Definition
Release planning is the process of deciding which features, fixes, and improvements will ship in a specific product release, and mapping them across the sprints needed to build them. Unlike sprint planning (which focuses on the next 1-2 weeks), release planning operates at a multi-sprint horizon -- typically 6-12 weeks for teams on a quarterly cadence.
The output is a release plan: a prioritized list of epics or features assigned to a target release date, along with dependencies, risks, and any hard constraints (regulatory deadlines, conference launches, partner commitments). Basecamp, Shopify, and many enterprise SaaS teams use rolling wave release planning where the nearest release is planned in detail, the next one at epic level, and anything beyond that stays directional.
Why It Matters for Product Managers
PMs are accountable for what ships and when. Release planning is where those commitments get made -- and where trade-offs get surfaced early. Without it, teams operate sprint-to-sprint with no line of sight into when a meaningful set of features will reach users. That makes it impossible to coordinate with marketing, sales, support, and partner teams.
Release planning also forces hard prioritization. When you have 30 story points of capacity per sprint across 4 sprints (120 total), and your backlog adds up to 200 points, something has to give. The PM's job during release planning is to sequence features so the highest-value work ships first and cut scope cleanly rather than delivering everything half-baked.
For B2B SaaS companies especially, release planning determines the cadence of value delivery to customers. Slack ships updates continuously, but its quarterly "release highlights" communicate batched improvements to enterprise buyers who need predictable change windows.
How It Works in Practice
Set the release goal -- Define a theme or outcome for the release (e.g., "reduce onboarding drop-off by 15%" or "launch self-serve billing"). A clear goal makes scope trade-offs easier.
Size the backlog -- Estimate the epics and features in scope using rough story points or t-shirt sizes. You do not need precise estimates -- the goal is to identify whether the release is feasible within the time and capacity available.
Map to sprints -- Assign epics to sprints in priority order, accounting for dependencies. Front-load risky or uncertain work so problems surface early. Leave 15-20% buffer for bugs and unplanned work.
Identify dependencies and risks -- Flag items that depend on other teams, third-party APIs, or design approvals. Build these into the sequence so blockers are resolved before dependent work begins.
Communicate the plan -- Share the release plan with stakeholders, making the trade-offs explicit: "We are including features A, B, and C. Feature D is deferred to the next release because of capacity constraints."
Review weekly -- Revisit the release plan each sprint. As velocity data comes in and scope changes, adjust the plan rather than pretending the original plan is still valid.
Common Pitfalls
Planning without velocity data. If you do not know your team's throughput, your release plan is a wish list. Use the last 3-5 sprints' velocity to ground capacity estimates in reality.
Overcommitting to hit a date. Cutting quality (skipping testing, deferring bug fixes) to hit a release date creates technical debt that slows down every future release. Trim scope instead.
Treating the release plan as fixed. Plans should adapt as you learn. A release plan created 8 weeks out will change -- the question is whether you update it deliberately or discover the problems at the end.
Not involving engineering in sizing. PMs who plan releases without engineering input consistently underestimate effort. The PM owns priorities; the team owns estimates.
Related Concepts
Release Train is a fixed-cadence release model (common in SAFe) where multiple teams synchronize their releases on a regular schedule.
Sprint is the unit of execution within a release -- release plans are built from sprint-level capacity.
Roadmap communicates the strategic direction over multiple releases, while release planning focuses on the tactical details of a single release.Explore More PM Terms
Browse our complete glossary of 100+ product management terms.