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

尽管高价值的创新为美国及其他国家的经济增长和可持续发展提供了潜力，但近年来，在将研发（R&amp；D）转化为合法的商业可行产品和社会价值方面，数字令人失望。即使在老牌公司，80%的新产品和创新也会在一年内失败。许多公司的研究表明，只有不到20%的最重要的研发计划可以为企业带来价值。更现实地说，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)对客户和市场的关注；(2)创新和价值创造技能；(3)利用有效的价值创造过程。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对于创造成功和可持续的研发创新是必要的。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。为了解决当今研发创新者面临的上述挑战，并认识到密集合作的价值，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剧本研讨会。《价值创造手册》是一个身临其境的、实践性强的课程，满足了创新成功的基本要求。工作坊的设计基于这样的原则：为了有效地创新，专业人员必须(1)拥有共同的价值创造理念和语言；(2)建立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价值，例如持续的、无情的团队迭代。工作坊的交付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的长期可持续影响。预计，作为这些研讨会的结果，ERC团队将(1)澄清他们项目的目标、目的和里程碑；(2)加强研发和商业化力度；(3)更好地理解有效价值创造所需的核心语言、技能和知识框架，强调积极的迭代和协作；(4)能够更好地协调团队的方向和目标，无论是个人还是整体的NSF ERC项目。这些过程和技能将被NSF ERC团队不断使用，因为他们在工程生态系统中推进了他们的计划计划，以及他们的个人职业生涯。

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.