A large award can attract attention. An enduring institution also needs a precise challenge, a fair path through it and a credible route to adoption. The research assembled here suggests designing those three elements together.
Start with a problem that benefits from an open search for solutions. Define success in terms that qualified independent reviewers can evaluate. Ask whether teams can realistically participate, whether early support is needed and how the burden of an application can be reduced.
The final award should not erase the value of the wider field. Strong teams may need feedback, introductions, additional evidence or a different form of support. Maintaining the record after selection makes it possible to learn whether the prize accelerated meaningful progress.
Committee question: if the award ceremony disappeared from the calendar, would the operating model still produce useful evidence, relationships and adoption?