What is a roadmap?

The word "roadmap" originally meant a road map, but it is now also used to mean a schedule or itinerary. In business, it is usually used in the sense of a process chart used for rough planning of a project.

In project progression, a roadmap is created as a process chart to the final goal (project completion), a roadmap to achieving the goal. It is often organized in chronological order using diagrams and tables. The roadmap also identifies some intermediate goals (milestones, points of passage) and the resources needed to reach the final goal.

The roadmap is then shared among project members or submitted to the client for information sharing. It can also serve as the basis for other documents used for project management.

Roadmaps come in a variety of formats, but they all provide an overview. It does not need to be as detailed as the routine progress management done by project management tools.

Purpose of Creating a Roadmap

The most important objective is to achieve the end goal and complete the project within the set time frame. Other objectives include the following

▶ Clarify the final goal of the project
▶ Create a project plan (schedule and milestones)
▶ Share information with stakeholders (project members, managers, and clients)

Is a roadmap necessary for every project?

If the project is small, it is possible to proceed without a roadmap. However, if you create a roadmap, you can share information about the final goal, schedule, and progress with all members of the team.

In order to ensure smooth project progress, it would be useful to create a roadmap.

How to use a roadmap in a project

A roadmap is a bird's-eye view of the entire project and is used from the start of the project to its completion.

Normally, you use a project management tool or Excel to manage your project and keep track of the current status of each member and the progress of tasks. Periodically, the roadmap should be reviewed to keep track of the overall project milestones and progress to the final goal.

Benefits and effectiveness of a roadmap

Creating a roadmap has the following benefits and effects

▶Clearly define the final objective (goal)
It aligns the perceptions of all parties involved regarding the final goal of the project and what the deliverables will be, and clearly determines the final goal. In the process, it is also possible to clarify the intentions of each of the parties involved.

Furthermore, by sharing the roadmap, all members can form a common understanding.

▶Get an overall picture of the project and its current status, making it easier to achieve the final goal
By creating an overall picture of the project and milestones along the way, it becomes clear what is needed to achieve the final goal. This is because the difference between the current status and the final goal, the resources needed to achieve the final goal, and the progress status can be visualized.

▶Able to prevent the project direction from shifting during the progress, and correct the shift
By setting final goals and milestones in advance, the entire project is prevented from deviating from the main course. If problems or specification changes occur during the project, the direction of the entire project may shift, but a roadmap will prevent such a shift and make it easier to repair any deviations from the main course of the project.

How to create a roadmap

This section describes the methodology for creating a roadmap and how to create one.

Roadmap Creation Methodology

There is no set method for creating a roadmap. Any of the following are often used

▶ Gantt chart
▶ Planning chart
▶ Task list
▶ Flowchart

Gantt charts and planning charts are also used in detailed project management, but they do not need to be as detailed when created as a roadmap. Rough goals and deadlines to be filled in are sufficient. Based on the Gantt chart or planning chart created as a roadmap, you can also fill in the details for detailed task and project management.

Various templates and tools are available to create a roadmap using these methods. Regardless of the format, the steps to create a roadmap are the same.

Roadmap Creation Procedure

1. Set a final goal and understand the current situation
First, determine the final goal of the project, its due date, and budget. It is important that the final goal be feasible to some degree. Also, set clear achievement criteria as well as items. The achievement criteria should be compared with quantitative indicators such as numbers and data.

Once the final goal is set, the current status is identified and the difference from the final goal is clarified.

2. Identify tasks
Once the difference between the current status and the final goal is clarified, the minimum tasks necessary to reach the final goal are identified and the methods and measures to be implemented are determined.

However, the roadmap is only an outline. It does not need to include so many detailed tasks. Detailed tasks are identified in the WBS.

3. Identify risks
Identify risks and issues that may occur before the final goal is achieved, and prepare countermeasures. This is an important element in determining the schedule.

4. Set milestones
Set milestones (points of passage, intermediate goals) until the final goal is achieved. As with the final goal, set a clear date and use quantitative indicators such as numbers and data.

5. Plan the process to achieve the final goal
Summarize the set items in chronological order and create a roadmap.

6. Share the roadmap
Share the completed roadmap with clients, managers, project members and other relevant parties. Share the completed roadmap with the client, managers, project members, and other relevant parties to ensure that they are all on the same page regarding the final goals and deadlines.

Points to keep in mind when creating a roadmap

▶Set a clear deadline
Without deadlines, projects often do not progress well and goals are not achieved. Therefore, always set deadlines for projects and milestones.

▶Evaluation should be done quantitatively
In order to specifically track progress and make it easy to understand the percentage of reaching the final goal, goals and achievements are evaluated quantitatively with numerical values.

▶ Roadmap is an overview only
Since the roadmap is intended to provide an overall picture, details are not necessary. Details are supplemented by project plans and other documents.

Creating a roadmap unifies perceptions and facilitates the project

A roadmap is a rough outline of the process to the project goal. It can be created as a Gantt chart, a planning chart, or a flowchart.

Once an outline is created with a roadmap, it is easier to create detailed plans and schedules, allowing for smooth project progress. It will also make the planning process smoother, as all parties involved can be unified in their understanding of the project before the plan is created.

We recommend the HUE Project Board as a tool for project management after the roadmap has been created. After creating a rough roadmap, detailed task management and progress management can be done smoothly. Since it is a cloud service, it does not take long to implement and is convenient for sharing information with clients. It can be used immediately after introduction, initial costs are low, and a 30-day trial is available so you can take your time trying it out.

More information about HUE Project Board can be found here.