A digital roadmap is a written plan that ranks your possible technology projects by value, effort and risk, puts them in a workable order, and attaches a budget and an owner to each. For most small and mid-sized businesses it covers 12 to 24 months. Its most valuable section is often the shortest: the list of projects you agree not to do yet.
Who this is for
The roadmap suits businesses where technology decisions are being made one at a time, usually in response to a renewal notice or a sales call. Signs that you need one include:
- three or more digital projects "in progress" at once, none of them finished
- software subscriptions that nobody can fully account for
- a leadership team that disagrees about what to fix first
- staff re-keying the same information into two or three systems
- a growth plan that assumes systems you do not yet have
It is equally useful before a period of growth, an acquisition, or a change of leadership, when the cost of getting the order wrong rises.
What is included
We build the roadmap from evidence gathered inside your business, not from a template.
- Interviews with the owner, managers and the people who do the daily work, typically six to twelve conversations.
- A systems inventory listing every application you pay for, what it costs per year, who uses it, and what data it holds.
- A process map of the three or four workflows that matter most, such as quote to cash or enquiry to booking.
- A long list of candidate projects, from staff suggestions, our observations and your own plans.
- Scoring of each project on business value, effort, cost and risk, with dependencies noted.
- The roadmap itself, arranged by quarter, with budget ranges, an owner for each item, and decision points.
- A stop list of projects to drop or defer, with the reason recorded.
The method behind steps 5 to 7 is set out in our guide to prioritising digital projects.
Timeline
A typical engagement runs four to eight weeks.
| Week | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Interviews, systems inventory, process mapping |
| 3–4 | Long list, scoring workshop with leadership |
| 5–6 | Draft roadmap, cost ranges, review with owner |
| 7–8 | Final roadmap and handover session |
Workshops can be held in person or by video call. Smaller businesses with one site and a handful of systems often finish in about five weeks.
How results are measured
A roadmap is judged by what happens after it is written. We agree the measures with you at the start, and they usually include:
- the share of roadmap items started and finished on schedule each quarter
- annual software spend before and after rationalisation
- hours of duplicate data entry removed, estimated before and checked after
- whether the next major purchase went through a documented selection
We do not promise a percentage saving. Some roadmaps find significant waste; others confirm that the current stack is broadly sound and the issue is adoption.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting with the tool. "We need an ERP" is a conclusion, not a starting point. Begin with the problem the ERP is supposed to solve.
- Ignoring dependencies. A reporting dashboard built before the CRM is cleaned up will display unreliable numbers very attractively.
- Planning more than the team can absorb. Two significant system changes a year is a realistic ceiling for many businesses under 50 people.
- No owner per project. A project without a named internal owner tends to stall the moment the vendor's onboarding contact moves on.
- Never revisiting it. A roadmap left untouched for 18 months is a historical document.
What comes next
Most roadmaps lead directly into one or two software selections, and often into implementation oversight once a contract is signed. Pricing options are explained on the pricing page. To talk about your own list of projects, text (604) 632-4959 with a line or two about the business, or call or email; the first 30 minutes are free.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a roadmap engagement take?
Usually four to eight weeks, depending on the number of people we interview and the systems involved. A smaller business with one location can be at the shorter end.
What does a roadmap cost?
It is normally priced as a project, within the group's $3,500 to $25,000 project range, plus GST/HST based on your province (GST and QST in Quebec). The proposal states the exact fee before work begins.
Is the roadmap tied to particular software?
No. The roadmap describes capabilities and outcomes, such as scheduling dispatch from one screen, rather than products. Specific products are chosen later, through a selection process.
How often should a roadmap be revisited?
Review it every quarter and rewrite it once a year. Priorities shift as projects finish, prices change and the business grows.