# Technology readiness level - TRL There are nine Technology Readiness Levels * [[TRL1 - Basic Principles Observed and Reported]] * [[TRL2 - Possible application formulated]] * [[TRL3 - Proof of Concept]] * [[TRL4 - Breadboard version in lab]] * [[TRL5 - Breadboard version in relevant environment]] * [[TRL6 - prototype version in relevant environment]] * [[TRL7 - prototype version in real environment]] * [[TRL8 - production version tested in real environment]] * [[TRL9 - production version operating in real environment]] In each of these I have reformulated to try to make it context free. Breadboard is the only thing that hints at a specific field. [[TRLs are not monotonic]] - you can get to 3 and need to go back to 2 etc. [[A MVP is TRL6 through TRL8 bundled together]] Places that actually use TRL: * [[Department of Homeland Security Laboratories]] * [[Department of Defense - DoD]] * [[NRF]] ### Why are TRL’s Relevant * [[TRLs are useful because they provide a clinical framework for talking about a technology’s maturity]] * [[Project management is important if transitioning between TRLs is complex and expensive]] * [[Looking at places where software cheats on the TRL ladder could suggest places where atomland technologies should aim for]] ## Questions ## Related [[‘Off the shelf’ technology is code for TRL 9 and maybe 8]] Interestingly, the Phases of Drug R&D process according to [[Science Business - Book]] also has 9 phases:  * [[VC funded startups blur the line between what can fund R&D because of the compressed TRL of software]] * [[Manufacturing Readiness Level — MRL]] ## References * [[Technology Readiness Levels Whitepaper]] * [[Technology Readiness and the Valley of Death]] <!-- #evergreen #mental-model --> [Web URL for this note](http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Technology+readiness+level+-+TRL) [Comment on this note](http://via.hypothes.is/http://notes.benjaminreinhardt.com/Technology+readiness+level+-+TRL)