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The Bell-Mason Development Framework is an objective means
to chart the course and evaluate the progress of early-stage ventures by using hundreds of
questions on best practices derived from direct experience with hundreds of companies. Above
all, this methodology creates a smarter, more efficient investing and building process for
corporations. It includes four key elements:
1.Twelve dimensions or categories of analysis that can characterize any venture. The venture
team must analyze progress in each dimension independently to reliably define and calibrate it.
Twelve Dimensions of the Bell-Mason
Model
2.Four well-defined stages of development (explored
at length in The Venture Imperative) which chronicle the evolution of the venture over time: Venture
Vision, Alpha Offering, Beta Offering, and Market Calibration and Expansion.
 Four well-defined stages of development
3.Quantification of a venture's progress, in each stage, via key milestones and incremental performance
measures. (This analysis is especially useful for investors doing due diligence or providing board-level advice and counsel, or as an internal
review for a venture's team at end stage.
4.Spider graphs, or Kiviat diagrams, that depict the ideal state of venture evolution across the
four stages, and provide a means to compare the real venture again the idea.
Ideal States for the Bell-Mason Model
The power of the graphical component of this framework becomes readily
apparent when comparing actual performance against ideal performance.
The following graph depicts the results of a concept state diagnostic performed
on a recent corporate venture. The spikes in the idea graph indicate the relative importance
of that dimension in that stage. When actual performance is falling short of ideal performance
on a spike, the issues are extremely serious and must be addressed immediately.
Concept Stage of the Bell-Mason Model
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"Mason
and Rohner have concisely captured the essence, essentials and expanse of successful
corporate venturing. THE VENTURE IMPERATIVE makes it clear that a strong corporate
venturing team can serve as the catalytic accelerator to new technologies, new
markets, and new talent."
--Warren E. Holtsberg
Corporate Vice President and Director
Venture Investing, Motorola Inc.
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