Collective Wisdom from the Experts 101
Once a good draft has been created, get feedback from the project’s executive
sponsor as well as from the project stakeholders. Provide a live forum for
discussion that allows stakeholders to ask for clarity, voice concerns regard-
ing prioritization, and alert the team to items that are missing from the road-
map. These frank discussions build understanding of the project and help to
ensure that the roadmap is in alignment with stakeholder priorities. Adjust
the draft according to the input received. Ideally, after completing this step,
you’ll have a roadmap which is supported by all key stakeholders.
Finally, shout it out loudly—post the roadmap prominently on the project
website, present it to secondary stakeholder groups, and use it as a primary
communication tool for the projects. Review the roadmap quarterly to make
sure you are on track. Tell stakeholders what has been completed and what
will be coming during the next quarter. If delays make it necessary to revise
the roadmap, go back to the draft stage and repeat. Communicate the newly
revised plan to all involved.
This method of creating a project roadmap gives project stakeholders a voice
and lets them know what to expect. And last, but by no means least, it affords
your team a regular method by which to communicate to others what it has
successfully delivered during previous quarters.