Exploratory Quantum Technology Assessment

GoingthroughthisEQTARoadmapismorethanjustcollecting informationtomakeadecisionabouttheresponsibleapplicationof quantumtechnology.Ithelpsorganizationsthinkaboutwherequantum technologycantakethem,whetherthatisdesirable,howtogradually gaincertaintyabouttheseideas,andwhatneedstobedonetorealize thatfuture.
TheEQTAhelpsorganizationsunderstandwhichdevelopmentstheyneedtofollow inthefieldofquantumtechnologyandwhetherandhowtheycaninitiateandsteer thesedevelopments.Someorganizationsmaydecidethattheyneedtogain experiencewithquantumtechnology.Othersmaydecidethatmanagement, employees,andotherstakeholdersshouldlearnandunderstandwhatquantum technologycanmeanfortheorganizationandinvolvethesegroupsactivelyin developingideas.AftercompletingtheEQTA,organizationsmaystartworking togetherormakeanefforttoachievestandardizationanddevelopethical frameworksandregulations.
BygoingthroughtheEQTA,organizationscanbetterunderstandtheimpactof geopoliticaldevelopmentsfortheapplicationofquantumtechnology.Theycan ensurethateducationrespondsinatimelymannertotheskillsneededtouse quantumtechnologyorthatserviceprovidersdevelopservicesthatmeettheir requirements.ThemostimportantpartofgoingthroughtheEQTAmaybethelast step:theevaluation.Thisinvolvesplanningevaluationofthedecision,whenlooking attheeffectofthemeasurestaken,andthenplanningfurthersteps.
QuantumTechnology exploration andtimelines (page89)
ExploreApplications: examplesofapplications (page75)
Describeimpact onorganization, opportunities,andpotential threats(page13)
Performa stakeholderanalysis (page69)
Organizeadialogue tovalidatethedescription, develop,anddecideifitis necessarytocontinue theEQTA(page69)
Decide: isitnecessaryto continuetothefullEQTA?
Explorethesocietal framework (page36)
Document andjustifythe decision(page71)
Step2
Communication,knowledge, imagingandmyths
Societal,organizational requirementstoembed technologyinsociety
Stakeholdersinandoutside theorganization
Indepenceofdevelopments outsidetheorganization
Exploretechnological frameworks (page48)
Step1 Step4 Step5 Step6
Qualityrequirementsfor technologyandcloud
Technologicalrequirements forsafety,trustanddata governance
Requirementsforfutureproof investmentsandfreedom ofchoiceforinnovation
Explorelegalandethical frameworks (page54) Step3
Applicablelegal frameworks
Ethicalframeworks
ExploratoryQuantumTechnologyAssessment
Step7
Stakeholder dialogue (page69)
Developapproachesfor (social)innovationwith stakeholdersbasedon relevantvalues
Balancing (page71)
Compareapproachesbased onsubsidiarity(arethere alternatives?),proportionality (arethemeansandendsin proportion?)andnecessity
Decisionmakingand justification (page72)
Decideonthestepstobe takenandjustification
Feedbackand evaluation (page72)
Setupprocessestofollow developmentsinatargeted mannerandperiodically evaluatethedecision
ThisRoadmapispartoftheExploratoryQuantumTechnology Assessment(EQTA),developedonbehalfofQuantumDelta Netherlands,withthehelpofaworkinggroupofexpertsand stakeholdersguidedbyECP|PlatformfortheInformationSociety. ThepagenumbersrefertotheexplanationinthefullEQTA.
QuantumTechnologyexplorationandtimelines.
Explorehowquantumtechnologywillplayaroleinyourorganization’ssector ordomain.Whatchangesforyourorganizationwhenotherorganizationsstart usingquantumtechnology?Howlongdoesittakeforproductstoreachthe market?
ExploreApplications:examplesofapplications. Whichapplicationsofquantumtechnologyareimportantforyourorganization? Oraretherethreatsthatyourorganizationneedstotakeintoaccount?
Describeimpactonorganization,opportunities,andpotentialthreats. Whowithinandoutsidetheorganizationwillbeaffectedbytheapplicationof quantumtechnology(employeesontheshopfloor,management,customersor partners,regulators)?Whatexpertiseisneededtoassessandmanagethatimpact?
Organizeadialogtovalidateanddeveloptheinsights.
Inadialoguewithstakeholders(whoexperiencetheimpact)andexperts,test andenrichideasabouttheapplicationofquantumtechnology,theopportunities itoffers,anditsimpact.Discusswhattheorganizationneedstodotoseizethese opportunitiesandmanagetheirconsequences.
Basedontheresultsofthedialogue,determineiffurtheranalysisisrequired torealizetheopportunitiesandtomitigatetherisks.
Yes, further analysis is required. Continue to Step 1
N0, additional analysis is not required. Record and account for the decision. If the EQTA is not continued, establish which developments or at what point in time the decision and its underlying assumptions will be reassessed.
Communication,knowledge,perceptionsandmyths. Whataretheperceptionssurroundingquantumtechnology?
Auxiliaryquestions: Whatideasexistinsideandoutsidetheorganizationabout quantumtechnologyandhowmightthataffecttheintendedapplication?Which groupsorindividualsshouldbeabletoparticipateintheapplication?Whatdo theyneedtoknow?
Socialandorganizationalconditionsforsuccesfulembedding oftechnology.
Inadialoguewithstakeholders(affectedbyitsimpact)andexperts,evaluate andexpanduponideasregardingtheimplementationofquantumtechnology, itspotentialbenefits,anditsimpact.Discusstheactionstheorganizationmust taketocapitalizeontheseopportunitiesandmitigateanyconsequence.
Stakeholdersinandoutsidetheorganization.
Whoarethestakeholders.Whoareaffectedbytheimpactoftheapplication?
Auxiliaryquestions: Whowillbe'impacted'bytheapplicationandhow?Howcan thesegroupsbeinvolvedindevelopment,implementationandevaluation?
Whatistheinternationalcontext?
Auxiliaryquestions: whichinternationalplayersareinvolvedintheproposed implementation?Whatpotentialdependenciescouldarise(suchasissuesof sovereignty)?Doforeignentitieshaveaccesstotheimplementation? Whatarethepotentialimplicationsofthis?
Whatstandardqualitycriteriamustthetechnologymeettoattainthe statedobjectivesandadvantages?Considerfactorssuchasfunctionality, sustainability(intermsofmaterialsandenergyconsumption),reliability, maintainability,errorresilience,flexibility,scalability,andtransparency. Alsotakeintoaccountrequirementsforoutsourcingtheuseofquantum technologythroughcloudandonlineservices.
Whattechnicalrequirementsshouldbeimposedinrelationtoprivacy,security, data,identity,authentication,andauthorization?
Developwithstakeholders,expertsandmanagementpossible approachesandtimelines.
Whichpreconditionsshouldbesetonquantumtechnologytoensurefuture proofinvestmentsandfreedomofchoicefororganizationsinfuture?
Whichlegalframeworksapply?Considerframeworksforhumanrights,privacy anddataprotection,goodgovernance,intellectualproperty,quantum-specific legislation,andcountry-,sector-,andindustry-specificframeworks.
Ethicalframeworks.
Whatethicalframeworksarerelevant?Takeintoaccountthe‘quantum computinggovernanceprinciples’establishedbytheWorldEconomicForum, aswellasethicalguidelinessetforthbyorganizationssuchastheUN,IEEE (engineering),andOECD.Whatprinciplesandvaluesdoesyourorganization uphold?
Makethesegeneralprinciplesandpremisesasspecificaspossibleinlight oftheproposedapplicationanditsobjectives.
Incorporatethekeyconsiderationsidentifiedinthepreviousthreesteps (fromvariousperspectivesincludingsocietal,technical,organizational,legal, andethical)bydevelopingpotentialapproachesthroughdialoguewiththe organization’smanagementandleadership,futureusers,thoseimpactedby theimplementation,andexperts(suchastechnicians,lawyers,ethicists,and socialissuespecialists).Discusstheeffectsofeachapproach,theunderlying valuesatstake,andtheimplicationsfortechnology,theorganizational environment,andpeople/users.
Comparethedescribedapproachesintermsofsubsidiarity(whatarethe alternativeswiththeleastimpact),proportionality(arethemeansinproportion tothegoal)andnecessity.Documenttheanalysis.
Decisiononstepstobetakenandonaccountability. Documentthechoice,thestepstobetakenandjustifyboth.
Establishprocessestotrackdevelopmentsinafocused wayandevaluatethedecisiononaregularbasis. Implementprocedurestoconsistentlyassessthedecision,ensuretheobjectives ofthestepsarebeingmet,verifytheassumptions,andreactappropriatelyto newdevelopments.
EQTAwasmadepossiblebytheMinistryofEconomic AffairsandClimateandfundedbytheQuantumDelta NetherlandsGrowthFund.EQTAisatooldeveloped bytheCentreforQuantumandSociety..