1

Basic principles and research

• Do basic scientific principles support the concept?
• Has the technology development methodology or approach been developed?

2

Application formulated

• Are potential system applications identified?
• Are system components and the user interface at least partly described?
• Do preliminary analyses or experiments confirm that the application might meet the user need?

3

Proof of concept

• Are system performance metrics established?
• Is system feasibility fully established?
• Do experiments or modeling and simulation validate performance predictions of system capability?
• Does the technology address a need or introduce an innovation in the field of transportation?

4

Components validated in laboratory environment

• Are end-user requirements documented?
• Does a plausible draft integration plan exist, and is component compatibility demonstrated?
• Were individual components successfully tested in a laboratory environment (a fully controlled test environment where a limited number of critical functions are tested)?

5

Integrated components demonstrated in a laboratory environment

• Are external and internal system interfaces documented?
• Are target and minimum operational requirements developed?
• Is component integration demonstrated in a laboratory environment (i.e., fully controlled setting)?

6

Prototype demonstrated in relevant environment

• Is the operational environment (i.e., user community, physical environment, and input data characteristics, as appropriate) fully known?
• Was the prototype tested in a realistic and relevant environment outside the laboratory?
• Does the prototype satisfy all operational requirements when confronted with realistic problems?

7

Prototype demonstrated in operational environment

• Are available components representative of production components?
• Is the fully integrated prototype demonstrated in an operational environment (i.e., real-world conditions, including the user community)?
• Are all interfaces tested individually under stressed and anomalous conditions?

8

Technology proven in operational environment

• Are all system components form-, fit-, and function-compatible with each other and with the operational environment?
• Is the technology proven in an operational environment (i.e., meet target performance measures)?
• Was a rigorous test and evaluation process completed successfully?
• Does the technology meet its stated purpose and functionality as designed?

9

Technology refined and adopted

• Is the technology deployed in its intended operational environment?
• Is information about the technology disseminated to the user community?
• Is the technology adopted by the user community?