Identifying strategic technology directions in a national laboratory setting: A case study

We present a case study of strategic technology planning in a large, mission-oriented division of Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Division, Nonproliferation and International Security, was strongly oriented around its eponymous mission. The challenge for our planning process was one of scale: identifying a manageable handful of science and technology thrusts that would drive that mission forward. Based on a detailed analysis of future missions and technology possibilities, we identified three strategic directions: (1) computer-enabled understanding, (2) networked and intelligent sensors, and (3) physics applied to sensors. The lessons we learned apply to strategic planning in other diverse R&D organizations.