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Sue Sillick Montana Department of Transportation July 2011

This research paper highlights the importance of practitioners and researchers collaboratively identifying and developing research problems rather than restrictive problem statements. It emphasizes the need for open-ended scope of work development and discusses prioritization challenges in research programs. Contact Sue Sillick for further inquiries.

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Sue Sillick Montana Department of Transportation July 2011

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  1. Best Practices Related to Research Problem Identification, Scoping, and Programming: A State DOT Research Manager’s View Sue Sillick Montana Department of Transportation July 2011 RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  2. Issue 1 Identification of research problems by staff who are not regularly involved in research leads to requests for proposals that are too proscriptive; which, in turn, tie the researcher’s hands in proposing an optimal research work plan RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  3. Issue 2 Most researchers would find it preferable if department staff would identify problems they encounter in their day-to-day work rather than trying to scope out “research problem statements” RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  4. Issues 1 and 2 Problem/Topic Statement Development Identification and development of research problems by practitioners, researchers, or in collaboration between the two Relevant High priority Understand the issues Applied research RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  5. Issues 1 and 2 Scope of Work Development Proscriptive/Restrictive vs. open-ended/Unconstrained Scope of Works lead to proposals Essential research components vs. those that are open to interpretation Set project budget RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  6. Issue 3 Given that most departments have more research problems than their research budgets will allow them to fully investigate, there seems to be no single optimal process to evaluate individual project requests for prioritization within the research program. RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  7. Conclusions Can we be less proscriptive in scope of work development? Can we move toward identifying the problems rather than developing scopes of work? Can we agree on a single optimal process? RESEARCH PROGRAMS

  8. Questions? Contact Sue Sillick ssillick@mt.gov 406-444-7693 RESEARCH PROGRAMS

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