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WorksheetsUnderstanding Technology Readiness Levels
Total questions: 31
Worksheet time: 16mins
A team of Chemical Engineering students at Mapúa University has hypothesized a new plastic-eating bacteria. They have published a research paper outlining the basic scientific principles and chemical equations, but no physical experiments have been conducted yet.
TRL 1
TRL 2
TRL 3
TRL 4
A startup in Batangas has developed a new solar-powered grain dryer. They have built a fully functional prototype and are currently testing it in a controlled warehouse environment (not a real farm) using artificial lighting to simulate the sun to ensure the components work together.
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A new disaster-response drone developed by DOST is undergoing its final step before mass production. The drone has been manufactured to final specifications and has successfully passed all Civil Aviation Authority (CAAP) safety certifications and flight worthiness tests. It is "flight-qualified" but has not yet been deployed in a real typhoon.
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TRL 9
An electronics hobbyist is testing a new circuit design. She has connected individual components (capacitors, resistors, microcontrollers) on a plastic "breadboard" in her bedroom to see if the LED lights up when programmed. This is a low-fidelity lab integration.
TRL 3
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TRL 6
Local coffee shops are raising their prices because the exchange rate of the Philippine Peso against the US Dollar has weakened, making the cost of imported coffee beans and espresso machines significantly more expensive.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
A university notices a sharp decline in enrollment for traditional nursing degrees, while applications for "Digital Arts" and "Esports Management" have tripled, reflecting a shift in the career values and lifestyle preferences of Gen Z students.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
A Grab driver is worried about his income because the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has issued a new memorandum capping the number of motorcycle taxis allowed on the road.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
A bank in Makati lays off 200 data entry clerks because they have implemented a new "Optical Character Recognition" (OCR) software that automatically reads and encodes check deposits without human intervention.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
A manufacturing plant in Laguna is forced to shut down for three days because the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued a Cease and Desist Order regarding their waste disposal practices.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
Consumers are increasingly buying "Ugly Vegetables" (imperfect looking produce) from online platforms to reduce food waste, driven by a growing cultural awareness of sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Technological Advancement
Regulatory/Political Changes
Economic Forces
Social Forces
Scenario: your startup is selling an LMS to DLSU. Dean Reyes (Dean of Engineering) is the one who initially brought up the problem during a board meeting, stating: "Our current system is too slow; we need to look for a new LMS provider."
Initiator
Decider
Gatekeeper
End User
Mr. Santos (Head of IT Security) analyzes your software. He says, "I don't care about the learning features. If this software doesn't have 256-bit encryption, I will block the purchase."
Economic Buyer
End User
Influencer / Recommender
Gatekeeper / Saboteur
Dr. Cruz (University President) is the only person with the power to approve the P5,000,000 contract. She listens to the advice of her staff, but the final signature is hers.
End User
Decision Maker
Saboteur
Gatekeeper
Mrs. Diaz (VP of Finance) negotiates the payment terms. She asks, "Can we pay this in three installments? Is there a discount if we sign a 5-year contract?" She handles the budget release.
Economic Buyer
End User
Initiator
Saboteur
Student Council President Marco is asked to test the system. He says, "The mobile app is laggy." While he cannot buy the software, his negative feedback heavily affects the University's decision.
Economic Buyer
Decision Maker
Influencer
Gatekeeper
Professor Garcia (Faculty Member) is the one who will actually upload quizzes and grade students using the platform every single day.
Economic Buyer
End User
Decision Maker
Gatekeeper
The IT Secretary, Mr. Tan, controls the calendar of the University President. He dislikes your sales agent, so he purposely delays scheduling your meeting with the President, making it hard for you to close the deal.
Decision Maker
Economic Buyer
End User
Gatekeeper / Saboteur
What is the primary difference between a "Small Business" (e.g., a sari-sari store) and a "Startup"?
Startups always make more money.
Small businesses focus on executing a known model; Startups search for a scalable model.
Small businesses do not use technology.
Startups do not need to make a profit.
Which of the following best describes a "Unicorn" in the business world?
A startup with a kind and benevolent CEO.
A startup that has failed but recovered.
A private startup company valued at over $1 Billion USD.
A company that has existed for over 100 years.
In the Lean Startup methodology, what is the purpose of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product)?
To generate maximum revenue immediately.
To build the most perfect, feature-complete product possible.
To learn about customer needs with the least amount of effort.
To impress investors with high-quality graphics.
If a startup realizes their current product solves the wrong problem, they change their fundamental strategy while keeping their vision. This change is called a:
Pivot
Exit
Scale-up
Failure
Why is software generally considered more "Scalable" than a consulting service?
Software engineers are cheaper than consultants.
Consulting requires more time/people to serve more clients; software can be replicated instantly at near-zero cost.
Software is easier to sell.
Consulting is illegal in some countries.
Which equation best defines "Innovation" in an entrepreneurial context?
Innovation = Creativity + Money
Innovation = Invention + Commercialization (Value Creation)
Innovation = Science + Engineering
Innovation = Ideas + Hard Work
What does "Bootstrapping" mean for a startup founder?
Wearing heavy boots for safety.
Raising millions of pesos from Venture Capitalists immediately.
Using personal savings and revenue to fund the business without outside investors.
Taking a loan from the government.
In Design Thinking, why do we "Defer Judgment" during the Brainstorming (Ideation) phase?
Because judging people is rude.
To allow wild ideas to surface without fear of criticism, which fosters creativity.
Because we don't have enough data yet.
To save time.
Which phase of Design Thinking involves creating a "Point of View" (POV) statement based on the user's needs and insights?
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Test
"Technology Push" happens when:
You find a problem, then look for a solution.
You invent a new technology first, then search for a market that needs it.
You push your competitors out of the market.
You ignore technology and focus on people.
"Market Pull" happens when:
A specific customer problem or market demand triggers the development of a new product.
You use marketing to pull customers into a store.
You invent a technology and try to sell it.
The government forces the market to accept a product.
When conducting Customer Insighting, why is "Observation" sometimes better than "Interviews"?
Observation is cheaper.
Customers often lie or cannot articulate their actual behavior, but their actions reveal the truth.
Interviews take too much time.
You don't need to talk to people in observation.
A "Persona" in Design Thinking is used to:
Create a fake identity for the founder.
Humanize the data by creating a fictional character that represents a user segment.
Hide the real identity of the customers.
Write a marketing jingle.
The Design Thinking process is "Iterative." This means:
You must complete step 1 before moving to step 2.
You never finish the project.
You cycle through the steps repeatedly, refining the solution as you learn more.
It is a linear, straight-line process.
