Delivering the D in R&D: Increasing product outcomes from R&D projects

Sponsored Research and Development projects in the field of assistive technology, are expected to generate tangible device or service outcomes to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities. Why does the field experience a relatively small number of successful outcomes in relation to the funding invested? A retrospective case study of 78 development projects from a dozen U.S. Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers sought evidence of progress in the latter from initial conception of the project, through internal prototype completion, and then transfer out to awareness and use by external stakeholders. The results show evidence of progress to internal prototype for the majority of projects, but evidence of transfer into use by others by about one quarter of the proposed projects. The lack of progress to the intended results for the majority of projects is attributed to deficiencies in the initial problem selection, and to operational issues such as project planning and resource management. These limitations could be addressed by applying generally accepted models and methods of new product development. These are considered to be standard practice in industry, yet they are not widely known or applied by people trained as academic researchers. Findings suggest that successful development projects require a level of rigor and relevance in development projects equal to that applied to research projects. Sponsored projects in assistive technology which intend to generate beneficial impacts among people with disabilities, need to differentiate research, development and production activity, and ensure that the appropriate personnel, resources and systems are applied to achieve the desired results. This, in turn, requires funding agencies and host institutions to treat these various forms of activity with equal rigor and relevance.