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Heilmeier Catechism

As explained in Tech Startup Toolkit

The Heilmeier Catechism is a set of questions for evaluating a proposed technology program's objectives, novelty, benefits, risks, cost, schedule, and measures of success.

The Heilmeier Catechism is a practical checklist for turning a technology vision into a credible go-to-market or investment case. It counters the familiar startup trap: building impressive technology first and searching for customers later. section 16.3

Ask these questions without jargon, then revisit them as the company evolves:

  • What are you trying to do? section 16.3
  • How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice? section 16.3
  • What is new about your approach, and why should it succeed? section 16.3
  • Who cares, and what difference will success make? section 16.3
  • What are the risks, costs, schedule, and measures of success? section 16.3

How Tech Startup Toolkit covers it

How deep it goes
Defines evaluation questions and recommends revisiting them throughout company evolution, without detailing implementation.
Examples
Uses product-first startup thinking and DARPA program approval as contrasting applications.
What it assumes
Assumes a technology startup or program proposal context while defining the evaluation questions from first principles.
What you can do after
Apply it to state objectives plainly, test novelty and value, and expose risks before pursuing customers or investors.
How it connects
Connects vision statements with go-to-market, customer problems, competition, and investment decisions.
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Related concepts

This explainer was generated by Manning's knowledge graph from the text of Tech Startup Toolkit. The section links point to the parts of the book it draws on.