KT for TT – Ensuring Use and Impact from Technology R&D Center on Knowledge Translation for Technology Transfer University at Buffalo

NIDRR Grantees improve QoL for PWD by solving problems with knowledge. Current state of QoL for PWD is sub-optimal in some aspects amenable to improvement. Situation reduced to Problem Statement within a NIDRR Domain – e.g. technology-based opportunity. Solution Statement involves knowledge creation via research, or knowledge application via development and production. Technology Transfer plan explains how Solution Statement will be accomplished, and how results will impact QoL for PWD.

Role of Knowledge Translation KT is a method for moving academic knowledge into stakeholder action - CIHR. Knowledge may pre-exist in Global Knowledge Base and/or may be generated via research. Origins – Evidence-based Medicine to justify Federal & Public investment. Focus on interactions with stakeholders at end of grant or integrated during grant activity.

KTA Model – CIHR

Stakeholders & Uses Six Stakeholder Groups – –Researchers; Clinicians; Consumers; Policy Makers; Manufacturers; Brokers. Three Types of Use – –Instrumental; Conceptual; Strategic.

Integrated model of KT – opp’t to involve users. All

CIHR Research Model shows 2 paths for Research- based Knowledge to reach Stakeholders

Two Paths Path 1 – Communicate Conceptual Knowledge through Publication. Path 2 – Transform Conceptual to Practical through further effort. –Development effort to create and test Prototype. –Production effort to create and test Device/Service.

“Demonstrating Evidence” burden for NIDRR and Grantees Research, Development or Production activities involve long timeframes from initial conception through completion. Achieving beneficial impacts for target populations involves even longer timeframes.

Evidence Milestones Research-based Discovery Development –based Invention Product-based Innovation Identify Opportunity Knowledge gap in literature Verify need via Supply Push or Demand Pull Feature/function gap in device or service Establish Scope Volume of topic in literature Inventor described or Analysis defined Statement of need by Users or VAR’s Propose Solution Experimental Hypothesis Champion’s vision or Stakeholder defined Value Proposition articulated Validate Originality Literature ReviewPrior Art searchState of Market survey Conduct Process Scientific Method – Control variables Experimental Method – manipulate variables Design method – optimize function within constraints Conclude Results Discovery notedInvention documentedInnovation Specified Internal Project Output Scholarly manuscriptProof of Concept Prototype Pre-Production Model

Evidence Milestones Research-based Discovery Development- based Invention Product-based Innovation Claim Intellectual Property Copyright (automatic) Invention Disclosure/ Patent Application Patent / Trademark Applications External Quality Examination Peer Review of method rigor and contribution USPTO examines claimed novelty and feasibility Government certification or Industry standard External Quality Verification Manuscript accepted Patent issuedDevice/Service approved Output Disclosure & Dissemination Discovery disclosed in Journal paper by external publisher Invention disclosed in Patent issues by U.S. Government Innovation disclosed in press release by Manufacturer

Evidence Milestones Research-based Discovery Development- based Invention Production-based Innovation Stakeholder Awareness - STO1 Subscriber base, web hits, queries IP Office inquiries, hits on disclosure Press releases, web hits, industry chatter Stakeholder Interest – STO2 Letters to editor, queries Request for package confidentiality forms Vender, customer, distributor queries Stakeholder Adoption - STO3 Author citation, quotations, plagiary Negotiations for sale or lease, emulation Advanced orders, Corporate espionage Intermediate Outcome – Use of Output by Stakeholders Discovery attributions and citations in literature Invention IP transferred legally or via infringement Innovation purchased, reviewed and promoted in marketplace Establish Merit Acclaim, Promotion, Invitations, Rebuttals Related Collaborations and new funding Ramp-up, Spin-off products, Competition Establish Worth Textbook references International honors License royalties, sponsors, partners Sales revenues, ROI, market share, efficacy Establish Impact Advance state of knowledge for field and for society Advance state of art for field of application Advance state of industry practice & Quality of Life

The 2 Paths are not equi-distant! MilestonesResearchDevelopmentProduction Identify OpportunityKnowledge Gap in Literature Project Output Stakeholder OutcomeJournal Publication Claim ImpactAdvance Quality of Life for People /Disabilities

Surrogates of Impact Grantee Output – Evidence of Research Discovery; Development Invention or Production Innovation. Short-term Outcome – Evidence of Awareness, Interest & Adoption. Intermediate Outcome – Evidence of use by Stakeholders.

Research is part of Solution Continuum that may involve combinations of R, D & P. PROBLEM STATEMENT R↓R↓ R → Discovery R↓R↓ ?? D↓D↓ ?D → Invention D↓D↓ ? P↓P↓ ??P → Innovation P → Innovation BENEFICIAL IMPACT

KT4TT Program Sponsored by NIDRR to increase evidence of Grantee R&D output use by Stakeholders. Generate evidence from research to address academic values; and evidence from development to address industry values. Link both forms of evidence to changes in articulation, review, funding and evaluation of government grant programs designed to impact QoL for PWD’s.

Why is KT for TT valuable? Together, KT and TT combine multiple NIDRR initiatives from the past twenty years: Logic modeling; Participatory Action Research; Knowledge Dissemination and Utilization; &Technology Transfer.

Grantees can help NIDRR demonstrate results! KT and TT combine to establish a single framework to optimize evidence of Grantee contributions to stakeholders. Technology-oriented Research projects can consider downstream Development and Production (TT) as well as Stakeholder use (KT). Provides a method for effectively communicating the value of new knowledge to Stakeholders.

Three Critical Questions How will the project accomplish its proposed technology-related outputs (TT)? How will adoption and use be maximized across the full range of stakeholders (KT)? How will stakeholder use generate beneficial QoL impacts for PWD's (KT4TT)?

Analogies between KT and TT “End of Grant” KT = Supply Push TT – Applying discovery from basic inquiry (Mode 1 science). “Integrated KT” = Collaborative TT – Creating discovery from validated need (Mode 2 science). “Prior to Grant” KT = Demand Pull TT – Identify Problem for which Knowledge offers Solution. Science Rigor + Industry Relevance = Impact!

KT4TT Program Increase awareness and use of KT and TT methods by Grantees. Increase awareness and use of Grantee R&D outputs by Stakeholders. Linking KT to TT, to demonstrate and test an operational KT4TT model. Validating model via prior research and current Grantee practices. Establishing “best practices” to increase outcomes and impacts from Grantee activities.

KT4TT Model is Relevant to: Investigators conducting research, development and/or production activities related to technology-based devices or services, and who intend for project outputs to be transformed by intermediary stakeholders into outcomes that beneficially impact the quality of life for persons with disabilities.

Model is not Relevant to: Basic research or inquiry driven projects. Applied research and development projects in non-technology areas. Projects with no intention to result in direct application by stakeholders, nor direct impact for target populations.

Model links three Activities Research Development Production

Phase Stages and Gates Research Stage 1: Initial Discovery GATE 1: Idea Screen Stage 2: Scoping GATE 2: Second Screen Stage 3: Conduct Research and Generate Findings Development GATE 3: Build Business Case? Stage 4: Build Business Case and Scope Development Plan GATE 4: Implement Development? Stage 5: Implement Development Plan GATE 5: Go to Testing? Stage 6: Testing and Validation Production GATE 6: Go to Production Planning? Stage 7: Production Planning and Preparation GATE 7: Go to Launch? Stage 8: Launch GATE 8: Post Production Assessment Stage 9: Post-Launch Review

Research Activity Research = Knowledge Creation; Process - New knowledge discovery results from experimentation; Output - Conceptual state embodied as publication. Value – Novelty in first articulation and contribution to knowledge base.

Development Activity Development = Knowledge Application. Process - Knowledge-based invention results from exploration. Output – Tangible state embodied as prototype. Value – Feasibility in proof of concept.

Production Activity Production = Knowledge Replication. Process – Knowledge-based innovation results from systematic specification. Output – Final form embodied as device or service. Value – Utility to producers and consumers.

KT4TT Model In Progress

Focus on QOL Goal Grantee research contributes to knowledge base, optimized through KT techniques. Grantee development contributes to product inventory, optimized through TT techniques. NIDRR mastery of R&D synergy – parity in rigor and relevance – is itself innovative and novel. NIDRR/Grantee example for all R&D programs. People with Disabilities benefit from all above.

For more information: kt4tt.buffalo.edu

Acknowledgement This is a presentation of the Center on Knowledge Translation for Technology Transfer, which is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of Education under grant number H133A The opinions contained in this presentation are those of the grantee and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Education.