The key to getting to where you're going is having a good map to help you get there. Sailors, mountain climbers, and explorers all rely on detailed maps to keep them on course, out of danger, and on the quickest path to their destinations. When it comes to developing and maintaining a great website, a project road map can make the difference between success and failure.

In terms of web development, a project road map is a clear and detailed page-by-page outline of what will be on the website and how it will work. A good road map will typically include a "wire frame" diagram that outlines all the pages on the site and, on more complex sites, the details of every link, photo, and button. The goal is to identify the functionality and services required on the site and ensure the site is user-friendly and easy to navigate.

Every company should consider completing a basic project road map for its website, regardless of the size of the site. A road map will help guide the company and the site developer in fine-tuning the functionality and clarity of the site and its components. The road map will also help to highlight the on-going resources needed to ensure the project can reach its objectives. Project road maps are especially critical when developing a website with custom-designed services such as user mangers, inventory, online stores, and other interactive services. Without a clear and detailed outline, website development can quickly turn in a bottomless pit for time and money.

Technology choices can be confusing to the very people charged with making important decisions about the company website. Road maps will help decision makers determine the right technology choice for the project by clearly identifying project and business requirements. A road map will also help non-technical people focus on the really important requirements of a web project and not be charmed by the window dressing and non-essential bells and whistles.

Identifying the size and scale of a project, expected traffic, number of transactions, site features, predicted expansion, and development direction will help facilitate the communication process between managers and technology companies. For example, knowing the exact size and scale a manager expects of a project will help determine what programming language the site developer will use. Knowing the direction of future site enhancements will help developers explain to managers the best choices for technology solutions that allow for future expansion without a complete re-build. Knowing where and how data needs to be shared within the company is key to picking a solution that can grow with the business and its customers. (No one wants to go to a website and log in three different times to use different services on the same site.) Data should pass seamlessly from one service to another.

Project road maps cut down time and costs for both developer and client. They help to ensure a project is on time, on budget, and meets the client's needs. A road map also cuts down on a developer's most feared situation: "feature creep" - a situation when a project changes direction several times throughout the build because realistic goals and objectives weren't clearly identified from the beginning. A good project road map will help narrow down the best choices for any web project will help to ensure the project is done on time and on budget and up to everyone's specifications.