GRAND's research program was originally structured around five themes that provided the framework on which the core research capabilities of the network were established. Each theme represents a key element of GRAND’s success in the field of digital media. These five core capabilities continue to serve as inputs to the research program, but are augmented by the Phase 2 set of seven outcome-based “GRAND Challenges” introduced in 2014.

Five Themes

	New Media Challenges and Opportunities (nMedia) The tools, skills, and techniques needed to advance the next generation of new media applications and distribution channels.
	Games and Interactive Simulation (GamSim) The construction, use, and understanding of games and simulation in three areas: game development technologies, education, and applications.
	Animation, Graphics and Imaging (AnImage) New knowledge and technology addressing the challenge of content generation and scalability required for deployment of digital technologies in a large range of social contexts.
	Social, Legal, Economic and Cultural Perspectives (SocLeg) Research results made available to policymakers about how best to adopt legal and regulatory processes to the challenges of digital media so that technological innovations are relevant and beneficial to Canadians in all walks of life.
	Enabling Technologies and Methodologies (TechMeth) The building blocks that will be used to invent, design, produce and evaluate the next generation of games, animation and new media technologies for use by consumers, research and industry.

GRAND Project Matrix