8 Key components to create a successful Project Roadmap!

It’s easy for a project manager to get lost in the details and lose sight of the big picture due to all of the components of a project. But how can you see the big picture of the project to make sure you’re on the right track? How can you easily explain how your project will progress to your stakeholders without having to break down the entire project management plan?

The best way to summarise the what, why, and how of your project into an easy-to-understand document that can be shared with anyone is to create a project roadmap. A project management roadmap is a one-of-a-kind tool that serves a purpose distinct from other project documents like a project charter, milestone chart, or project plan.

The following are the key components you’ll need to create a project roadmap:

1. Project Overview

The main focus of any project roadmap is the project’s high-level goals and objectives. Your project goals and objectives are explained in detail in your project charter, so there’s no need to go into great detail here.

• Project Risks

List the major project risks that could cause your project to fail or jeopardise key project elements such as the scope, schedule, goals, stakeholder expectations, quality assurance, and so on.

• Schedule Overview

You should include a schedule overview in your project roadmap because it is a visual timeline of your project. Only the most important project milestones and deliverables will be included in this schedule overview. For a more detailed representation of your project schedule, Gantt charts can be used.

• Dependencies

Note the important project deliverables and how they’re connected, but only from a high-level perspective. The simplest way to represent dependencies is to use a Gantt chart software tool that allows you to link dependencies when creating your project roadmap.

• Resources

Make a list of the resources you’ll need to complete the project. Human resources, such as your project team, and physical resources, such as equipment and materials, are examples.

• Key Individuals

Make a list of the project’s key players and how to contact them.

• Kick-off Meeting

Meet to discuss the project management roadmap and ensure that all stakeholders’ expectations are clear. (An agenda for the kick-off meeting should be prepared.)

• Tasks & Assignments

Ownership is another aspect of the project roadmap. That is, all of the project’s participants’ roles and responsibilities are outlined. The project roadmap identifies who is responsible for what, allowing tasks and deliverables to be tracked.

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