Linking theory to practiceStrategic roadmapping is a graphical approach for strategic planning. It uses brainstorming and workshop methodology to help top-level management to generate strategic ideas, link strategy to action, and facilitate mutual understanding among managers. It is a simple, quick and efficient tool for market, product, technology, capability, and resource planning.
Train managers to use strategic roadmapping
There are a lot of terminologies used by different organizations and individuals for strategic roadmapping. Among the most common terms used are strategic roadmapping and technology roadmapping. Others include supply chain roadmapping, innovation roadmapping, business roadmapping, technology route mapping, etc.
Strategic roadmapping workshop
Organizations and individuals use different terms for roadmaps too. Among the most common names are strategic roadmap, business roadmap, technology roadmap, and innovation roadmap. Others include technology route map, science roadmap, program roadmap, market roadmap, industry roadmap, R&D roadmap, customer roadmap, product roadmap, service roadmap, production roadmap, enterprise roadmap, application roadmap, supply chain roadmap, process roadmap, design roadmap, engineering roadmap, policy roadmap, infrastructure roadmap, risk roadmap, and investment roadmap.
WORKSHOP
Workshops are usually organised to operationalise the strategic roadmapping process. Workshops generally resemble a brainstorming session. The main benefit that can be derived from workshops is the opportunities to generate collective creativity and mutual understanding.
The traditional approach to strategic planning is usually top-down. The resistance level of adopting the strategic roadmap is found to be relatively high among the middle and first level management. Such resistance will delay or prevent the effective implementation of the developed strategies. Approach to strategic planning should be bottom-up. The workshops enable the strategy development to be a bottom-up process. Apart from that, workshops encourage breakthrough and build ownership and accountability among participants. Nonetheless, strong collective wisdom and experiences from the participants are needed to run the workshops successfully. If the workshop is effectively organized, strategy will turn into action, and better business performance will follow.
In general, workshop can be organized into two different levels, namely macro and micro level.
Macro level workshop aims to generate national or industry level strategic roadmap. It can also be used to generate supply-chain level or corporate level roadmaps.
Roadmapping workshop at MIM
Macro level focuses more on the application of strategic roadmapping at the high-level of national, industry or corporate world. It encompasses a broader scope of management than its micro counterpart. It aims to explore and identify key national/industry/corporate issues. It is usually being used to develop national policy, industry directions, corporate or SBU strategies. It can accommodate up to 30 participants, originating from different background such as government, corporate, experts, or academics. The macro level strategic roadmapping workshop usually uses a three layers architecture, which consists of business/market, product/services, and capability/resource.
Based on past experiences, it is very easy for the workshop session to overrun. Thus, a workshop agenda should be developed and followed.
Micro level workshop aims to generate firm level strategic roadmap. It is also suitable for developing departmental or product level or even technology level roadmaps.
Micro level workshop is applied at the product or technology level of an individual firm. It is usually designed for a single product or technology. It usually accommodates between 5 and 15 participants, with representatives originating from different departments such as marketing, R&D, human resource, finance, production, and engineering. The duration of the workshop normally takes four working days. Micro level strategic roadmapping workshop usually uses the four-layer architecture, which comprises of market, product, technology/capability, and other resources.
