“MATERIAL DEMO LAB” PROCESS - TRAINING PROCESS FOR BUSINESS MODEL & DESIGN METHODS FOR MATERIAL SCIENTISTS

Abstract

"Up to 70% of all new products are based on new materials and there is considerable scientific and economic potential in combining different material and technology domains in particular. Former research projects have shown that material scientists face several challenges in the later stages of the innovation process, especially in market placement meeting the needs of business customers and other stakeholders. Problems are e.g. too complicated communication of their work, missing understandable business cases, and uninspiring demonstrators. These developing issues could already be prevented in an early TRL level by using and combining product design and business modeling methods. The paper presents the design of the innovation process of competence acquisition of business model development and design development methods for material scientists. The innovation and training process is designed to overcome the ""Valley of Death"", i.e., the unsuccessful transfer of research results to the to market maturity. The goal of the process for the material scientists is to a) reflect and structure own competencies b) to make unique selling propositions comprehensible and c) to generate and strengthen impact. In addition, the observed limitations are described, which were observed during the implementation of the process in two test groups composed by scientists from three different institutes and research areas in materials science to further refine the field. The findings are based on a) literature reviews and b) observations during the design, implementation and evaluation of the process. Part of the core findings is the increased acceptance of the methods applied in the innovation process, if they primarily address technology development. A more challenging acceptance in the field of research communication is the development of commercial business models. During the development and testing of the innovation process, the stages of the Delft Design Guide as one popular handbook in the field. The development phases were used as a guidance and orientation."