You’ve probably heard of DARPA
Everyday things that define modern life started as one of their research projects.
The internet, GPS, Virtual Assistants, GUI (Graphic User Interface), and even the BigDog from Boston Dynamics, were all developed or funded by DARPA.
DARPA operates on the principle that generating big rewards requires taking big risks.
So, naturally, they needed to ask the right questions for accessing the risk before going all-in on it. And that’s where the Heilmeier Catechism comes in.
It’s a set of questions developed by George Heilmeier to help researchers think through and evaluate proposed research programs.
And it can help you think through and present your big ideas more convincingly.
“Kid, haven’t you heard of Friendster? Move on. It’s over!”
This was the advice a senior partner at Bessemer Venture Partners gave to one of the founders of Facebook.
And this story isn’t an outlier either. Business books are full of many more amusing stories just like this one.
We can laugh at the misfortune of Bessemer Ventures, but would you do any better next time a seemingly crazy idea comes knocking at the door?
Hindsight being 20/20, and all that jazz.
A group of researchers studied global professional services firms to figure out how we can get better at separating duds from winning ideas.
And they discovered that we don’t see past our personal biases.
What you believe to be true is true for you.
We can’t turn off our biases, but we can manage them.
And this is where we can benefit from using the Heilmeier Catechism when developing our ideas, especially when presenting them to others:
- 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 is new in your approach, and why do you think it will be successful?
- Who cares? If you are successful, what difference will it make?
- What are the risks and the payoffs?
- How much will it cost?
- What are the midterm and final metrics to check for success?
