vbhusan / research-grants

Heroku Research Grants

This is where Research Grant ideas go to get funded.

Proposing a Research Grant

1. Copy the PROPOSAL_TEMPLATE.md to a new file in the proposals/ directory.
2. Open a PR and follow the instructions.
3. Your proposal will be scheduled for a short 5 minute presentation.

FAQ

What is a Research Grant?

Research grants are time-boxed projects that allow individuals to step away from their team responsibilities for a period of time to pursue specific research goals. Research grants align with our V2MOM methods and business goals.

How do Research Grants work?

If you have an idea for a research grant, follow these steps:

1. Create a proposal by opening a Pull Request.
2. The Research Grant committee will schedule the proposal for the next available session.
3. Present the proposal at a monthly session followed by Q&A.
4. A proposal will be funded if the following conditions are met:
   1. A Sponsor volunteers to oversee the research
   2. Majority vote from the Research Grant committee
   3. A Researcher agrees to work on the project (the Researcher may or may not be the Author)

Once a research grant has been funded, the sponsor and researcher will schedule the project with the researcher's direct manager.

• Constraints
  • No more than 1 active researcher per team
  • More than 1 researcher can collaborate on a proposal, as long as it stays within above constraints
• Preparation
  • Discuss timing with your squad and only kick off a research grant if the timing works with your squad (ie: your absence will not jeopardize the team's OKRs)
    • Researchers are free to withdraw from normal squad activities during the length of their grant
  • You are encouraged to swap on-call primary/secondary duties if an on-call shift overlaps with your research
  • Notify the broader org that you're kicking off the research grant and share the doc containing the details.
• Execution
  • The researcher and the sponsor will determine a schedule with milestones for the project.
  • The researcher will conduct regular check-ins with the project sponsor.
  • The sponsor will ensure that the project aligns with our V2MOM methods.
  • The project will be completed within a predetermined time period (see Unresolved Questions).
  • The Research Grant Oversight Committee will hold the sponsor responsible for alignment with V2MOM methods.

Upon completing a research grant project, or exhausting the funding, the following will happen:

• The Researcher and Sponsor will organize findings in a shareable format (doc, slides or screencast).
• The Researcher and Sponsor will schedule a time to present the findings at Town Hall.
• The Research Grant Oversight Committee will vote on the outcome of the research. The options include:
  • Form a new project based on the research and try to get it prioritized and staffed
  • Conduct a follow-up research grant to get more information or try a different solution
  • The research is discarded and we decide not to pursue the idea further. This option should be considered undesirable, and a retrospective must be conducted.

Definitions

• Project: a funded Research Grant.
• Proposal: a Research Grant that has not yet been funded.
• Sponsor: a member of the architecture team responsible for overseeing the success of a project. The sponsor must also ensure that the research aligns with one or more of our V2MOM methods.
• Author: the person who proposes the grant.
• Researcher: the engineer responsible for executing on a grant (may or may not be the Author).
• Research Grant Oversight Committee: a group that organizes and votes on proposals.