Part 1: Digital Roadmaps.
I first learned about
digital roadmaps when I was tasked with developing an ”As Is” / ”Should Be”
assessment on how to modernize our
company website. The Digital Agency we
worked with helped us to craft my first one.
Like a traditional roadmap, its used to map your route. Just like traditional maps, digital
roadmaps have distances, landmarks,
places of interest, rest stops and the route to the ”final” destination. However, there is no automatic route calculator that plots the most efficient way to get there. That app just doesn't exist...
Like any group of
people (or project team) traveling together, things happen
along the way. For instance, there may
be car trouble, traffic delays, or even unplanned side trips to places of interest. If possible, each of those "what-ifs" of need to be factored into
the plan. They impact your ultimate
arrival time and budget.
Like any cross
country trip, there are direct routes, short cuts and scenic excursions to your destination. Each of those routes affects the quality of your travel, your arrival time, your budget and the
range of things (scope) you will discover along the way.
A good mapping
process prioritizes the business goals to determine what tools are needed and when. They know that the destination is not always
what it appears to be. After all, it’s only a map, and maps can change.
A good roadmap is one
that is not too granular, but allows you to see at a high level where the
places of interest are and the distance and direction between them.
It allows you to anticipate and plan for the trip. It tells you where the rest stops are.
Roadmaps are a great staffing, budgeting and resource planning tool. They allow you and your stakeholders
visualize the entire journey; the
milestones, direction and the duration of the trip. It also opens the journey up for discussion.
The very act of
creating a roadmap is a valuable process.
It is a process that requires a skilled
travel planner that knows the right questions to ask and probes for the answers. The questions focus on your audiences, their
preferences and habits. Insights into how they behave are also
important. This process will not only define
your destination, but breaks up the
journey into achievable segments. The
quality of a roadmap really depends on a thorough understanding of the wants, needs
and wishes of the audience and your company’s commitment to an exceptional digital
experience.
Coming up - Part 2: What does a Digital Roadmap look like.
