Best Innovation Practices from a Technology R&D Perspective

Technology R&D is closely integrated with New Business Development, Intellectual Property, and Human Resources functions.

Background specific to those working in Technology R&D Management is offered below:

1. Make Sure Your Company Will Fund Your New Product Development Proposals:

• Make sure your company really needs to have new products and services. If so do they need to be Incremental, Next-Generation, or Breakthrough products?
  • Read about how Growth is a Driver of Company Success.
• Your Proposals have to align with your Company’s Business Direction.
  • Read about how Clear Company Vision, Mission, Goals and Values Are Critical for Business Success.
• Your Proposals have to align with your Company’s Strategic Plans.
  • Read about environmental and global business Factors that Affect Strategy Development.
  • Read about the various forms of Strategic Technology Planning to select the method that will make you successful.
  • Be sure to double check how your projects fit in not only into the Technology Strategy, but also how they also Integrate into the Business, HR, and IP Strategic Plans of your Company. Projects that mesh well into many Company strategies are usually able to obtain a larger share of Company investment resources.

2. When You Start Your Technology Research or Development Project, Run It Well:

• Create ideas using the Creative Problem Solving Method that matches the incremental, next-generation, or breakthrough product need that you have.
  • Read about Methods to Create New Business and Product Ideas.
• Run your project consistent with how your company behaves.
  • Read about Technology Management Processes and Organizational Designs that work well in various Company structures.
• Once again, be sure to double check how you project management techniques fit not only with how your company likes to manage Technology, but also how it like to have Integrated Business, Technical, IP and HR Processes. Projects that mesh well into many Company “ways-of-doing-things” are more likely retain management support, even in difficult times.

3. As Your Project Progresses, Keep Your Eyes Wide Open:

• Remember that “the-devil-is-in-the-details” when it comes to the actual day-to-day project work. A good project leader knows how to pivot and use the right mix of project management tools.
  • Read about the Details of Managing Technology Projects.
  • Read about Design of Experiments and Statistical Process Control.
• Make sure you know what your suppliers, customers, and competition are doing.
  • Read about how to manage Competitive Intelligence Projects.

4. When Your Project Needs More Resources:

• Consider external sources of support
  • Read about how to Access External Technology.

5. As Your Project Proceeds, Understand How Your Senior Management Will Evaluate You And Your Project:

• Know how they and your Company’s shareholders measure success
  • Read about Measurement of New Business Development and R&D and for Executive and Shareholder Use.