Why might you want to use the Heilmeier Framework for your next grant proposal or business pitch?
Convincing others that you have a great idea can be hard. Convincing them that it's also worth putting their money into is much, much harder. So what tools can help you organize and communicate your ideas effectively?
What is the Heilmeier Framework?
Also known as Heilmeier's Catechism, the Heilmeier Framework is a set of questions that were designed to help researchers and innovators evaluate the potential of their projects and communicate the underlying ideas effectively [1]. The specific questions are:
- What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.
- How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
- What's new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
- Who cares? If you're successful, what difference will it make?
- What are the risks and the payoffs?
- How much will it cost?
- How long will it take?
- What are the midterm and final "exams" to check for success?
Who is this Heilmeier person?
Dr. George H. Heilmeier was an American engineer, inventor, and executive known for his significant contributions to the fields of electronics, optics, and technology management. He was particularly recognized for his work in electro-optic effects within liquid crystals, which enabled the first real Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) [2].
From 1975 to 1977, he served as the director of DARPA – the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. During his tenure at DARPA, he developed this set of questions to help agency officials assess research proposals and determine which ones should get funding.
How might this framework be useful to you?
By thoughtfully considering and answering the nine questions in the framework, you can present a more compelling case for your work and increase your chances for securing funding or other, non-monetary, support. These are also the sorts of questions that reviewers/funders consider when evaluating ideas, so addressing these questions as clearly as possible can only improve your chances of success.
In the health space, the recently established Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) is trying to accelerate breakthroughs in medicine by supporting high-risk, high-reward projects [3]. To select these projects, program managers are specifically using a slightly "tweaked" version of this framework. The tweaks include additional questions on how equity is being addressed and how mis-perception or mis-use can be prevented [4]. (If you are a health researcher in academia or industry, you may be interested in having a look at the "hidden questions" guide for ARPA-H project managers [5].)
Giving reviewers, investors, or relevant stakeholders exactly the information they want, in the form they want to see it in, is always in your best interest. Tools like the Heilmeier Framework can often help you better clarify your project's goals, help to identify its unique aspects, and better communicate its potential impact and feasibility.
Good luck!
[1]: https://www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/heilmeier-catechism
[2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._Heilmeier
[3]: https://arpa-h.gov/
[4]: https://arpa-h.gov/careers/program-managers/
[5]: https://arpa-h.gov/assets/files/Qs_behind_the_HQs.pdf