Planning Retreat for R&D Project

Abstract

The writers tried a new approach (for them) in R&D planning. The ceramics research group went on a two‐day retreat for the purpose of planning the implementation of an R&D program. Everyone in the group was involved and the group leader led the retreat. The process consisted of five steps: prework; purpose of the retreat; identifying the technical problems; defining experiments; and finally, cutting the research back to achievable proportions. The plan which was derived by the group was superior to the preexisting plan. Even more importantly, the new plan belongs to those people who are actually doing the research work. This process is also applicable to planning other types of activity.