When was the last time you held an honest-to-goodness map in your hands, squinting at the minuscule print as you tried to pinpoint the curves in the road? You've probably ditched that glove box navigation companion for a GPS system some time ago, automating your route in the process.

However, you didn't ditch the need for the map.

Similarly, if your company plans to develop an IT roadmap to serve as a blueprint for its agile development efforts, you'll have to grab that magnifying glass and compass to chart the best course for your business.

Often, when undertaking this roadmapping task, personnel — whether internal IT staff or a consulting firm — may get in over their heads. In this slideshow, Himanshu Sareen, CEO of Icreon Tech, has identified four essential points organizations should consider to ease their roadmap creation process.