Roadmapping for Data: Concept and Typology of Data-Integrated Smart-Service Roadmaps

Data become critical in the recent business environment, especially in the smart service where value is generation via data analytics to support self-reconfigured, instrumented, interconnected, and intelligent characteristics. Thus, data have been recognized as important assets for planning to ensure a firm's competitiveness. However, the literature is surprisingly sparse in integrating data for the technology roadmap (TRM) which has been widely used to support strategic planning. In response, this article suggests a concept of the data-integrated TRM and proposes relevant structure, typology, and roadmapping process to show how to integrate data into the technology roadmapping. First, types of data integration are defined based on the literature review and practical business cases. Second, the concept and structure of data-integrated TRM are suggested, adding a data layer as an intermediate and functional link for planning corresponding smart services. Third, the typology of data-integrated TRM is also suggested considering types of data integration. Based on the typology, this article also illustrates roadmapping processes for practical examples. An in-depth discussion of the suggested data-integrated TRM is expected to be of high value in terms of practicality in the near future.