s Concept-to-Reality Pathway uses six practical stages for consumer products: Product Clarity, Right Prototypes, The Right Suppliers, Cost and Margins, Production-Ready, and Launch and Scale.
- What is a break-even point for a product?
- Your break-even point is the number of units you must sell for total gross margin to cover your fixed costs, such as samples, tech packs and setup fees. Divide fixed costs by margin per unit. The SBA suggests adding about 10% to cover expenses you cannot predict, and the worksheet on this site applies that buffer.
- What is the difference between a product roadmap and a business plan?
- A product roadmap sequences the work of making the product, while a business plan explains how the whole company will make money, including funding, operations and marketing. You usually need both. Cydney Mar’s advisory work includes business plans and cost structures strong enough for grant and funding applications, alongside product development itself.
- What is the main purpose of a roadmap?
- The main purpose of a roadmap is to show what happens next, in what order, and why, so you spend money on the right step at the right time. For a physical product, that means clarity before samples, vetted suppliers before production, and real margins before launch. Taking the right steps in the wrong order is where founders lose time and money.
Score your idea first. Then decide what help you need.
The From Idea to Income workbook is free and takes five honest minutes to score your idea. When you want an experienced guide for samples, suppliers, margins or launch, contact Cydney Mar directly.