Introduction

Developing a product requires input from multiple disciplines that extend beyond the scientific/research basis. Typically, researchers have thought a lot about how the product works but are less skilled and aware of many other requirements e.g:

• how to manufacture that product at scale,
• what costs they may encounter and
• how to distribute their product to customers.

The TRL tool allows you to chart your progress through both the technical product development as well as consider the business development activities required to bring a product to market. We recommend repeating this process at key stages in your business development to ensure you don’t invest all your time into one aspect of your business, to the detriment of other areas.

The TRL tool requires a series of yes/no responses that relate to a range of technology development steps. To begin using the tool, navigate to each of the 3 sections (1. Technology Development, 2. Business Planning, and 3. Deployment), responding to each question using the buttons provided If the answer for a particular question is in doubt or is unclear, mark that question 'no'. If the question does not apply, answer 'NA'.

Once all three sections have been completed, click 'Finish' to see the results of the analysis. This page will show the progress towards each of the nine TRL's. From this it is possible to see the areas that may have been neglected to date through design or otherwise and highlights what needs to be completed to get to the position where the technology under development is ready for market.

Once on the end, you can print the results or send them by email.

Technology development, testing and validation

#	Question	Answer
1-1	Have the basic scientific principles, which form the foundation of a new technology, been confirmed or reported elsewhere?	YES	NO	NA
1-2	Has your technology/concept been described in sufficient detail to define future applications?	YES	NO	NA
1-3	Have initial performance predictions of your technology been made?	YES	NO	NA
1-4	Have publications or other references that outline a new technology been evaluated?	YES	NO	NA
1-5	Has a prospective application been specified in sufficient detail to identify all necessary technological elements?	YES	NO	NA
1-6	Have predicted performances of all individual technology components been confirmed by repeated, rigorous and verifiable experiments or simulations in a laboratory environment?	YES	NO	NA
1-7	Has it been shown that all technology components will work together?	YES	NO	NA
1-8	Have you described real-world deployment in detail?	YES	NO	NA
1-9	Has your technology (including components) been investigated in a laboratory environment with the anticipated results?	YES	NO	NA
1-10	Has a detailed process which leads from a demonstration to an application been established?	YES	NO	NA
1-11	Has a laboratory environment been modified to approximate a real environment (= relevant environment), including the development of a testing protocol?	YES	NO	NA
1-12	Have demonstrations in a relevant environment – including individual and integrated testing of all key elements – produced anticipated results?	YES	NO	NA
1-13	Are  test results in a relevant environment consistent with technical and economic viability?	YES	NO	NA
1-14	Is your technology described sufficiently to finalise a deployment strategy?	YES	NO	NA
1-15	Have  all relevant test issues (including scaling up) been investigated and resolved?	YES	NO	NA
1-16	Has the operational performance (e.g. sensitivity, selectivity, etc.) of your technology been fully optimised in a relevant environment?	YES	NO	NA
1-17	Has it been shown, through repeated, rigorous and verifiable  demonstrations, that your technology can function in a real environment?	YES	NO	NA
1-18	Has  your technology performance been tested under critical/extreme conditions?	YES	NO	NA
1-19	Have you developed a deployment plan?	YES	NO	NA
1-20	Has your technology received satisfactory feedback after being tested by an end-user in a real environment?	YES	NO	NA
1-21	Have all verification, validation, and accreditation tests been completed?	YES	NO	NA
1-22	Has your technology been fully described in terms of conventional use and integration into customer systems?	YES	NO	NA
1-23	Has it been shown that your technology operates at levels of performance, cost, quality, reliability, etc. which have been specified in the business case?	YES	NO	NA

Draft Business Plan Toolning & market opportunity

#	Question	Answer
2-1	Have you outlined the new capabilities which might result from your new technology?	YES	NO	NA
2-2	Have you identified where the capability could be used?	YES	NO	NA
2-3	Has the potential of the concept/technology to end-user groups been illustrated?	YES	NO	NA
2-4	Has a qualitative assessment of risk to the development of your technology been carried out?	YES	NO	NA
2-5	Have you asked end-users if the technology is fit for purpose?	YES	NO	NA
2-6	Has an assessment of market opportunities been carried out?	YES	NO	NA
2-7	Have the preliminary costs of your technology been estimated?	YES	NO	NA
2-8	Has a strategy to identify and protect intellectual property been developed?	YES	NO	NA
2-9	Have the needs for international or domestic patent protection been assessed?	YES	NO	NA
2-10	Has the performance of your technology been discussed with end-users?	YES	NO	NA
2-11	Has an intellectual property protection approach been implemented?	YES	NO	NA
2-12	Has end-user feedback been received to establish a final specification of your technology (agreement of performance needs etc.)?	YES	NO	NA
2-13	Have preliminary price estimates been prepared?	YES	NO	NA
2-14	Has a business case been drafted for the communication with prospective end-users?	YES	NO	NA
2-15	Have patent claims, if applicable, been drafted?	YES	NO	NA
2-16	Have you done soft market testing?	YES	NO	NA
2-17	Have  final cost estimates of a new technology been made?	YES	NO	NA
2-18	Is an agreement with at least one paying end-user (i.e. innovator or early adopter) in place?	YES	NO	NA
2-19	Has a patent application / licence (if applicable) been submitted?	YES	NO	NA
2-20	Has a business case been finalised and verified?	YES	NO	NA

Technology deployment and commercialisation

#	Question	Answer
3-1	Has a preliminary technology development plan to reach deployment been outlined?	YES	NO	NA
3-2	Have provisional arrangements been made for real-life testing?	YES	NO	NA
3-3	Have you identified any hazards associated with your technology?	YES	NO	NA
3-4	Have you undertaken an assessment to identify risks to end-users?	YES	NO	NA
3-5	Has the safety of the technology been assessed and confirmed?	YES	NO	NA
3-6	Has your technology been shown to be safe to use in the environment?	YES	NO	NA
3-7	Have test partners been identified?	YES	NO	NA
3-8	Has an aftercare strategy (maintenance, troubleshooting guide or failure analysis document, support plan) been developed?	YES	NO	NA
3-9	Have all safety documents been completed?	YES	NO	NA
3-10	Have all necessary end-user documents been developed and made available?	YES	NO	NA