Roadmaps

Roadmap basics

At this point in the planning process, you've broken down the work into smaller, more manageable pieces and identified critical dependencies.

Creating a roadmap is the next logical step. You are adding the element of time. You are essentially connecting the necessary work with the objectives sequentially.

A roadmap is a high-level plan that outlines a program's strategic goals and objectives and the key steps to achieve those goals. Roadmap creation is a crucial aspect of technical program management, as it helps to provide direction and focus for the program and to ensure that all team members are working towards a common set of goals.

Workstream owners will give you upward input on their timelines. Program sponsors (or the steering committee) may also give you downward input for deadlines. Your job is to now merge those two input sources into a sensible roadmap.

There are a handful of common attributes that lead to a great roadmap:

• Visualization of the roadmap to make it easy to understand.

• Alignment around the timing of the overall program and the program's focus each quarter.

• Clarity on ownership of various milestones and work required to get to the milestones.

To create a roadmap, start by creating a low-fidelity roadmap, then fill in the details by creating a high-fidelity roadmap.

Low-fidelity roadmaps

A low-fidelity roadmap is simply a fancy way of saying a less-detailed ...