The Heilmeier Catechism

The Heilmeier Catechism is a set of eight strategic questions developed by former DARPA director George H. Heilmeier to assess research proposals and projects: 'What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon,' How is it done today and what are current practice limits?, '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?, How much will it cost?, How long will it take?, and 'What are the mid-term and final exams to check for success?' Engineering leaders will learn how this framework helps determine 'how much risk is worth taking' in high-stakes development efforts by forcing researchers to clearly articulate goals, approach, potential impact, challenges, resources, and success metrics, making it valuable for evaluating any significant technical initiative.