What is target-date coverage?

Target-date coverage is the percentage of PRDs that have credible target dates. Low coverage means you can’t sequence delivery, manage dependencies, or run reliable launch planning.

Do target dates have to be perfect?

No. Dates must be directional and constrained enough to support sequencing. The goal is planning credibility, not fortune-telling.

Release Planning • February 2026

3% Dated Roadmap: Why Missing Target Dates Break Sequencing

If only 3% of PRDs have target dates, you don’t have a sequenced roadmap—you have a list of intentions. Sequencing requires dates (even imperfect ones), or dependencies and capacity will destroy your quarter.

Why Dates Are Not “Process” — They’re Sequencing Constraints

Without target dates, you can’t answer:

What ships this quarter?
What must ship before something else?
What is blocked on dependencies?
What needs GTM readiness and when?

Key Insight

Dates aren’t promises—they’re constraints that make tradeoffs possible. Without them, every plan is reversible.

A Real Example: 3% Coverage

Timeline
Target-date coverage: 3% (3/117 PRDs dated)
Missing target dates: 114

With coverage this low, any “release plan” is mostly narrative. The fix is fast: a date hygiene sprint.

The 10-Day Date Hygiene Sprint

Day 1–2: Categorize PRDs by Horizon

Near-term (this quarter)
Mid-term (next 1–2 quarters)
Long-term (later / exploratory)

Day 3–5: Assign Directional Dates for Near-Term + Mid-Term

Near-term: specific target dates required
Mid-term: month/quarter-level dates acceptable
Long-term: optional, but tag as “not sequenceable”

Day 6–8: Dependency Date Gating

If a PRD depends on another team, the dependency needs a date and an owner.
Otherwise it’s “high silo risk” by default.

Day 9–10: Lock a Sequencing Rule

A PRD is sequenceable only if:
- it has an owner
- it has a target date (or time window)
- dependencies have owners + dates (if any)

Decision Queue: Restore Timeline Credibility

BLOCK: Release Sequencing Until Dates Exist

BLOCK
Fill missing target dates for 114 PRDs before confirming release sequencing.
Owner: Head of Product • Due: 2026-03-02
Metric: Target-date coverage = 100% (currently 3%)

SHIP: Date the Top Near-Term PRDs First

SHIP
Assign target dates for the highest-impact near-term PRDs.
Owner: Product + Engineering • Due: end of week
Metric: Near-term PRDs = 100% dated

DEFER: Undated Low-Impact Items

DEFER
Defer undated PRDs that don’t map to this quarter’s outcomes.
Owner: Head of Product • Review: monthly
Metric: WIP reduced; sequencing clarity improved

What “Good” Looks Like

High coverage doesn’t mean perfect prediction. It means your roadmap can be sequenced, dependencies can be managed, and GTM can plan with confidence.

How ProdMoh Helps

ProdMoh highlights timeline coverage and missing dates in Roadmap Direction, then converts the fix into a concrete Decision Queue action with an owner, due date, and metric.

Read the pillar: Build What Moves the Needle →

FAQs

What if we’re not sure about dates?

Use time windows (month/quarter) and update weekly. The objective is sequencing—not certainty.

Should long-term PRDs have dates?

Optional. If they don’t, mark them explicitly as “not sequenceable” so they don’t pollute near-term plans.