Centre for Technology Management

Customizing the Technology Roadmapping Approach

R Robert Phaal, Clare J.P. Farrukh, John F. Mills, David R. Probert

Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Mill Lane, CB2 1RX, UK

Abstract

Technology roadmapping is a powerful and flexible technique for supporting strategic planning in a wide range of situations. The approach must generally be customized to suit the particular application, in terms of both architecture and process. This paper highlights some of the key learning that has emerged about how to customize the roadmapping method, based on more than 35 applications of the T-Plan ‘fast-start’ approach, which aims to economically initiate roadmapping in organizations. Customization requires careful planning, focused on a collaborative design activity that brings together both application and process domain knowledge.