Product roadmaps are exciting. They’re full of big ideas, shiny new features, and dreams of happy users. But here’s the thing—sometimes features don’t work out. They become dead weight. And when that happens, it’s time to do something tough but necessary: kill those features. Yes, we said it. It’s time to be honest about roadmap debt and how letting go of old features can save time, money, and brains. Let’s dive into what roadmap debt looks like, when you should let go, and how to do it without upsetting everyone on your team (or your users). What Is Roadmap Debt? Roadmap debt is like tech debt’s less technical cousin. It builds up when you keep adding features without cleaning up the old ones. Over time, your product gets messy. Here’s what roadmap debt looks like: Features that no one uses anymore Tools that barely work or are held together with duct tape Confusing menus with options from five years ago Support tickets for something you forgot even existed Each outdated or unused feature adds drag. Your product gets harder to use and even harder to maintain. That’s roadmap debt piling up. How Does It Happen? It usually starts with good intentions. A new feature seems like a great idea. Customers ask for it. The team gets excited. Then time passes. Priorities shift. No one’s monitoring how it’s doing. The real usage never takes off. But it’s still there… lurking. This is how you end up with a bloated product full of digital fossils. Why It’s Okay to Kill a Feature You don’t need to cry over a sunset feature. It served its purpose (hopefully), but now it’s time to move on. Killing features is not failure. It’s part of the growth process. In fact, here’s what you gain when you kill a feature: Simpler experience: Users won’t get lost in layers of outdated tools Faster development: Less code to maintain, test, and patch Focused teams: More time for the things that matter It’s like cleaning your closet. If you haven’t worn it in 2 years, donate it. If the feature hasn’t been used in 6 months, question it. 
When to Consider Killing a Feature Timing is everything. Kill it too soon, and you upset users. Wait too long, and you hurt the experience. Here are some signs that it might be time: No data: Usage is consistently low or zero Negative cost-benefit: The effort to support it outweighs the value Conflicts: It causes bugs or UX confusion with newer features Poor fit: It no longer aligns with product vision Look at your metrics. Talk to your users. Trust your gut. If something feels off, investigate. We’re not saying delete everything old. Just question everything that’s unloved. How to Actually Kill a Feature Okay, you’ve made the decision. It’s time to bring out the feature guillotine. But don’t go rogue. Here’s how to sunset a feature the right way: 1. Confirm It’s the Right Call Check the data. Talk to Support. Make sure there’s no niche group using it constantly. Don’t assume. Validate. 2. Communicate with Your Team Tell your devs, designers, marketing folks, and sales team. Surprise feature deaths can cause chaos. Give everyone a heads-up. 3. Notify Your Users Then, tell your users. Early. Often. Clearly. A good message includes: What’s going away Why it’s going away When it will happen What they can use instead (if anything) 4. Remove Slowly If possible, phase it out. Hide it from new users first. Add warning banners. Offer export options or alternatives. 5. Update Internal Docs Your customer success team will thank you for updating help articles. Make sure your website reflects the change too. 
Managing Feelings (Yes, Really) Killing a feature isn’t just technical. It’s emotional. Someone on your team probably worked hard on it. Maybe the marketing department hyped it and never saw the payoff. Worse: maybe you promised it to specific customers who now feel let down. Here’s how to handle it like a pro: Be kind: Recognize the effort that went into the feature Be transparent: Share real reasons, not vague corporate-speak Offer solutions: Help affected customers transition If you handle it with care and communicate well, users will understand. In fact, many will thank you for simplifying things. Killer Tools to Help Decide Let’s not guess. Use tools to make informed decisions: Analytics: Mixpanel, Amplitude, Google Analytics Feedback: Typeform surveys, user interviews, Intercom conversations Tracking: Feature flags and A/B tests to hide or test impact If you don’t have data, make it a priority to start collecting it. Flying blind leads to sketchy decisions. The Lifecycle of a Feature Features don’t live forever. And they’re not supposed to. Think of them like plants. You plant them (build), water them (support), see if they bloom (usage). If they don’t grow… sometimes it’s best to pull them out to make room for stronger ones. The most successful product teams are always pruning. They’re constantly asking: Is this feature still useful? Does it bring joy or value? Is it worth maintaining? If the answer is no, then let it go. 
Final Thoughts Killing a feature isn’t fun. It’s not a party. But it is good product hygiene. Be intentional. Be kind. And remember—every time you kill a feature that no longer fits, you’re breathing new life into your product. Lean. Clean. Focused. That’s the dream. And sunsetting features is how you get there. So take a look at your roadmap today. Find the ghosts. Run the numbers. And don’t be afraid to trim the fat. Your future self (and your users) will thank you.
