Roadmapping in Program Management

Abstract (171/200)

A roadmap is a time-based chart that aligns multiple planning layers (such as marketing-, product-, development-plan) with strategic business objectives. Its main idea is to create one integrated planning approach. This way, strategic pathways towards specific trajectories can be found, compared and decided while taking into account the planning elements’ interdependencies, mutual requirements and synergies. Due to this holistic approach, (technology) roadmaps are a valuable tool for program management in organisations in two ways:

1. To analyse and define the need for initiatives and/or programs as well as their design;
2. To administer programs and their underlying activities.

In this article, the main focus will be on Technology Roadmaps for the definition of programs. For that, the key aspects as well as popular forms of roadmaps and their purposes are described. Afterwards, the utilisation and the benefits of roadmapping for program management are discussed. As a third step, a roadmapping toolbox as well as a to facilitate a (continuous) roadmapping process is presented. This is then illustrated using a practical example. Finally limitations are discussed including comparison with different program management approaches.

Understanding Technology Roadmaps (46/100)

Technology Roadmaps were first broadly introduced in the 1970s when pioneers like Motorola used them to integrate their technology and product development/planning. Since then, several types of roadmaps have been developed for different purposes (e.g. Service/Capability Roadmap for service-driven companies; or knowledge asset roadmap for knowledge-driven companies). What they have in common is the approach of extrapolating effects of certain elements into the future and/or backcasting future goals/expected trends into current activities. In order to visualise these aspects, most roadmaps share certain commonalities described below.

Key Aspects of Roadmaps (160/160)

Roadmaps are time-based charts that depict projects, initiatives, technologies and other planning objects on several layers. Typically, these layers can be joined to three main perspectives (blocks):

1. Resource perspective (bottom-layers): e.g. technologies, resources
2. Delivery perspective (middle-layers): e.g. products, services, systems
3. Purpose perspective (top-layers): strategic objectives, markets, business

A more detailed overview including possible layer-categories can be found in figure XX.

The timeframe (x-axis) typically spans several years and may include the past as well for reference. Even though specific dates will increase the roadmap's explanatory power, relatively vague estimates (such as "now", "plans", "strategy") may be useful in some cases.

Within this framework, bars, and milestones are arranged to represent the activities/initiatives. The interrelations are represented by arrows that connect the different elements often times spanning several layers.

However, timeframe, layers as well as the type of activities etc. represented often are (and should be) subject to customization according to the specific case. The most important aspect for this customization is the purpose of the roadmap that may differ broadly. Also, next to the most common visualization presented above, there are other methods, e.g. tables,graphs,flow charts and others, that may be better suited to represent the situation comprehensively in some cases. For more information on that see XXX.

How to read Roadmaps (104/150)

Typically roadmaps can be understood following a diagonal from the bottom-left to the top-right corner (as indicated in figure XX). Depending on the direction along this line, one follows either the

• Top-Down-direction: market/objective pull or
• Bottom-Up-direction: technology/resources push.

Following the top-down direction, the market/objective pull is first represented by the strategic business goal, that propagates through the product portfolio plan, and finally the technologies and resources to be developed. Thus a holistic approach to fulfilling market needs can be tracked. The other way around (bottom up) one may estimate the effects of a new technology or resource and how it can affect future products and therefore shape markets.

Technology Roadmapping in Program Management

According to the PMI-Standard, Program management ist the centralized coordinated management of a program to achieve the program's strategic benefits and objectives with a program itself being a group of related projects managed in an coordinated way [...]. Comparing these definitions to the overall idea of technology roadmaps, namely the coordination of multiple elements on several layers, to support specific (business) objectives and/or to analyse effect of certain elements on those goals, it becomes clear, that roadmaps are a highly applicable tool for program management.

For that, roadmaps should be defined when initiating a program and constantly revised over the course of it, to manage the design as well as the execution. Therefore, especially in the Program Management context, roadmaps are to be seen as dynamic documents.

How to use it

Even though programs contain distinct elements such as well-defined projects, it is key to program's success, to manage these elements mutual interdependence from the beginning. When defining and designing programs it is thus essential to guarantee effective links between the elements. Roadmaps provide this exact high-level scope and focus on the connections between elements. Depending on the company context, a roadmap similar to a product, knowledge asset or service roadmaps can be created in order to find out, if the elements content adds up to the given objectives. This can be seen as a effectiveness-oriented first step, which focuses more on the logical completeness of the programs and puts less emphasis on the timely coordination (see next section for that). Following the aspects underneath a program roadmap can be designed, reviewed, and improved.

	Top-Down direction	Bottom-Up direction
Key Inputs	Program objective as the top-layer of the roadmap; Key components of value creation chain as the layers (arrange according to perspectives mentioned above) Planned technologies, capabilities or else as elements of the roadmap (if applicable/if already decided)	Key technology(ies), asset(s) etc. as the basic starting point of the roadmap (often times bottom layer) Key components of value creation chain as the layers (arrange according to perspectives mentioned above) Extensive information about market and overall technology development to forecast the effects
Guiding Question	Which elements on the lower levels are required to comply with the next higher layers' requirements?	How will the basis-elements shape the future development of the higher layers?
Other possible Questions	How can we link the outputs of the different layers to the programs overall goal? Are there excess technologies that will not be used? Are there missing capabilities that cause gaps between intended products/services and technologies?	How will certain technologies be used in the future? What kinds of initiatives will be necessary to ensure market success for technologies?

Consequently, according to the different types of programs, namely Engineering Programs, Organizational Change Programs and Societal Programs Technology Roadmaps may be used as follows:

• Engineering Programs
• Organizational Change Programs
• Societal Programs

Note: Roadmaps in the PMI Standard: In the PMI standard Roadmaps (in contrast to Technology Roadmps) are presented as a useful tool to administer programs and ensure their benefit creation. While this connects to the approach presented in this article, it does focus on another aspect of roadmapping as it emphasizes the scheduling aspect and alignment of critical milestones, decision points and success criteria definition. Roadmaps in this context are more strictly time-oriented and represent the different projects instead of layers. As a result, the overall idea is to guarantee a smooth program progress (highest benefit and fewest interruptions/issues possible). Technology Roadmaps as presented here are less about carrying out the program efficiently (although they can serve as the base for that) but about finding effective pathways. For more on Program "administration" using Roadmaps, see XX.

Benefits of Roadmaps for Program Management

Altogether, roadmaps improve program management in many ways. Depending on which type of roadmap is chosen, different aspects will be more prominent, however, they always provide guidance as they summarize complex programs at a glance. Roadmaps therefore:

• Improve commitment and understanding, as they communicate a high-level overall scope and execution of the program;
• Help avoid costly mistakes, as they reveal gaps in the overall program;
• Provide direction and focus, as they link program elements to overall strategic objectives;
• Improve stakeholder/resource management, as they point out key contributors for program success and/or unveil hidden resources
• Help save unnecessary cost/guarantee return on investment, as they focus on benefit/value creation (therefore contribute to lean program management);
• Contribute to risk management efforts, as ripple-effects are easier to foresee;
• Improve collaboration, as they summarize key deliverables;
• Improve decision making, as consequences are easier to foresee;
• Clarify responsibilities, as they define clear tasks/milestones.

Facilitating Roadmaps (0/1.000)

Numerous process descriptions of how to carry out roadmapping exist (two of which are presented in the following). They differ vastly due to the different purposes and types of roadmaps, however they all point out two main aspects that are essential to any roadmap:

• Emphasis on the planning of the roadmap

  What is the scope of the roadmap?

  What is the roadmap's purpose?

  Who is the roadmaps owner and therefore responsible?

• Emphasis on proper implementation

  How to communicate the results?

  How to integrate the roadmapping activities into strategic/budgeting cycles?

  For what to use roadmaps implications?

However, since roadmapping is such a highly customizable undertaking, it is barely possible to define a universal approach. Because of that, the process-models presented are kept rather generic on purpose. Considering that though, an overview of supporting models to facilitate the roadmapping process and enrich a specific roadmap are presented as a toolbox when applying roadmapping.

Process Models for Roadmapping(0/800)

• T-Plan process: The so-called T-Plan process originates in technology roadmapping and is thus most suitable when defining roadmaps that involve products and/or services. It facilitates a top-down approach, that examines each block of the roadmap separately. To link the stages, analysis grid are used to translate intended features/goals into requirements (see figure XX).
  • Planning: In this first stage, ownership of the roadmap needs to be determined, also a common process should be decided. Furthermore, scope and purpose as well should be well defined. Even though this is an initial step, it is crucial to the success of the method.
  • Workshop: A series of workshops along the roadmap-perspectives Market, Product and Technology (or corresponding customized layers) is to be carried out. For each, key drivers and features, priorities, strategies and gaps are to be analysed.
  • Charting: In this last workshop, the results from the previous workshops are to be charted into the "first-cut" roadmap. At least rough time estimates and connections between tasks should be available.
  • Implementation: It is recommended to update the roadmap periodically (at least once a year), if possible linked to strategy/budgeting cycles. Also, communication of the results is key.

• Integrated Technology Roadmap Process: Is a five-stage process and originally targeted at solving "big" social challenges and trends using technology (see figure XX).
  • Scoping: Resizing the roadmap to reasonable dimension (scope (geographical, technological range, markets and the like) and time).
  • Forecasting: Analysis of initial conditions, identification of trends as well as their exploration using expert interviews, Delphi surveys etc.
  • Backcasting: Formulating of (different) future visions (scenarios) and analysing their necessary implications.
  • Creation of Roadmap: Create time-line-based roadmap and review uncertainties.
  • Transfer: Link operative activities to the roadmap.

• Program Roadmap Process: Derived from a generic roadmap process and specified to create roadmaps to administer programs.
  • Understanding current state of program: What are goals, cost drivers, functional needs, business artefacts and processes?
  • Aspired end state: Define performance goals and guiding principles.
  • Gap Analysis: Team-based search for activities to be addressed in the fields of organization, function, technology and processes.
  • Prioritization: Business-value / benefit-creation oriented analysis of the activities.
  • Sequencing of events: Define dependencies and analyse the critical path. Maintain a realistic perspective and check for feasibility.