Models for Incorporating Information into Innovation Decisions Dr. Cherie Courseault Trumbach University of New Orleans 9/19/2014

Why Innovation Decisions?  Innovation in Engineering covers  Early Stage (perhaps Basic) Research  Applied Research  Development  Manufacturing

Developments in the Tech Environment Globalization Technology Integration Time Compression

What is the implication for engineering managers? Deliver new ideas to the quickly Understanding of the implications of technological developments Greater forecasting abilities Willing to change courses when necessary And drag others along with them Efficiently determine what is worth pursuing and what is not Respond to the external environment quickly Keep the organization focused

The Engineering Manager must move from a manager the supports control to a leader that supports change. Information is the key.

The Result of Lack of Information  Marketing promises that cannot be delivered  Products designed too expensive to develop  Products designed that don’t match customer requirements  Technology changes that make products quickly obsolete  Inefficient product-technology mixes  The public Is not ready for the product  Regulatory changes that shorten the life of the product

What information?  What others are working on  Risk-related knowledge  Internal resources  Competitor information  Technological developments  Social and Governmental Issues

Two Models  Technology Delivery System  Models the information related to those elements that impact the development and delivery of a technology product  Accelerated Radical Innovation  Models the process of incorporating information in the development process

Technology Delivery System: Modeling the innovation drivers

Elements of a TDS  Inputs to the system  Institutions and Organizations  System Processes  System Outcomes

Example TDS

Accelerated Radical Innovation