Periodic Report Summary - USTIR (User driven stimulation of radical new technological steps in surface transport)
U-STIR project activities were organised in six work packages (WPs):
WP1 took care of management activities. Two meetings were organised to enhance electronic communication with face to face communication and direct exchange of ideas.
In WP2 working methodology was defined. Analysis of current and future gaps in innovation summarised the issues and made effort to predict environmental, economical and social transport related problems and correlated them with the innovations in surface transport (ST). Questionnaire with recommendations for gathering the contents of the relevant information concerning the policy goals, the gaps and innovation policies, related to the overall problems in the ST sector has been used to prepare White Paper on Foresight Activities - Deliverable (D)2.1 with complements (ST patent landscape, access to patent database). Assessment of innovating processes and creativity tools entered into processes to trigger creativity and assess the tools with regards to their use in web-based 'innovation pump', forming part of the project web platform. Existing innovation campaigns connected to the EU Year of Innovation were analysed. New ways to trigger innovation were investigated. Guidelines for U-STIR support actions specified the incentives and methods to be used in workshops and the 'innovation pump'. Methodology handbook (D2.2) depicts ways to creative thinking in ST research to access most striving EU problems. Technology watch and evaluation task achieved publication of two issues of Technology Watch Journal (D2.3a+b).
Main activity of WP3 is organisation of two types of workshops (WSs). Information gathering WS were organised by all partner institutions with local stakeholders. Main findings obtained relate to innovation climate in each country and their results will serve as an input source for validating innovator WS, to be organised in Period 2. They were the first opportunity to get in touch with different stakeholders. Because of their different focus, the results so far are not fully comparable. For the workshops common presentation strategy (D4.2) and questionnaires have been designed. It was proposed to amend timing of project's work plan in order to hold validating innovator WS in Period 2, to be able to better develop the content and focus of the activities, to better serve project's objectives. The innovation portal - 'innovation pump' became a part of the project website. It is used to support other tasks of the project and consists of two sub-tools, 'creativity support tool' and 'tools and materials' section.
The most WP4 activities should take place in Period 2. In Period 1 preparatory tasks for workshops has been done. In the task 'establish innovation friendly climate' interaction with all kinds of research facilities, firms and scientific community started in their local and national environment, in order to provide access to developed methods and materials. Exchange of innovation practice will follow via planned WS 4.1 and WS 4.2.
The role of WP5 activities is monitoring and corrective evaluation. First concept was developed and codified in the evaluation handbook (D5.1) monitoring forms and evaluation sheets were designed. Evaluation forms and outcomes of the WS were processed.
Main task of WP6 was development and dissemination of information. Dissemination plan and logo, presentation templates have been designed and two news briefs published (D6.3a+b).
All partners worked jointly to reach the project objectives, in Period 2 seven subcontractors, active in different areas and countries should join, to broaden the project's outreach. Complementary expertise should ensure that radical solutions may be found, supported and evaluated and excellence achieved in finding the future's technologies.
It can be concluded, that that in Period 1 project U-STIR has achieved most of its objectives and technical goals with relatively minor deviations and good base for Period 2 was prepared.
WP1 took care of management activities. Two meetings were organised to enhance electronic communication with face to face communication and direct exchange of ideas.
In WP2 working methodology was defined. Analysis of current and future gaps in innovation summarised the issues and made effort to predict environmental, economical and social transport related problems and correlated them with the innovations in surface transport (ST). Questionnaire with recommendations for gathering the contents of the relevant information concerning the policy goals, the gaps and innovation policies, related to the overall problems in the ST sector has been used to prepare White Paper on Foresight Activities - Deliverable (D)2.1 with complements (ST patent landscape, access to patent database). Assessment of innovating processes and creativity tools entered into processes to trigger creativity and assess the tools with regards to their use in web-based 'innovation pump', forming part of the project web platform. Existing innovation campaigns connected to the EU Year of Innovation were analysed. New ways to trigger innovation were investigated. Guidelines for U-STIR support actions specified the incentives and methods to be used in workshops and the 'innovation pump'. Methodology handbook (D2.2) depicts ways to creative thinking in ST research to access most striving EU problems. Technology watch and evaluation task achieved publication of two issues of Technology Watch Journal (D2.3a+b).
Main activity of WP3 is organisation of two types of workshops (WSs). Information gathering WS were organised by all partner institutions with local stakeholders. Main findings obtained relate to innovation climate in each country and their results will serve as an input source for validating innovator WS, to be organised in Period 2. They were the first opportunity to get in touch with different stakeholders. Because of their different focus, the results so far are not fully comparable. For the workshops common presentation strategy (D4.2) and questionnaires have been designed. It was proposed to amend timing of project's work plan in order to hold validating innovator WS in Period 2, to be able to better develop the content and focus of the activities, to better serve project's objectives. The innovation portal - 'innovation pump' became a part of the project website. It is used to support other tasks of the project and consists of two sub-tools, 'creativity support tool' and 'tools and materials' section.
The most WP4 activities should take place in Period 2. In Period 1 preparatory tasks for workshops has been done. In the task 'establish innovation friendly climate' interaction with all kinds of research facilities, firms and scientific community started in their local and national environment, in order to provide access to developed methods and materials. Exchange of innovation practice will follow via planned WS 4.1 and WS 4.2.
The role of WP5 activities is monitoring and corrective evaluation. First concept was developed and codified in the evaluation handbook (D5.1) monitoring forms and evaluation sheets were designed. Evaluation forms and outcomes of the WS were processed.
Main task of WP6 was development and dissemination of information. Dissemination plan and logo, presentation templates have been designed and two news briefs published (D6.3a+b).
All partners worked jointly to reach the project objectives, in Period 2 seven subcontractors, active in different areas and countries should join, to broaden the project's outreach. Complementary expertise should ensure that radical solutions may be found, supported and evaluated and excellence achieved in finding the future's technologies.
It can be concluded, that that in Period 1 project U-STIR has achieved most of its objectives and technical goals with relatively minor deviations and good base for Period 2 was prepared.