Define the intended contribution
Establish the contribution the research is intended to make. It may address a capability need, introduce a new method or improve understanding of a difficult problem. A shared purpose gives an institution a basis for assessing potential pathways, concentrating effort and evaluating progress as the evidence develops.
Understand the receiving environment
Examine who could use the research and the conditions required for adoption. The receiving environment has its own priorities, constraints and standards of evidence. Understanding these conditions helps identify the development, testing and institutional arrangements a pathway will require. It also brings assumptions about intended use into the strategy early.
Choose partnerships for their contribution
Define the contribution a partnership should make to the pathway. This may include complementary expertise, an appropriate testing environment or knowledge of the intended use. Assess prospective collaborations against shared objectives, each party’s capabilities and the dependencies created by working together. These criteria support a deliberate choice of partners.
Clarify responsibilities and decision points
Agree expectations about pace, evidence and success. A roadmap should identify the next decisions, the evidence needed and the people responsible for advancing each element. Clear responsibilities help coordinate work across research, commercial, institutional and external partners. Review points allow participants to assess progress against the shared purpose.
Review the pathway as evidence develops
Review the pathway as findings emerge and the intended use becomes clearer. Reassess enabling conditions, partnership contributions and the sequence of development. Concentrate effort on credible routes to contribution, with explicit reasons for continuing, adjusting or concluding each line of work.
THE STRATEGIC CONSIDERATION
Start with purpose, understand the conditions for use and select partnerships that address a defined need.