1 Strategic Viewpoint of Roadmaps in the Fuzzy Front End

The paper addresses questions such as how the roadmaps can be used as a strategic tool to help ideation and new product development. Purpose of this paper is to better understand the role of roadmap in linking strategic planning with new product development. The creation and use of roadmaps as well as the carrying out of FFE process should be always based on the business strategy. Competences, competition, and environment should be strategic inputs in roadmapping process. This process is a two-way process and the creation of roadmaps may indeed give feedback to strategy process about company competences and competition. In addition to the indirect linking of FFE process to the strategy process through the roadmapping, also a direct linkage needs to exist between these two entities. The learning experiences need to be recognized quickly also in the strategy process. On the other hand, to ensure that FFE process functions within the limits set by the company strategy, the strategy needs to be directly considere