Developing an IT roadmap is nothing new. Many of our Partner Technology customers utilize the process of IT roadmapping for technology planning as part of a larger planning initiative. It integrates the introduction of new technologies with the needs of customers and product management. 
 
The primary benefit of this process is that it can be leveraged to make better IT investment decisions and help identify any technology gaps. Communication and collaboration then becomes the key to the effectiveness and ultimate success of the IT roadmap.
 
At the core of the process, IT roadmapping is really all about good planning. Competitive pressures are making the process even more critical as part of a strategy to remain competitive in this environment. When done well, it will bring cross-functional teams together to evaluate strategies, opportunities and implementation plans. This helps keep technology decisions part of the organizations plan and not a reactionary afterthought.
 
The development of the IT roadmap requires you to:

1. Define the goal or product that is the focus. This includes a specific timeline to ensure that you will have the technology and the right people with the right skill sets at the time you will need them.
2. Define the critical system requirements. Often, this process can reveal gaps that will need to be filled before they turn into a bottle neck.
3. Define the technology drivers. These drivers will help prioritize investments when you focus on customer requirements and product drivers.
4. Define the technology alternatives. Since an IT roadmap is driven by a strategic need, it offers an opportunity to identify and evaluate alternative technologies that could be a possible solution. 

Going through this process as part of a complete strategic planning initiative creates the link from high level market needs that the organization wants to meet to the technology requirements to support them. This is particularly true when developing new products or lines of business because the time-to-market and the product life are shrinking. The roadmap provides the base for the IT plan and a guide for making better IT investment decisions.
 
Where some companies fail in the IT roadmapping process is in an area that is critical to roadmap’s success – communication. In order for a roadmap to be successful it needs to be properly communicated to the stakeholders that will be involved. These stakeholders include:

• IT team members
• Organization management
• Customers
• Partners and suppliers

By effectively communicating the roadmap to these stakeholders, you can build the team required to achieve the stated goals. It also creates accountability and ownership for each of the team members. Clear communication with customers can help generate feedback early to avoid missing the mark and create buy-in for the company direction.
 
Communication with partners and supplier is commonly overlooked. By treating these stakeholders as critical members of your team, it gives them the information they need in the development of their own plans. The IT roadmap can set the direction for the partnership and likely increase the chances of your success by enabling these partners to service you better. 
 
A good example is around the staffing gaps the roadmap identifies. A good technology recruiter will be able to advise you on the availability of candidates with the skill sets that you will require for the technology and technology alternative that you have mapped out. They can also tell you how much those resources will cost and point out opportunities to use contract talent to fill short term needs or meet budget requirements.  
 
Good staffing firms can also help you evaluate and budget for the true cost of your project. For example, a client came to Partner looking for input regarding the implementation of an ERP solution they were roadmaping. The solution made sense from a business standpoint, but Partner had found that it is such a niche product it is difficult to find people with the skill set needed to work with it and those that do are typically expensive.   We were also able to advise them of the hidden cost around professional services that another client using this ERP solution had experienced. 
 
Furthermore, and probably the most important benefit, a good staffing firm can begin to build a pipeline of passive and available talent based on the timeline you have developed. So that when you put your IT roadmap into action you will experience fewer surprises and higher likelihood of success.
 
By Steve Austin