The six phases of the Research Process are:

• Identify
• Model
• Measure
• Stabilize
• Adjust
• Transfer

This article discusses the requirements, deliverables and tasks for the first 3 phases. The remaining phases will be discussed in next month's newsletter.

Note: TMBP stands for "tools, methods and best practices".

Phase 1: Identify

The first phase is called Identify. This is precisely what the major activity is for the beginning of a research project. What is "Identified"?

The Identify Gate requirements include:

1. Research project opportunity drivers tied to Product Portfolio requirements
2. Feynman's "Guess" about an idea of how something works - a system of hypotheses
3. Project Requirements
4. Project Deliverables
5. Project Tasks & their Integrated PERT & Gantt Charts
6. Candidate TMBPs to help enable the completion of the tasks
7. Research Project Charter
   1. Goal(s), Specific Objectives, Constraints, Hypotheses & Boundaries
   2. Decision rights
   3. Agility Loop allocation plan (exploration flexibility & iteration)
   4. Budget
8. Project Team and supporting resources
9. Project Champion(s), Oversight Leaders, Decision Makers

The Identify Gate deliverables include:

1. Documented Project Charter
2. Documented Project Plan
3. Documented Hypotheses that form the basis of the Project

The Identify Phase tasks that will produce the deliverables include:

1. Apply Product portfolio requirements to design research project charter and plan
2. Develop Research Project Charter and Project Plan
3. Define all necessary resources
4. Conduct preventive risk assessment to define preventive & contingent actions
5. Formulate Hypotheses

Phase 2: Model

The second phase is called Model. With a well-defined research project documented, the team is ready to develop extensive conceptual models. These models can take the evolutionary forms of words to graphical sketches to formal mathematics. Who can forget the bizarre sketches called Feynman Diagrams used to help explain quantum mechanics? Models can be hierarchical and range down from a system level model to detailed, subordinate models that link together to underwrite the system model. The "Guess" is formalized by the various conceptual translations into models.

The Model Gate requirements include:

• Hierarchical Conceptual and Analytical Models that explain the system of hypotheses in full detail (prior to empirical tuning and refinement)

The Model Gate deliverables include:

• Documented conceptual (verbal, graphical) models including all hypotheses
• Documented analytical models for each level of the system of hypotheses

The Model Phase tasks that will produce the deliverables include:

• Detailed conceptual (verbal, graphical) and analytical math modeling

Phase 3: Measure

The third phase is called Measure. The research team has a system of very well documented models from the previous phase. The models have to be verified. Physical versions of the theoretical models have to be generated and evaluated. The Measure phase is dedicated to the capability to gather data in physical forms through systems of transducers, meters and computer-aided data acquisition systems. The main objective is to be able to separate signal from noise in sample data sets under nominal laboratory conditions. The main question is "can we trust our data?". We can't have confidence in the statistical significance of data that confirms or denies a hypothesis if the measurement system has more noise than signal due to its own short-comings. If there is true noise and no useful science then we have to be sure of it. If there is signal but it is masked by artificial noise from poor measurement system performance, then we have work to do to get at that signal and not bypass a breakthrough. Who knows how many discoveries were passed over because of poor measurement system performance?! It is here where data acquisition systems are most likely going to require invention or innovation. Inventing a high degree of capability to measure new phenomena is the call to action - thus justifying the naming of this phase. Creating the physical form of the model is no small feat in itself. Creating a measurable physical model is even harder.

When we have to create a new measurement system from scratch it is called measurement system invention. If we can re-use an existing measurement system, but need to do significant work on it, then it is called measurement system innovation. Each of these tasks has significant implications on the cycle-time of a research project.

Generally speaking, invention is likely to take longer, while innovating on an existing measurement system already has a head start. This may not always be the case so we have to be careful what we sign up for in the project charter.

This is where Agility Loops become a necessary part of project timing and budgeting.

Depending on the measurement situation, the team may have to create a full-blown IMMSAT project to create a new measurement science, convert that science into a functional technology and then convert that into a final "product" design that can be used routinely to measure the new phenomena. This can take months or years. To measure is to know, and thus significant investment may be required before we can trust data from physical experiments.

Inventing a new measurement science requires the application of REx as defined by the IMMSAT phase-gate process. Innovating or extending the utility of an existing measurement technology requires the use of Technology Development for Six Sigma as defined by the IIDOV Technology Development process. If you decide to make the new measurement system non-proprietary and commercially available, then you would further develop it using Design for Six Sigma as defined within the CDOV Product Development process. Most research groups jealously protect their measurement systems and keep them to themselves.

The Measure Gate requirements include:

• Capable Measurement Systems for a physical phenomena & signals

The Measure Gate deliverables include:

• Capable hardware, software , firmware, calibration and application instructions and human interface systems for all measurement requirements

The Measure Phase tasks that will produce the deliverables include:

• Conceptual Invention / innovation, analytical modeling, empirical development, design and certification of capable measurement systems