R&D Evaluation at NIAID: Making the Most of Expert Opinion

1. R&D Evaluation at NIAID:Making the Most of Expert Opinion Kevin Wright AEA Annual Conference Nov 4, 2011

2. Overview NIAID at a Glance • Highlights • Organization R&D Evaluation at NIAID • Intent • Implementation • Improvements Looking Ahead • Opportunities • Threats

3. NIAID at a Glance

4. NIAID R&D Evaluations

5. NIAID Program Cycle Initial idea

6. Primary Conclusion of the Interagency Working Group: “Expert judgment” remains the best available decision support tool for science policy makers, but a nascent community of practice is emerging in the science policy arena that holds enormous potential to provide rigorous and quantitative decision support tools in the near future. – The Science of Science Policy: A Federal Research Roadmap, Nov 2008.

7. NIAID R&D Evaluations To enhance the quality, utility, transparency and application of evaluation in support of decision making throughout NIAID. Mission Core Values Quality – The Evaluation Section will strive to meet and exceed expectations Utility – All services and products will be developed and applied where appropriate Collaborative – The Evaluation Section will listen to and partner with its customers Innovative – The Evaluation Section will continually seek to enhance products and services

8. Evaluation Planning Template

9. Analytic Tools

10. Opportunities • Improving Tools and Resources • Community of Knowledge • Alignment of Research Priorities • Increased Scrutiny of Results

11. Threats • Few Success Stories • Inconsistency • Rigor • Use by Decision Makers • Culture • Management v. Research • Results v. Process

12. Contact Info Kevin D. Wright, MPA Deputy Chief Strategic Planning and Evaluation Branch OSPFM, OSMO, NIAID, NIH, DHHS (p) 301-402-3574 wrightk@mail.nih.gov