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Technology &
Development Center

Sixty Years of Innovation and Problem Solving

Technology and Development Project Life Cycle

[image] Diagram showing how proposals become tools. The process starts with proposals received from the field, which are then sent a steering commitee for review, and then on to the Washington Office. Once the proposal is approved, the tools for the field are then produced by the Technology and Development Program.

Solving Problems Identified by Proposals

  1. Identify the Problems: USDA Forest Service employees submit project proposals.

  2. Rank the Problems: National steering committees select the most important projects.

  3. Build a Project Team: Project leaders tap resources within the Technology and Development Program, the USDA Forest Service, and outside.

  4. Consider Alternative Solutions: Most problems have more than one solution. Finding solutions requires thorough analysis and imagination.

  5. Test the Solutions: Compare the potential solutions.

  6. If Everything Else is Equal, Choose the Simplest, Least-Expensive Solution: Simple solutions are usually better than complex solutions that aren’t affordable or don’t get used.

  7. Implement the Solution: Find ways to produce the product, or share the knowledge through field trips, reports, videos, CDs, or Web sites.

[photo] Early-day loggers transporting a freshly cut log over a wooden bridge.

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