Technology foresight using roadmaps

Abstract

A novel approach to Technology Foresight has been developed by BP and used to devise an R&D strategy embracing the core business areas of the company. It is based on the use of Roadmaps which are visual descriptions summarizing the outcomes of numerous discussions involving all the personnel responsible for procuring, planning, funding, monitoring, and implementing R&D. This emphasis on visual, easy-to-comprehend descriptions of customer needs, technology responses, and R&D programmes offers several benefits. It facilitates the structured dialogue essential to the Foresight process; it also greatly aids communication, both at the operational commercial and technical level, and with senior management too, as well as providing a practical means for ensuring R&D programmes are apposite, correctly prioritized, and adequately resourced. The essential differences from more conventional methods of developing strategies and plans are that 1. it places greater emphasis on, and provides practical assistance to facilitate the construction of the plan by enabling all the participants, whether technically expert or otherwise, to play a full part in the process, 2. it enables the overall impact and relevance of individual technology components of a business strategy to be assimileted repidly and reliably, and 3. it greatly facilitates identification of gaps and/or duplications of effort These advantages stem primarily from the combination of logical analysis, widespread construction and discussion, and use of graphical techniques, all of which are key features of this approach.