A strategic roadmap is a time-based plan that defines

where a business is, where it wants to go, and how to

get it there. It is a visual representation that organizes
and presents important information related to future
plans. Strategic roadmaps are a common approach to
planning.
Background

There are many types of roadmaps. All are a type of

plan to guide progress toward a goal. A roadmap offers
a look into the future of a field of interest and takes
into consideration main drivers of change. Motorola
pioneered technology roadmapping in the 1970s to
align technology and product development. The
process involved integrating elements of the strategic
plan into a simple high-level visual representation.
Decision Making

Strategic decision making is the main factor

determining firm success. Sound decisions require
timely and relevant information. Strategic
roadmapping assumes that different departments and
individuals in the organization possess vital
information for strategic decision making. For
example, knowledge about technological innovation in
the company's field of operations rests with people at
lower levels of the organization.
Components

A roadmap describes a destination in terms of goals,

timelines and intermediate stops on the way. It shows
practical steps necessary to get to the desired
destination. It considers interdependencies among
steps and anticipates alternative routes that help
optimize resource allocation and minimize risks.
Process

Roadmapping is a collaborative strategic planning

process. The first stage is to determine a vision. The
vision is a desirable future state that the business
would like to have happen. Next, several vision
statements are expressed and concrete goals are
defined. The third stage is doing a gap analysis. Here,
critical capabilities needed for the articulated visions
are determined; then, a gap analysis between
available capabilities and the needed capabilities is
conducted. Finally, a portfolio of actions based on the
gap analysis is recommended.