‘TIL’ BOMB: DARPA and the Heilmeier Catechism

I’ve been working on being a better thinker and writer.  I spend a lot of time in my head, brainstorming ways companies can grow faster, innovate processes, or just entertain myself with random ideas. Sometimes I’ll put these thoughts down in a PowerPoint and other times I’ll ambush a friend who’s an expert in the field.  Most often, I keep them to myself, like shiny new toys for my brain to play with; honestly it’s my favorite weird hobby.

But here’s the thing and the reason I’m telling you this.  It’s only when I sit down to write these ideas out in detail that I uncover the flaws my initial excitement glossed over.  Paul Graham talks frequently about clear thinking through writing.   And, it was his writings that made me want to be a better thinker and by default, a better writer.

“The reason so many people have trouble writing is that it’s fundamentally difficult. To write well you have to think clearly, and thinking clearly is hard.”  Paul Graham.

By writing more, what I often realize is that I didn’t understand my own idea as well as I thought I did.  Or, as Graham says, “If you’re thinking without writing, you only think you’re thinking.”  Pro TIP:   Read his essays HERE.  On thinking and writing specifically, read “Write Simply” and “Writes and Write-Nots”   He explains that writing well requires you to organize your thoughts, identify gaps in your reasoning, and articulate your ideas in a logical and coherent manner.  This process of externalizing your thinking through writing is what allows for deeper understanding and refinement.

Back in March, I went over to the Ion Houston for a Fireside Chat with DARPA and Rice University.  One of the speakers, I don’t remember if it was Dr. Stefanie Tompkins or Sha-Chelle Devlin Manning from DARPA, dropped a TIL BOMB on me.  The Heilmeier Catechism.   Mind blown.   It’s so ridiculously simple in theory, but in practice, to steal a quote from Alex Katz, “Simplicity is the most difficult thing to achieve.”.

Reflecting on all those times I’ve pitched ideas to friends and colleagues only to be met with blank stares or most frequently, “what the F are you talking about?” look.   Not because ALL of my ideas were shit, but because they weren’t fully baked. The Heilmeier Catechism is like a recipe for clarity. It sharpens my thinking to work through ideas step by step, ensuring they’re fully developed, logically structured, and concisely expressed.

Cutting to the chase.   What I REALLY REALLY REALLY want: Founders, before you send me your pitch deck, please consider sending me a one-page Heilmeier Catechism.  Let’s make sure we’re on the same first page, literally, before we dive into your pitch deck.

For my brain, it’s the perfect framework to explain a business.  Hopefully you’ll take these ideas, write a brilliant one-pager describing your idea to make a giant dent in this world, get funded by the RIGHT VC, actually change the world, make a billion dollars and take me to your ranch on your private jet as a thank you.  See handy step-by-step guide and infographic below.

The Heilmeier Catechism Questions: (More about the process on DARPA.)

1. What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.
2. How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
3. What is new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
4. Who cares? If you are successful, what difference will it make?
5. What are the risks?
6. How much will it cost?
7. How long will it take?
8. What are the mid-term and final “exams” to check for success?

About the artwork:

“Cy” Twombly (1928-2011 was an American artist known for his abstract paintings that blend expressive, gestural marks with poetic references to classical mythology and literature. His work often evokes a raw, meditative quality, merging the chaos of scribbles with the depth of historical allusion.

Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was a Russian painter and art theorist, widely regarded as a pioneer of abstract art.   Honestly, that isn’t really an MRI of my brain, it’s his Composition VIII, 1923, Oil on canvas, 55.1″ × 79.1″.