How to implement an IAM Roadmap with Effective Ongoing Demand-Management Practices To Align Business Needs

A point-in-time roadmap does not accurately reflect ongoing or completed projects, recently adopted technology, or other dependencies. Without a continually updated roadmap, an organization’s IAM team provides limited demand management and reacts to business needs only as they arise. The lack of demand management leads to IAM investment that is not aligned with true business needs. In order to make the roadmap effective, a demand-management function is needed.

Organisations should look to invest not only in updating a roadmap but also establishing the ongoing demand-management capability to keep the roadmap refreshed over the long term. Managing IAM can be significantly improved with the continual refresh of a mature roadmap that accounts for initiatives in process and governance, enhancements to existing services, and establishment of new services. A roadmap needs to be actively maintained and used to guide initiatives.

Different IAM services should have product managers in place to manage the lifecycle of the service. A product manager is responsible for the management and demand of his or her particular IAM service and managing inputs to the broader IAM roadmap. The manager becomes a key stakeholder involved in maintaining the overall IAM roadmap and works closely with the team delivering IAM services.