Innovation-for-Impact: A Value-creation Program to Improve the Impact of NSF's R&D and Commercialization Initiatives

虽然高价值创新提供了提高美国及其他国家经济增长和可持续性的潜力，但近年来，在将研发转化为合法的商业上可行的产品和对社会的价值方面，数字令人失望。即使在成熟的公司，80%的新产品和创新在一年内失败。许多公司的研究表明，他们最重要的研发活动中只有不到20%可以为企业带来价值。 更现实的是，只有2-5%可以提供显著的价值。这种高失败率可归因于以下方面的不足：（1）以客户和市场为重点;（2）创新和创造价值的技能;（3）有效利用创造价值的流程。本项目假设，强调在创新过程的初始阶段所采用的技能和过程是必要的，以创造成功的和可持续的研发创新。通过改进创新过程的初始阶段，对科学、工程和教育生态系统的贡献有望增加，从而对研发的质量和可持续性以及由此创造的产品的社会价值产生积极影响。为了应对当今研发创新者面临的上述挑战，并认识到深入合作的价值，项目团队将为NSF工程教育和中心（EEC）部门，特别是其工程研究中心（ERC）计划举办两次价值创造行动手册研讨会。《价值创造行动手册》是一个沉浸式的实践计划，满足了创新成功的基本要求。研讨会的设计基于这样的原则，即为了有效地创新，专业人员必须（1）分享创造价值的概念和语言;（2）制定收集基本知识的基本框架;（3）能够使用最佳学习实践快速创造新的价值，例如持续不断的团队迭代。讲习班不仅注重增加参与者的知识和意识，而且注重对参与者的态度和行为产生长期可持续的影响。通过这些研讨会，ERC团队有望（1）明确项目的目标、目的和里程碑;（2）加强研发&和商业化工作;（3）更好地理解有效创造价值所需的核心语言、技能和知识框架，重点是积极的迭代和协作;和（4）能够更好地调整他们的团队的方向和目的，无论是个人还是整个NSF ERC计划。这些流程和技能将被NSF ERC团队持续使用，因为他们在工程生态系统中推进了他们的项目计划和个人职业生涯。

Although high-value innovations offer the potential to increase economic growth and sustainability in the United States and beyond, recent years have shown disappointing numbers in the transformation of research and development (R&D) into legitimate commercially viable products and value to society. Even in established companies, 80% of new products and innovations fail within one year. Numerous company studies show that less than 20% of their most important R&D initiatives could bring value for the enterprise. More realistically, only 2-5% could provide significant value. This high failure rate can be attributed to a deficit in the following: (1) customer and market focus; (2) innovation and value-creation skills; and (3) use of effective value-creation processes. This project hypothesizes that an emphasis on the skills and processes employed during the initial stages of the innovation process is necessary to create successful and sustainable R&D innovations. By improving the initial stages of the innovation process, contributions to the science, engineering, and education ecosystems can be expected to increase, and thereby, positively impact the quality and sustainability of both R&D and societal value of the products so created. Addressing the aforementioned challenges facing today's R&D innovators, and acknowledging the value of intensive collaboration, the project team will host two Value-Creation Playbook workshops for the NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC), specifically its Engineering Research Center (ERC) Program. The Value-Creation Playbook is an immersive, hands-on program that satisfies the fundamental requirements for success in innovation. The design of the workshop is based on the principle that in order to innovate effectively, professionals must (1) have shared value-creation concepts and language; (2) develop fundamental frameworks for collecting essential knowledge; and (3) be able to rapidly create new value using best learning practices, such as continuous, unrelenting team iteration. Workshop delivery focuses not only on increase in participants' knowledge and awareness, but also on long-term sustainable impact on participants' attitudes and behaviors. It is expected that, as a result of these workshops, ERC teams will (1) clarify their projects' goals, objectives, and milestones; (2) strengthen their R&D and commercialization efforts; (3) better understand the core language, skills, and intellectual frameworks required for efficient value creation, with an emphasis on aggressive iteration and collaboration; and (4) be able to better align their team's direction and purpose, both individually and with the overall NSF ERC program. It is intended that these processes and skills will be employed continuously by NSF ERC teams as they move forward with their program initiatives, and their individual careers in the engineering ecosystem.