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Priority is a strategic
planning tool that utilises the
evaluation framework developed by the US
Industrial Research Institute and CSIRO
Australia to set organisational research
priorities.
Recognising that the setting of
priorities is best undertaken in an
interactive and team based environment,
the package has been designed to
facilitate rapid data entry in a
workshop environment. A graphical user
interface guides the facilitator through
the evaluation process, where a series
of questions relating to potential
benefits , likely capture of benefits
and organisational capability are
provided. The package has been developed for
the CSIRO Corporate Office.
Major features include
Graphical
User Interface
 A Graphical User Interface guides
users through the evaluation package.
Each component of the evaluation process
is illustrated on the interface and the
user can systemically step through the
evaluation framework.
Help System
A Help System is contained with the
application to provide the user with a
functional and operational backup. The
Help System is context sensitive and can
be called whenever a problem is
encountered throughout the evaluation
process.
Charts
Results are provided in tabular and
graphical formats. Using charts the
evaluation results can be demonstrated
in a way that assist interpretation.
Operation
Priority is designed to be
used in a workshop environment. CSIRO
(1991) outlined the rationale for group
analysis:
Building
group consensus
The CSIRO priority setting approach
is a method for achieving group
consensus on priorities. After a number
of trials, the procedure detailed as the
most generally suitable. It uses aspects
of both Delphi and Nominal Group
techniques. It is important to keep in
mind that the scores are a means of
identifying and exploring differing
judgements.
Key process factors are:
- Adequate preparation - so that
participants understand what is going on
and can use their group time on the
important thing exploring the views
underlying the scores, rather than
wasting it on the mechanics;
- "champions" for each research
purpose, who can lead the discussion and
address issues as they arise;
- The full commitment of all
participants (including a willingness to
step outside of day-to-day concerns and
take a fresh look at the total area
under consideration).
The four criteria adopted by
CSIRO for priority assessment; namely:
- Potential benefits of successful
research;
- Capture of the benefits;
- R & D potential; and
- R & D capacity
are completely general and
independent. However, many separate
factors are embedded in each of them. It
is important that all participants
in-group exercises have the same
understanding of the criteria.
Each research area is scored using
the following four criteria:
Potential Benefits
Potential benefits are the maximum
economic, environmental and other social
returns possible for Australia from
technological improvement in the
sub-division under consideration. The
benefits include both first-order
benefits (ie, benefits to the
sub-division in question) and benefits
potentially flowing on to other sectors
and the nation as a whole.
Some key economic factors
implicit in the assessment of potential
benefits are:
- The importance of technological
improvement to sub-division performance
vis-a-vis other factors
- Size of market
- Contribution to increased
productivity
- Projected market growth
- Exports, import replacement
- Benefits to Australia associated
with use of research- based goods and
services by other sectors of the
economy.
Australia’s
ability to capture the benefits
Australia’s ability to capture the
benefits is a measure of the efficiency
of technology transfer and adoption
relative to an ideal, namely complete,
capture of potential benefits by
Australia. It reflects the ability of
Australia’s companies and organisations
to convert technical progress into
commercial and other returns.
Relevant questions are:
- can Australian users compete
internationally?
- is the technology socially and
politically acceptable?
- can local industry/other users
exploit the full potential of the
technology in a timely way?
- is the application uniquely
Australian?
- linkages with leading
companies/enterprises
- adequacy of skills/investment base
- access to international and
marketing networks
- risks of competitive leakage, if
not can substantial benefit be retained?
- probability/risks of creating new
enterprises
<- is acceptance/implementation of
relevant "non-commercial" research by
public sector bodies likely?
R & D Potential
R & D Potential is a measure of the
technical potential relevant areas of
research.
Relevant questions are:
- how fertile are the relevant
research fields?
- where is the current technology of
the "S" curve?
- how close is current technology to
the realisable potential?
R & D Capacity
R & D Capacity is a measure of
national research efficiency in
realising the R & D potential and
achieving technology goals in a timely
way.
Relevant questions are:
- is Australia internationally
competitive?
- should the research be done in
Australia?
- is there a critical mass of effort?
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