About

Description 

Roadmaps are a futures technique that combine research, trends, applications, objectives and action plans. A roadmap shows the development strands of key elements, their connections with other strands and potential applications that result. A roadmap also outlines a response to this environment with an overall action plan, detailing key objectives to be met.

‘All you need is the plan, the road map and the courage to press on to your destination.’

Earl Nightingale

Roadmaps are particularly useful when reviewing science and technology, where long-term development routes are in place and the combinations of science and technology advances can lead to new applications. However, roadmaps can be applied to a variety of subject matter such as product development, capability requirements, or indicating step changes of the future.

To see a summary of recent roadmapping history as captured by the EC-funded project eGovRTD2020, visit the project web site and go to page 18 of the final report.

Steps

1. Scope the project.
2. Gather research.
3. Establish timelines.
4. Validation
5. Build action plan.