📅 Thursday, 27 November 2025 — 10:00 to 12:00 CET
💻 Online, virtual event
The INPROCAP project is building the skills and tools necessary for all actors in the Big Science ecosystem to succeed. The second Webinar 2: Needs Assessment and Analysis of Unmet Needs, part of the INPROCAP Webinar Series (October 2025 – December 2026), will help you turn innovation challenges into concrete procurement opportunities— a crucial step in every successful innovation procurement process.
In this two-hour online session, you will explore how to identify, define, and prioritise unmet needs within their organisations. They will learn practical methods for engaging with end-users and building functional use cases.
Learning objectives
By the end of this session, you will:
- Understand how to identify unmet needs within organisations in a timely manner
- Master methods for identifying and prioritising unmet needs
- Develop skills for engaging effectively with end-users
- Understand the fundamentals of creating functional specifications
- Learn to describe needs in functional terms rather than prescriptive technical solutions
- Practise translating needs into procurement requirements through hands-on exercises
Who Should Attend
- Industrial Liaison Officers (ILO)
- Big Science Organisation (BSO) procurement & technical staff
- Small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups aiming to engage in Big Science procurement
Why attend?
This webinar will give you actionable tools to bridge innovation gaps in your organisation and lay the foundation for future innovation procurement projects. You’ll also gain practical experience in turning real needs into clear procurement requirements.
Agenda
Time | Session |
10:00–10:05 | Welcome & Housekeeping · Quick tech check and overview of session flow · How to participate in breakout exercises and Q&A · Outline of objectives and expected outcomes |
10:05–10:20 | Why needs assessment matters in innovation procurement · The concept of “unmet needs” and why innovation should address real challenges · How understanding unmet needs enables successful procurement · The role of ILOs and BSOs in the need’s identification process · Common pitfalls: seeking innovation for innovation’s sake |
10:20–10:50 | Methods and approaches for identifying unmet needs · Step-by-step approach to identifying needs within your organisation · Techniques for engaging with end-users and stakeholders · Methods for gathering requirements: interviews, workshops, surveys, observation · Prioritisation frameworks: urgency, impact, feasibility · Importance of involving procurement officers from the beginning |
10:50–11:00 | ☕ Break |
11:00–11:25 | Functional vs. technical requirements · Understanding functional requirements (what the solution should achieve) · Versus technical requirements (how it should work) · Why functional specifications foster innovation · Examples from successful BSO procurements |
11:25–11:50 | Interactive exercise: Translating needs to requirements · Breakout activity: participants work in small groups on a BSO case study · Identify the unmet need and draft functional requirements · Share insights and receive expert feedback |
11:50–12:00 | Q&A, key takeaways, and next steps · Summary of key learning points · Open discussion and questions · Resources for further learning · Information about certification progress |
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required.
