Successful Strategies for Technology Transfer and Implementation: Fostering a Systems Approach

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Successful Strategies for Technology Transfer and
Implementation Fostering a Systems Approach

• Barbara T. Harder, B. T. Harder, Inc.
• National RAC Meeting
• Columbus, Ohio

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Background

• 7 Keys to Building a Robust Research Program
  (NCHRP Synthesis 280)
• Facilitating Partnerships in Transportation
  Research (NCHRP 312)
• Transportation Technology Transfer Successes,
  Challenges, and Needs (NCHRP Synthesis 355)
• PennDOT Research Innovation and Implementation
  Program

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Synthesis Reports

• State of practice reports
• Document snapshot in time
• Highlight successful practices
• High participation among state DOTs

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Seven Keys to Building a RobustResearch Program

• Found it on trust
• Market boldly
• Root it in economics
• Make deals unabashedly
• Insist on accountability
• Embrace policy research
• Empower the staff

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Lessons Learned

• 7 Keys
• Robust (vital, enduring, value to parent
  organization) programs are achievable
• Trust, credibility
• The 7 Keys provide a basic operating environment
• Multiple keys contribute to the whole using
  more is better

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Lessons Learned

• Facilitating Partnerships
• Private sector companies recognize they cant be
  good at everything
• Partnerships leverage resources particularly
  technical and financial
• Partnerships are relationships trust
• Alliance managers high return
• Genuine need overcomes hurdles
• Structure not enough

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Successful Technology Transfer (
Implementation) Strategies

• Technology push
• Champions
• Pilots and demonstrations
• Senior management support
• Early involvement of users
• Technology transfer or implementation plan

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Successful Technology Transfer ( Implementation)
Strategies

• Qualified technical people in lead roles
• Partnerships
• Progress monitoring committed funding
• Focus area for technology transfer efforts
• Marketing and Communications
• Benefits of the technology (meet user needs)

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Other Findings

• Technology Transfer Implementation (TTI)
• At the time of the survey 2003/4
• Nearly 50 of State DOT respondents had 5 or
  fewer years in technology transfer or
  implementation (40 for LTAP/TTAP)

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Other Findings

• Coordinating role for TTI
• Programs had significantly larger investment and
  saw need for more funding for TTI
• More readily recognized positive influence of
  senior management in the TTI process
• Indicated agency had greater openness to
  innovations

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Other Findings

• Experience is a factor
• Substantially larger TTI investments for
  respondents with 15 years or greater experience
• Expenditures on TTI
• 6.5 of total agency research research related
  funds to TTI
• 9.3 of SPR funds to TTI

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Technology Transfer and Implementation

• Changing role of research
• Skill set
• Systems approach

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Changing Role
Research as Strategic Asset (problem solver )

• Research as Problem Solver

• Research project result
• Use of only technical terminology

• Innovation
• Value
• Advancing the strategic agenda
• Contribution to agency missions and goals

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Skills Set

• Technical competence
• Program management
• AND
• Leadership
• Marketing
• Alliance or partnership management
• More.

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Approach to Technology Transfer Implementation

• Menu approach
• Lots of good things to do
• 7 Keys
• TTI success factors
• Systems approach
• Integration of menu items

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Observed Successful Systems

• For those doing TTI over longer periods or for
  successful programs.
• Mature efforts
• Existing working relationships, internal/external
  partnerships, management support
• Credibility
• Resources -- built up over time
• Learned how to sustain (by necessity perhaps)
• Have a system operation whether consciously set
  up or not

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Systems Approach in a DOT

• PennDOT
• Research Innovation Implementation Program
• Team working to create an implementation
  infrastructure (VanceRenz, Pennoni Associates,
  Inc., Mary W. Treisbach, and B. T. Harder, Inc.
• Experienced manager
• Established program

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Questions Management Wanted Answered

• What is the problem?
• What will the implementation help solve?
• What materials should be developed and deployed
  to implement these results?
• With whom is this information being shared?
• What is required to institutionalize this
  innovation?

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Systems Approach at PennDOT

• System plan who, what, when, how
• Basic operating environment
• Credibility of innovations quality and
  substance
• Web portal for technology transfer (2 way) and
  administrative control
• Focus on communications

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Systems Approach at PennDOT

• Focus on relationships with innovators, users,
  and management
• Emphasis on conduits for innovation
  identification and use
• Want to touch as many as people as possible
  affect attitudes about change
• Provide tools necessary to get the innovation put
  to use (Transfer Packages)

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Critical Mass

• Research Group
• Influential management
• Early adopters, opinion leaders, and champions
• Influential staff open to change
• Everybody else

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Technology Transfer and Implementation Summary

• Research is a strategic asset
• Structure is the basis, substance counts
• Takes more resources and effort than we thought
• Requires time to mature
• Systems approach provides means to
  institutionalize activities
• Sustainability is achievable

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• BARBARA T. HARDER
• B. T. HARDER, INC.
• btharder_at_verizon.net
• 215-735-2482

www.vancerenz.com/researchimplementation/