| Session Title: Your Input, Please: Research, Technology and Development (RTD) Topical Interest Group (TIG) Draft User’s Guide to Conducting Research and Development Evaluation |
| Think Tank Session 689 to be held in Texas D on Friday, Nov 12, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Sponsored by the Research, Technology, and Development Evaluation TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Gretchen Jordan, Sandia National Laboratories, gbjorda@sandia.gov |
| Discussant(s): |
| Brian Zuckerman, Science and Technology Policy Institute, bzuckerm@ida.org |
| Cheryl Oros, Oros Consulting LLC, cheryl.oros@gmail.com |
| Juan Rogers, School of Public Policy Georgia Institute of Technology, jdrogers@gatech.edu |
| George Teather, George Teather and Associates, gteather@sympatico.ca |
| Abstract: Evaluation of research, technology, and development (RT&D) is a maturing discipline. Although in recent years resource guides for R&D evaluation practitioners have been created and disseminated (e.g., Ruegg and Feller 2003; Ruegg and Jordan 2007), there is not agreement among R&D evaluators, and especially those working in government, as to when evaluations should be conducted, what types of evaluation to pursue, and how they should be approached. While U.S. government policy calls upon R&D agencies to conduct evaluation and to strengthen their capacity to do so, no guidance has been provided for policy implementation. During 2010, the RTD TIG, as a community of practice, has responded to this call by developing a user-focused White Paper regarding evaluation practices as applied to government-funded R&D. At this Think Tank, the TIG leadership will present the current draft of the White Paper for discussion. |