Roadmapping: A Decision-Aid For Effective DoD Strategy Development, Strategic Communications, and Product Development Improvements, Or Just Another Time- Consuming Process For DoD Professionals?

Roadmapping is a popular business process offering many benefits. Roadmapping has proven to increase organizational efficiencies, produce greater returns on investment, and sharpen strategic foci. It does so by connecting organizations, strategies, processes, and deliverables with a singular timeline to ensure accountability and stakeholder awareness. This process gives leaders the opportunity to set their organizations course toward a successful future, while effectively sharing that journey with both the organization and stakeholders. However, poorly planned and improperly executed roadmaps abound. Their pitfalls slow business progress. In fact, failures have caused some organizations to refrain from using them. In short, this project explores whether roadmapping is a decision aid for effective Department of Defense (DoD) strategy development and a catalyst for product development improvements or whether it is another time-consuming process for DoD acquisition professionals. This project provides recommendations on how to successfully conduct roadmapping and examines why some organizations excel at roadmapping when others fail.