Harnessing idea management in the process of technology transfer at Canadian Space Agency

Abstract

This paper purpose an idea management process to support the technology transfer between Canadian Space Agency with industrial partners (particularly small-size or start-up enterprises), and exploring how should the technology transfer be boosted using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tools. Particular emphasis was placed on crowdsourcing portals, platforms and informational tools used on technology transfer. This paper presents the first steps of the research protocol, as: (a) to propose a model of idea exchange based in a collaborative strategy of transfer, (b) prototyping of the collaborative idea exchange as a proof of concept that shows how idea management could be supported, and (c) proposing knowledge management methods to support the process. Results show that the process of ideas management during developing collaborative projects was not sufficiently supported by current ICT tools. The data also revealed the important role played by social dynamics in the first stages of product conceptualization to harness idea exchanges during the process of technology transfer in further spatial projects development.