Project Hindsight Reconsidered: : Reflecting on how engineers can study the sources of innovation

Abstract

Engineers seek to improve how their work benefits society, but often lack clear frameworks on how to study the sources of innovation for engineering breakthroughs. Case studies are one way to assess how basic and applied research becomes used in some engineering developments. To provide a reference point for how engineers could study the sources of innovation, the paper will discuss the largest scale study to date of how science becomes used in engineering: the controversial 1963-1969 Project Hindsight study from the US Department of Defense. Hindsight studied 20 weapons systems developments that occurred from 1947-1962 by having teams of researchers do case studies on the developments’ history. The paper analyzes claims from the Hindsight report that showed few basic science research events leading to practical engineering developments, as well as subsequent criticisms. Reflecting on the Hindsight methodology and doing new case studies on engineering today could help engineers direct their work to a greater societal benefit.