Report: Guideline Societal Embeddedness Assessment DigiMon

The report presents the guideline for applying the SEL methodology and conducting a SEL assessment of a technological innovation. The Societal Embeddedness Level (SEL) is a novel methodology which provides insight in the societal requirements for a technological innovation to be deployed. The SEL methodology builds upon the Technology Readiness Level (TRL), i.e. the SEL is related to the TRL. This guideline presents an introduction to the SEL methodology and the main elements of the methodology, the SEL assessment guideline itself and how the assessment outcome can be used to enhance the SEL. It provides a step-by-step approach for (1) assessing the current SEL of a technological innovation, (2) gaining insight in the societal challenges still to overcome towards deployment of the technological innovation, and 3) developing the building blocks for a strategy to societal embedded a technological innovation based on the SEL assessment outcome. This guideline will be used in the ACT Digimon project for a national SEL assessment of Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) and a local SEL assessment of the Digimon monitoring system.

The guideline was written by Tara Geerdink, Marit Sprenkeling, Adriaan Slob and Hanneke Puts from TNO with valuable contributions from Åsta Dyrnes Nordø, Danny Otto, Dimitris Mendrinos, Kevin Broecks, Marie Bueie Holstad, Matthias Gross, Ole Martin Lægreid, Olympia Polyzou, Spyridon Karytsas, Ruben Peuchen and all participants of the Digimon Training Day in March 2020.