Elaborating a technological index for the evaluation of innovation quality

Abstract Each technology has specific characteristics that are its basis for process efficiency and performance. It seems useful to elaborate a synthetic index-called a ‘technological index ’-to represent the global quality of each technology. For this purpose, several quantifiable parameters have been considered and examined; the most significant seem to be process reliability, process capability (uniformity), real potential, and flexibility. Grouping them in pairs, using nomograms, two subindices are obtained before the final technological index. We have called these two sub-indices process quality and process efficiency. This methodology may be applied to make either absolute or comparative evaluations.