2025 EBSCO User Group

As research habits and needs evolve over time, our community increasingly focuses on the performance and functionality of software products and integrations used by libraries. Roadmaps can be used as tools to plan, prepare, align and communicate; vendors and publishers balance their development resources between technical debt and innovation, frequently informed by input from their customer base.
New, more flexible products allow for libraries and research organizations to implement bespoke experiences, sometimes with their own in-house development expertise. In both scenarios, building the “product roadmap” offers an opportunity for product managers to connect with their users and vice versa. However, gaps in this critical feedback loop can result in ambiguous expectations and a lack of clear communication.
In this panel session, presenters will share their experiences recommendations for building a partnered approach to roadmap development. The audience will hear perspectives from library practitioners, consortium development managers and platform product managers, offering a lively discussion of product roadmaps in both the vendor-owned and open source space.