Life Cycle 

The life cycle approach illustrates that research and technology development and delivery are not insular activities, but integrated processes that together constitute a system. For instance, the "give and take" of setting the national research agenda enables multiple programs with technologies developed and validated through laboratory experiments and field tests.

Some technologies are discarded for cost or performance reasons; however, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) actively promotes a select group of promising (priority) technologies to State and local transportation professionals. Many of these technologies will be deployed fully on a national scale based on field performance and stakeholder acceptance. Stakeholder acceptance and performance data are ultimately considered as new research agendas are developed at the Federal and State levels of government.

Innovation Life Cycle Phases

• Agenda Setting
• Ongoing Research
• Technologies
• Deployment/Innovation Delivery
• Impacts

The Innovation Life Cycle