Technology Readiness Levels

TRLs provide a 9-point scale for evaluating technology maturity, from TRL 1 (basic principles observed) to TRL 9 (proven in operational environment). Originally from NASA, the framework prevents conflating promising research with deployment readiness. Critical transitions: TRL 4-5 (lab to relevant environment—where most research dies), TRL 6-7 (demonstration to prototype—where most startups die), TRL 8-9 (qualified to proven—where corporate innovation dies). Most technology hype occurs when TRL 3-5 technologies are marketed as TRL 8-9.

When to use it

When evaluating whether to adopt a new technology. When a vendor's claims seem to exceed maturity. When planning an innovation pipeline. When communicating technology readiness to non-technical stakeholders.

How it can help

For knowledge workers evaluating new tools, TRL cuts through marketing hype. When a vendor claims their AI will 'transform your workflow,' ask: has it been proven in environments like yours (TRL 9) or just demonstrated in controlled conditions (TRL 6)? For technology leaders: pilot TRL 7-8 technologies, plan for TRL 5-6, monitor TRL 3-4. For investors and entrepreneurs, understand which TRL transition your product faces—each has different failure modes and resource requirements. The scale provides shared vocabulary for maturity discussions.