=== Critical Questions for Research Proposals ===
 	
As director of ARPA in the 1970’s George H. Heilmeier developed a set of questions that he expected every proposal for a new research program to answer.  He referred to them as the "Heilmeier Catechism".  These questions still survive at DARPA and provide high level guidance for what information a proposal should provide.  It's important to answer these questions for any individual research project, both for yourself and for communicating to others what you hope to accomplish.  These questions are:

  - What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.  What is the problem?  Why is it hard?
  - How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
  - What's new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
  - Who cares?
  - If you're successful, what difference will it make?   What impact will success have?  How will it be measured?
  - What are the risks and the payoffs?
  - How much will it cost?
  - How long will it take?
  - What are the midterm and final "exams" to check for success?  How will progress be measured?

The IEEE Spectrum magazine published a profile of Dr. Heilmeier in the June 1994 issue: "George H. Heilmeier" by Joshua Shapiro IEEE Spectrum, Volume 31, Issue 6, June 1994, Pages 56 - 59. DOI 10.1109/6.284787

see also: "you and [[your research]]"