Integrating analysis of customers´ processes into roadmapping: The value-creation perspective

Roadmapping has been recognized as a critical activity for combining a business strategy with release planning. Furthermore, the marketing literature has placed increasing emphasis on the importance of understanding customers´ processes and customer value. This paper presents an action research study on the roadmapping problems of two software product companies. The key findings were that customer knowledge was fragmented across different functions of the companies and that roadmapping neglected service development. To solve these problems, analysis of customer value and customers´ processes was integrated into roadmapping. Facilitated workshops with cross-functional teams were used to analyze the customers´ processes in their entirety and to create a holistic view to roadmapping. The lessons learned offer practical means with which software companies can shift their focus from the prioritization of software features to the analysis of customers´ processes and the prioritization of customers´ activities. The shift promotes value creation from the customers´ perspective and the discovery of new service business opportunities.