Design Services: Applied Research & Development Some projects may require the use of emerging technologies that, although proven in the lab, have not been subject to practical realization within the public domain. In this case the project feasibility cannot be properly determined without conducting applied research and development. Effort is focused on gathering comprehensive background information across multiple disciplines in an attempt to develop a pragmatic solution. Applied research and development is a high-risk endeavour and usually required when a feasibility study determines that technology is not sufficiently mature to permit the successful implementation of the project within defined parameters.