We’ve recently introduced Digital Roadmaps as part of our ongoing improvements to the value we can bring to our clients. A Digital Roadmap really helps us, as your partner agency, understand where you want to go, and allows us to add extra value, by providing the most appropriate functionality / formulating development and marketing approaches in a more efficient manner, and future-proofing those as they go.
A Digital Roadmap assembles existing functional requests and desired marketing approaches into a narrative or story of where you want your company to be at certain points in the future. Assembling your needs into a narrative makes it easier for stakeholders to understand and contribute positively to the direction of the company.
Assembling and prioritising existing requests and needs within a Digital Roadmap easily allows both internal stakeholders and Plume to understand the shape and direction of where you want to take the business, our individual roles in that narrative, and work on a collaborative approach to achieve those goals.
Having a 'top level' goal for each milestone on your Digital Roadmap (think of them as a chapter in your story), and any existing requests listed under each one, not only allows internal stakeholders and ourselves to really understand what's already been requested and where you want to be in the next month / quarter / six months / year, but also to spot any angles which may be missing from the picture and identify any potential conflicts.
A Digital Roadmap doesn't need to be complicated - the initial version could be drawn up on a whiteboard, then transferred to a spreadsheet or Gantt chart, for further discussion with your internal stakeholders.
An initial Digital Roadmap can be shared with internal stakeholders, so they can reassess their existing requests. It helps identify the pressures and needs of their colleagues, as part of the 'bigger picture'. This will prompt a greater sense of ownership, once stakeholders realise that they're part of the story, and have a role in shaping the direction of the company - it's a really practical way to get them to buy in and contribute effectively.
A Digital Roadmap means products and services which bring more value to your company, better alignment with your business needs and aims, savings in cost and time, and a greater understanding / engagement from both internal stakeholders and us.
