Leveraging Virtual Experimentation and Simulation in R&D

Abstract

As the technology for virtual experimentation and simulation has matured, interest in its uses for RD he was responsible for integrating and upgrading the processes and systems of the two companies. He also incorporated more rigorous and formal portfolio management, idea generation, and risk management processes. He is currently a Senior Principal for Strategic Technologies, focused on the overall innovation management process for Entegris. steven.moskowitz@entegris.com tool not only saved significant time in the development process; it also improved researchers' ability to predict a prospective drug's success in clinical tests, and even in the marketplace. These new capabilities saved the company millions of dollars in development efforts that would have been expended on unsuccessful candidates (Thomke 2001). Given these kinds of results, it is unsurprising that innovators in other industries would be intrigued by the possibilities of simulation tools for R&D. Motivated by this growing interest, especially among its members, the Industrial Research Institute (IRI) established a research group to explore best practices and pitfalls in leveraging virtual experimentation and simulation in R&D. The research group engaged in a comprehensive study of the current state of practice in virtual experimentation and simulation, conducting a structured literature review, a comparative case study across more than 15 companies, and a survey. Through that work, the group has explored how R&D itself evolves when virtual experimentation and simulation tools are implemented, inducing change in the core areas of the discipline. For instance, these tools can alter the approach to design thinking and accelerate iterations, as well as enabling new modes of co-creation with customers. However, as the literature survey reveals, these tools are not without pitfalls, many of which may be avoided if managers are proactive and alert to developing attitudes toward the technology. …