Roadmapping is a powerful tool to manage technical risks and opportunities associated with complex problems. Roadmapping identifies technical capabilities required for both project- and program-level efforts and provides the basis for plans that ensure the necessary enabling activities will be done when needed. Roadmapping reveals where to focus further development of the path forward by evaluating uncertainties for levels of complexity, impacts, and/or the potential for large payback. Roadmaps can be customized to the application, a "graded approach" if you will. Some roadmaps are less detailed. We have called these less detailed, top-level roadmaps "mini-roadmaps". These miniroadmaps are created to tie the needed enablers (e.g., technologies, decisions, etc.) to the functions. If it is found during the mini-roadmapping that areas of significant risk exist, then those can be roadmapped further to a lower level of detail. Otherwise, the mini-roadmap may be sufficient to manage the project / program risk. Applying a graded approach to the roadmapping can help keep the costs down. Experience has indicated that it is best to do mini-roadmapping first and then evaluate the risky areas to determine whether to further evaluate those areas. Roadmapping can be especially useful for programs / projects that have participants from multiple sites, programs, or other entities which are involved. Increased synergy, better communications, and increased cooperation are the results from roadmapping a program / project with these conditions. And, as with any trip, the earlier you use a roadmap, the more confidence you will have that you will arrive at your destination with few, if any, problems. The longer the trip or complicated the route, the sooner the map is needed. This analogy holds true for using roadmapping for laying out program / project baselines and any alternative (contingency) plans. The mini-roadmapping process has been applied to past projects like the hydrogen gas generation roadmap and the subsurface contaminant focus area (SCFA), and it's basic form is being applied in the formulation of the '2012 Plan' at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). There are also plans to apply this process in the near future for other projects/programs.
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