Roadmaps are a sight to behold. They are beautiful not only because of their appearance but also because of what they represent. Roadmaps show you exactly what you want to accomplish and how you'll get there. You can arouse interest in a major concept and package it in a way that others can comprehend. A roadmap, on the other hand, is still merely a representation. Behind the plan, you must have a vision and a strategy.
In order to construct something lasting, you must first comprehend the purpose of vision, strategy, and road mapping. Within effective product and project teams, you'll find that all three are well defined.
Let's begin with a basic illustration. Consider a skyscraper. The first concept about what kind of location it would be and why it will be important is called vision. The plan for the foundation and framework is the strategy. The blueprint is expanded upon in the roadmap, which includes a thorough strategy for creating a fully functional facility.
To put it another way, vision is your outlook on the future. The approach you'll take to achieve that future condition is referred to as strategy. A roadmap, on the other hand, is a more tactical plan for how you'll get there (and when you'll get there), guided by the vision and strategy. Some people now interchange the terms "vision" and "strategy." Many people also create comprehensive plans that aren't based on a vision—they consist of a collection of activities with no clear strategy behind them. The trouble with this strategy is that it's all too easy to lose sight of why you're doing certain tasks in the first place.
But, regardless of where you work or how your company tackles strategic planning, it's critical to understand what each phrase means and what it doesn't. This will enable you to focus on what you do best, whether it's creating goods, managing projects, launching campaigns, product management, or providing exceptional customer support. Here's how to think about vision, strategy, and road mapping in a different way:
Vision is concerned with the future and the creation of a better world. It encapsulates your goals and serves as the foundation for your strategy. A vision statement is not something you define once and then forget about. At least once a year, it should be reviewed. It also shouldn't be unduly complicated or difficult to comprehend; everyone in the firm should be aware of and understand it.
The path you'll follow to realize your vision is defined by your strategy. The strategy brings the entire organization together around a common goal and serves as a roadmap for achieving that goal. It outlines your objectives as well as the major strategic activities that will help you achieve them.
The job you'll undertake tactically isn't a strategy. But it's not something that happens in the background; it influences every decision you make about which activities to invest in. For significant initiatives, strategy is cross-functional. Every team must understand how their job relates to the overall goals and contribute to the achievement of those goals.
A strategy roadmap is a visual representation of your overall strategy. It records the activities you plan to perform within a certain amount of time. It conveys upcoming tasks in a single glance. A roadmap can be used to guide conversations. It can help you prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and keep track of dependencies. A roadmap is not a static document. Adjustments can be made when plans change, progress can be shown as work is completed, and custom views can be created for different audiences. A blueprint should pique your interest. It's a visual guide that outlines the tasks that must be completed in order for the team to perform at its best.
Vision, strategy, and roadmaps all work together to help you design winning plans and achieve your objectives. Maybe you work for a company that doesn't have a clear vision or strategy, or you're part of a team that hasn't yet used roadmaps as a strategic planning tool. Begin with what you can. Create roadmaps that outline the impending work and define a vision and strategy for the projects you're in charge of. I'm sure the folks around you will notice you soon. And who knows, maybe they'll start pushing roadmaps to the rest of the company.