Applied Research Process Workflow
While each college/institute will have its own specific process for managing its applied research activities with industry clients, a number of the components of the process are similar. They are presented in the following workflow table, developed through input from several Canadian colleges and institutes.
Workflow Component | Documentation |
Outreach to industry |
Promotional materials Meeting agendas and minutes |
Response to request/intake |
Industry partner intake form Project Outline/Request |
Preliminary meeting with client |
Industry partner intake form Project Outline/Request |
Assess project suitability |
Diagnostic assessment forms Budget forms and processes Ref: Intellectual Property (IP) Policy |
Develop collaborative project proposal or outline |
Collaborative Research and Development Agreement IP Agreement Non-disclosure/Confidentiality Agreement |
Evaluate project proposal | |
Decision to proceed | |
Develop project plan | Project workplan |
Sign project agreements |
Non-disclosure/Confidentiality Agreement Collaborative Research and Development Agreement Intellectual Property Agreement Contribution Agreement Material Transfer Agreement |
Develop funding proposals as needed/gather resources
|
Research proposal Ethics review (where needed) |
Implement project plan |
Service or Technical contracts Internal hiring procedures and forms |
Track and monitor project budget and deliverables |
Budget tracking form Performance measures report Project report forms Minutes of meetings |
Report on project as per plan | Project report forms |
Conduct project evaluation | Formative and summative evaluations |
Write project summary/report | Project evaluation report |
Disseminate project findings | Dissemination agreement |
Identify new opportunities |