1. Third International Seville Conference on Future-Oriented Technology Analysis (FTA): Impacts and implications for policy and decision-making
16th- 17th October 2008
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of the strategic planning of a distributed contract-research organisation
Raoul Klingner
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

2. Fraunhofer - a distributed contract research org.
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer - a distributed contract research org.
Development and size of Fraunhofer
Number of Fraunhofer-Institutes
Budget in million € 27 28 29 30 32 34 33 36 38 39 45 43 46 47 55 56 57 58 75 77 79 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 99 01 03 05 07

3. Fraunhofer - a distributed contract research org.
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer - a distributed contract research org.
R&D portfolio and planning
corporate level
facilitates corporate topics
6 alliances communicate common competencies
56 institute define strategies
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Institute
Alliance 1
Alliance 2
Alliance ...
Information and Communication Technology
Life Sciences
Materials and Components
Microelectronics
Production
Surface Technology and Photonics

4. Competition vs. Cooperation
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Competition vs. Cooperation
New solutions happen at the interface of disciplines
Technologies converge
Corporate strategy has to manage and facilitate competition and cooperation of the Institutes
Fraunhofer unique strategic strength is / will be the efficient and quick utilization of various competency combinations within one organisation
© Fraunhofer IFAM
Printed conductor paths connect a flow sensor (below) with the contacts on a circuit board (above)
The novel micro-pump works in a similar way to the human esophagus
© Fraunhofer IWM
Artificially grown biological matrix
© Fraunhofer IGB

5. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Scope of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Cooperation across the knowledge domains within Fraunhofer is initiated through innovative topics with economic and societal relevance
A participative process inspires and taps the intellectual resources and creativity of all Fraunhofer employees in order to identify new topics especially suitable for Fraunhofer to be developed further
Coordination within Fraunhofer
Communication of the topics to the market and public
Internal funding of key-projects to stimulate their development

6. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Framework conditions of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Broad acceptance
Transparent process
Societal need and challenge
Bottom up idea generation
Recurrent process (3 years cycle)

7. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Criteria of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Fundamental competencies in the topics are established, yet still distributed to individual Institutes
Strategic fit - in terms of R&D portfolio as well as maturity of technology
Competencies become concerted and aligned synergistically across the Institute groups
Become the best in this field of applied R&D
Topic granularity allows Fraunhofer its full scientific and technological coverage
Topics validated by the research market
Significant progress in a 3-5 year R&D perspective and a 5-10 year market perspective is realistic

8. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Methodology of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Analysis of foresight studies +
1st survey among researchers
Analysis of various Foresight Studies
Fraunhofer internal surveys
Topic evaluation
2nd survey and rating among researchers and stakeholders
12 Future topics
Ranking and clustering
Selection process
Advancement of topics
Final workshops and roadmaps
2007
2008
2009
2010

9. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Methodology of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Analysis of foresight studies +
1st survey among researchers
1st survey: Fraunhofer scientists and executives of 56 Institutes, based on criteria
 170 topic entries
2nd survey and rating among researchers and stakeholders
Structuring of ideas in 13 technology areas with a total of 93 sub-themes for 2nd survey
- ...
2nd survey among Fraunhofer scientists and executives + industrial advisory boards (#436)
 Evaluation of topic entries
 New topic suggestions
Ranking and clustering
- √
- abc
Final workshops and roadmaps

10. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Methodology of »Fraunhofer Futures«
Analysis of foresight studies +
1st survey among researchers
# yes/no of each topic  ranking
comparison of panels
discussion with experts
clustering by generalists
- √
- abc
2nd survey and rating among researchers and stakeholders
Ranking and clustering
Final workshops and roadmaps

11. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Results: Macro Trends where do you expect answers from Fraunhofer ?

12. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Results: 12 Fraunhofer Futures Topics
Assisted personal health
Food chain management
Bio-functional surfaces
Decentralized integrated water management
Energy self-sufficient sensors and sensor networks
Energy-efficient modernization of buildings
Energy storage in power grids
Green powertrain technologies
Hybrid material structures
Solid-state light sources
Integrated localization technology
Visual analytics

13. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Discussion of process: "Processing" the topics

14. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Discussion of process: Ranking and Clustering
Quantitative and qualitative procedures
Quantitative ranking of topics
Analysis of rate of agreement of 2 panels
Qualitative clustering by generalists
Clustering along criteria and attributes
Technology and market know-how +
framework and scope
Definition by expert groups

15. Fraunhofer Future Topics
Fraunhofer Future Topics - FTA as part of Fraunhofer's strategic planning
Fraunhofer Future Topics
Conclusion
FTA as part of the strategic planning of a specific organization
has to follow distinct strategic framework criteria
has to comply with existing structures to gain the necessary acceptance and support in implementation
has to be based on a transparent process and quantifiable results
subjective decision making has to take place to synthesize the process into a concise outcome
 a system
of checks and balances
of qualitative methods relying on quantitative results
is the necessary consequence