Research Quality The Importance of Quality Research Products

Research Quality The Importance of Quality Research Products

Purpose • To discuss the importance of developing quality products when spending Federal research dollars • To get your input on how FTA can help you with product quality

Research Products • Research products - the means by which research results are demonstrated, communicated: • • • Interim Reports Plans, designs Prototype vehicles or systems Demonstrations Conferences, Meetings Final Reports

Issue • All kinds of projects • All kinds of products • Result: All kinds of quality

Federal Research $ • By accepting an FTA research grant, your organization accepts the unique requirements of government funded research.

Not Doing Research? • Even if your intent for the project is to purchase products or services: By using research funds, you accept the obligation of providing a research product

Obligation to the Public • There’s more to an FTA grant agreement than an agreement to receive money. • There’s an agreement to provide the public something of value. • Products of FTA-funded research are what we promise the public in exchange for public funds.

Obligation of Quality • The U. S. public is owed a quality product from every FTA research grant

What Matters Most • Research--without adequate communication or demonstration of the results--might as well not happen. • Successful research is the marked by full documentation and communication of results-regardless of the project outcome.

After its over… • Research Products become the project

Documents • • • They need to be Professional Quality Spelling Grammar Punctuation No sentence fragments No marathon sentences

Documents- Organization • Well Organized • Easy to Navigate • • Use Chapters, Sections, Subsections Make it easy for the reader to scan through Few people read research from front to back Make your report an enjoyable resource

Documents - Logic • Sound, logical flow of information is critical to the reader • Use logical, supported arguments • Use easy to follow logical paragraph & sentence structure • Word choice is key

Documents – Final Reports • Final reports • Executive Summary • Table of Contents • Written for wider audience

Documents - Data • Include summary data • Often not possible to include all data • Include data that supports arguments, conclusions

Documents - Web • Most final documents go on the web • Web-ready • FTA doesn’t have a staff of web document editors • Both PDF and html

Section 508 • Web documents must be “Section 508 Compliant” • Essentially means that graphics, tables and some formatting must be made so they can also be displayed as text • To make technology accessible to people with disabilities

Other Products • Professional Standards • Prototypes – • Clean, maintained • Demonstrations • Public-Oriented Staff • Software • Include full documentation

Input - Discussion • How can FTA help ensure creating product quality is easy to do?