A Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is an accepted way of measuring the degree of maturity of a technology. Originally developed by NASA, TRLs have been adopted by DoD and serve as the basis for conducting technology readiness assessments. Technology Readiness Assessments (TRAs) are mandated at Milestone B and Milestone C for all acquisition programs. "A TRA is a systematic, metrics-based process and accompanying report that assesses the maturity of certain technologies called Critical Technology Elements (CTEs) used in systems."
When a Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) is performed at Milestone B or Milestone C, the TRL is determined by independent reviewers who are independent of a program and expert in their field. Before beginning a TRA, the reviewers are provided with training that includes an overview of the system, an overview of the TRA process, criteria for identifying Critical Technology Elements (CTEs), and examples and instruction for applying TRLs. The TRL reported in the Technical Risk Assessment is one of a number of factors that determine technical risk. Other technical risk factors include design, cost, schedule, manufacturability, architectures, and productibility.
When SBIR- and STTR-funded companies are performing their own work, they are often asked to cite their current TRL. To maintain credibility, it is best to use the TRLs as accurately as possible. Please follow this link for more guidance on TRLs for hardware and for software. Also provided are supporting definitions of key terms such as breadboard, model, prototype, and relevant environment.
The description and supporting information that accompany each of the TRLs help determine the degree of technology readiness.
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When you are trying to determine which TRL best fits your current stage of development, be sure to read the description and the supporting information column. Select as your TRL, the description for which all or most of the supporting information and descriptions are true.
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The following definitions come from the DoD Technology Readiness Assessment Deskbook (May, 2005) and help remove ambiguities in use of terms, used in defining Teachnology Readiness Levels (TRL).
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