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Steering Your Digital Strategy with Wisdom: 10 Essential Do's and Don'ts


Steering Your Digital Strategy with Wisdom: 10 Essential Do's and Don'ts

Having a robust and well-charted digital strategy roadmap is essential. It will guide you from short-term tweaks to long-term milestones and empower you to tread complex business terrains confidently.


To help you craft, manage, and communicate a solid digital strategy roadmap, I've distilled some friendly advice into 10 essential do's and don'ts.

They are equally applicable to any business, large or small.


Do's:

1. Establish a Clear Vision and Specific Goals:

Do kickstart your journey by sketching your vision and specified goals. This vital step lays the bedrock for your roadmap, steering every forthcoming decision and action.


2. Link Initiatives with Goals Harmoniously:

Do guarantee that every initiative or theme on your roadmap links directly with your established goals and KPIs, enabling progress tracking.


3. Align BAU and Innovation Initiatives:

Find the right balance between Business-As-Usual (BAU) tasks and groundbreaking projects. Aim for a healthy split, allocating time and resources for nurturing existing and launching new initiatives.


4. Develop Tangible Success Criteria:

Identify how to evaluate success for each feature or enhancement by identifying suitable metrics (like revenue or engagement rates) and establishing necessary tracking systems.


5. Engage Senior Stakeholders Initially:

Do introduce your roadmap to senior stakeholders first, fostering their endorsement early in the process and facilitating unified support across the organisation.


6. Champion Quality Over Quantity:

Do zero in on a handful of significant initiatives instead of deluging your resources with numerous tasks. Prioritising quality execution trumps a scattergun approach every time.


7. Anchor in Basics Before Scaling to Complexity:

Do target foundational glitches and resolve any lingering inefficiencies before escalating to more complex enhancements. A robust base paves the way for successful innovation.


8. Prioritise Themes and Epics Over Features:

Do design your roadmap around broader themes and epics rather than isolated features. This method offers a panoramic view of your focal points and nurtures strategic cohesion.


9. Embrace Flexibility and Continuous Iteration:

Do acknowledge that roadmaps are living documents, necessitating adaptability and readiness to recalibrate priorities based on fresh insights and shifting business exigencies.


10. Anticipate and Brace for Alterations:

Do foresee potential deviations from the initial plan, equipping your roadmap with the agility to assimilate necessary adjustments gracefully.


Don'ts:


1. Steer Away from Overcommitting:

Don't plunge into numerous initiatives at once. Concentrate on a few that resonate perfectly with your objectives, safeguarding tangible progress.


2. Bypass Premature Complexity:

Don't unveil complex features prematurely. Focus on building a resilient foundation before branching out to more nuanced dimensions.


3. Avoid Feature-Centric Roadmapping:

Don't build a roadmap entrenched solely in features. Build it around broader themes and epics that resonate with your strategic ambitions.


4. Discard the Pursuit of Perfection:

Don't chase an impeccably detailed roadmap. Embrace the organic evolution of roadmaps, fostering adaptability in changing dynamics.


5. Prepare for the Unpredictable:

Don't bank on your roadmap unfolding as planned. Stay prepared for unforeseen twists and have contingency plans up your sleeve.


6. Never Ignore User Feedback:

Don't sideline invaluable input from users and customers; overlooking their insights might cost you promising avenues for refinement and innovation.


7. Avoid Communication Shortfalls:

Don't seclude your roadmap or falter in communicating regular updates. Open communication nurtures trust among stakeholders and harmonises collective understanding.


8. Don't Overcomplicate it:

Don't engulf your roadmap in complexity, making it incomprehensible. Preserve clarity and conciseness, making it accessible for all team members.


9. Don't Solely Depend on Historical Data:

Don't anchor your roadmap solely on past data or triumphs. As the digital arena constantly morphs, incorporate emerging trends and advancements.


10. Abstain from Rushing without Thorough Validation:

Don't hasten to bring ideas to life without thorough scrutiny. Evaluate their viability and potential impacts earnestly before allocating resources.


By sticking to these 20 golden do's and don'ts, you'll be well on your way to developing a resilient and adaptable digital strategy roadmap.

This roadmap will not only shepherd your organisation towards its imagined horizon but also remain responsive to the ever-changing demands and opportunities that lie ahead.

Got questions or thoughts you'd like to share? We love a good conversation! Let's discuss your insights.

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