Participatory Research and Utilization in the Technology A ssessment Process

Abstract

Technology assessments (TAs) are interdisciplinary applied policy studies undertaken (1) to inform public and private policymakers and interested citizens about the likely consequences of a decision to develop a technology, and (2) to identify, evaluate, and compare alternative policies and implementation strategies for dealing with problems and issues likely to arise when a technology is developed (White et al., 1978: 76). TAs, as do applied policy studies generally, involve technical and policy analyses.' Technical analyses attempt to evaluate and compare technologies on the basis of unbiased scientific and technical criteria. Policy analyses interpret the results of the technical analyses in the context of the social and political system within which the technology is developed.The purpose of this article is to discuss the policy analysis component of TA. First, utilization-central to the design, conduct, and interpretation of applied policy analysis-is discussed. Second, participatory research is assessed as a utilization strategy. Third, issues associated with utilization strategies are identified and several recommendations for the conduct of TAs are presented. The discussion that follows is based on a decade of research

Involving Program Staff in Evaluation Studies

“…According to him, the evaluator ¡ ¡ should adhere to user (stakeholder) preferences-in effect, work for the , stakeholders, who specify what kinds of information they want and in ¡ what form. Client participation also has been advocated by Ballard and , James (1983) and Leitko and Peterson (1982). The former suggest several participation strategies including using advisory committees, circulating report drafts, interacting verbally and in writing, and disseminating research products.…”