TECHNOLOGY ROADMAPPING
analysis, visualisation and development planning
Alicja Gudanowska
Why do we create a roadmap?
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Success is not only a matter of happiness, hard work or knowledge of our
environment, it is also a well-defined and clear action plan.
Why do we create a roadmap?
Preparation of roadmaps allows to illustrate the goal we are aiming at and shows
how to reach it from where we are.
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Thinking about the future ...
Are thinking about the future and
visualizing it necessary for success?
No doubt YES!
Excessive focus only on the nearest
future without a specific vision and
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strategy can lead us into a dead end.
Thinking about the future ...
Also visionaries who know where they are going need a concrete action plan.
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Focusing on just one look is not right, maintaining a balance between narrow and
broader perceptions is essential if we want to develop in a sustainable and proper way.
What's roadmapping?
One of the main "fathers" of the method in the
area of future studies - Robert Phaal described
roadmapping as a flexible technique that has
been widely used in industry to support
strategic and long-term planning.
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The result of the method is a roadmap, i.e. a
time chart, consisting of several layers, which
usually include different perspectives.
R. Phaal, C. J. P. Farrukh, D. R. Probert, Technology roadmapping –
A planning framework for evolution and revolution,
"Technological Forecasting and Social Change", 71, 2004, 5-26.
Please read R. Phaal's article - sent
with the presentation (article.pdf).
What's roadmap?
Motorola's first published roadmap, for car radios
Robert Galvin, the former
president of Motorola, where the
first roadmap was created,
pointed out that it is an extended
view of the future of the chosen
field, which consists of the
collective knowledge and
imagination of the most talented
creators of change.
T. U. Daim, T. Oliver, Implementing technology roadmap process in
the energy services sector: A case study of a government agency,
"Technological Forecasting and Social Change",
75(5), 2008, 687-720.
C. H. Willyard, C. W. McClees, Motorola's technology roadmap process,
„Research Management”, 1987, Sept.-Oct., 13-19.
What's roadmap?
Roadmap is a visualization of
the realization of our assumed
strategies.
Thanks to it, we transform the
formulated goals and strategies
into concrete actions, enriching
them with specific dates, linking
them to important moments in
time, often indicating the key
functions of these actions and
interconnections. R. Phaal, C. J. P. Farrukh, D. R. Probert, Technology roadmapping – A planning framework for evolution
and revolution, "Technological Forecasting and Social Change", 71, 2004, 5-26.
Formy roadmap
Roadmaps can be presented in various forms, types or with different taxonomies.
They can be categorized into science or technology roadmaps, industry roadmaps, product-
technology roadmaps, and product roadmaps. TRM are prepared in the form of bars,
histograms, tables, graphs, flow diagrams or images or text.
Phaal et al. 2000; Phaal et al. 2001
Visualizations may seem confusingly simple in form, but there are several challenges to be faced
(e.g. generally a wide range of visualizations, considering complex conceptual and human
interactions).
The importance of TIME
in visualizations
The key dimension of
visualization is TIME.
The reference to the timeline
characterizes the method of
creating roadmaps, regardless
of the chosen form of
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visualization. Thanks to that
the created visualizations
become dynamic.
Elements of roadmap
The most popular form of road maps are multi-layered charts. Remember to put on the
roadmap:
● time dimension - adapted to a specific situation, it can take the form of specific points
in time or periods of time;
● layers - individually adjusted axis of layers, usually the upper layers refer to the goals
we are aiming at (knowledge - why?), the lower layers to the resources necessary for
their realization (knowledge - how?), and the middle layers are a bridge between the
lower and the upper layer (knowledge - what?); remember that the mentioned division
of layers is not fixed, but we approach their creation with flexibility!
● annotations - supplementary information, placed outside specific layers, relevant at a
given time (e.g. connections, key decision points, gaps, critical paths, opportunities and
threats).
Roadmap creation process
Check:
http://futureoriented.eu/courses/advanced-course-
entreprenuer/lessons/module-7-lesson-5-invent-the-future-test-your-
strategy-against-future-scenarios/topic/topic-3-roadmapping/
Roadmap creation process
WHERE consider the current state of the selected area/thought/project you are interested in
ARE WE?
describe the most precise and measurable goal possible and when you would like to achieve
WHERE DO
it/the state in which a given phenomenon will find itself within the assumed time horizon
WE WANT
TO BE?
HOW TO GET
THERE?
identify the means, resources,
actions and milestones needed to
achieve the project described, to
reach a specific state
inspirowane beFORE E-Learning Course, http://futureoriented.eu/foresight-course/, 2019
When to create a roadmap?
Creating roadmaps is useful in
every situation when we want
to plan and visualize the
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development of a given
phenomenon in time, even
complex ones, requiring the
capture of several of its
components.
Roadmaps will be particularly useful when we want to establish key links between
resources, actions and objectives, identify significant gaps in the development process,
develop an action plan or support and detail the strategy adopted.
Remember!
Roadmapping can be used in a wide
range of contexts, but the process
and visualisation usually need to be
adapted to individual needs.
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Remember!
Roadmapping is not a magic
ball - initially there may be
more questions than answers.
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Create your own roadmap
Please prepare roadmap, for
the technological innovation
described in technology card
(minimum 4 layers, specified
time horizon, freely chosen
form of roadmap).
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Please remember to
document your work (what
articles and news inspired
you to draw conclusions
about how technology
innovation will change).
