Heilmeier's catechism

To evaluate research activities at Darpa, Heilmeier formulated a set of questions that so well expresses the fundamentals of his beliefs that he seriously refers to it as his "catechism." He later taught it to his research "novitiates" at Texas Instruments and now enforces its use at Bellcore. Like a preflight checklist, his catechism provides a routine for safely and successfully launching a research project:

What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.

How is it done today, and what are the limitations of current practice? What's new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful? Who cares? If you're successful, what difference will it make? What are the risks and the payoffs? How much will it cost? How long will it take? What are the midterm and final "exams" to check for success?

Heilmeier attributes much of his success to his imposition of a disciplined thought process on project management. It allowed him to curb and clarify both the enthusiasms of his researchers and the resource demands of his managers.

"Profession/Profile: George H. Heilmeier" article by Joshua Shapiro in “IEEE Spectrum” 1994 June, as summarized athttp://www.rdrop.com/~cary/html/creed.html#Heilmeier

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._Heilmeier

What are you trying to do?

• Build a secure, wireless VOIP phone

How is it done today, and what are the limitations of current

practice?• Cellphones use phone network

– Circuit-switched– Limited B/W

• Do not provide end-to-end encryption

What’s new in your approach, and why do you think it will

be successful?• Use end-to-end cryptography between 802.11-equipped microprocessors embedded in a “handset”

• Widespread deployment of 802.11

Who cares? If you’re successful, what difference

will it make? • People interested in mobile telephones with high privacy and low cost of service

• Convergence towards IP bearer service

How much will it cost? How long will it take?• Parts cost ca. $1000 (in 2001)– Open source software (e.g., Blowfish)

• 9 month (senior design…)

What are the risks?

• Too much work, e.g., unavailable SW or components

• Not enough time• Team capabilities• Technical risks

What are the midterm and final “exams” to check

for success?• Establish basic connection with software December

• Phone-phone call in April• Win Senior Design contest!

RESULTS!“Secure Wireless Voice over IP”, M. DeYoung, N. Henke, G. Wai won award in SEAS ‘02 senior design; “Rethinking Mobile Telephony with the IMP” published w/Smith in ‘04!