Technology Assessment 101 - Part Three

BONUS POST

In Technology Assessment 101 Part One there was discussion on what I termed "Evaluating Evaluation" where discussion was about why we should evaluate and why we should learn about assessment theory. In part two, the discussion was based on our our initial abilities to perform assessment and in particular aspects for idealized inquiry. To further Part One and Two discussions I would like to continue with brief post of discussion here on the functions of Technology assessment, our abilities for applying reasoning and critical thinking towards assessment and additional discussion on improving decision making while involving citizen participation, and collaboration with expert analysis.

Functions of Technology Assessment

Technology assessment vs. evaluation – often these are used synonymously since we tend to use the term technology assessment in an everyday sense when we are talking about technology evaluation. However, technology assessment is typically a systematic attempt to rate a technology and or foresee the consequences of introducing a particular technology. Although the differences may seem vague, this is not the same as technology evaluation where the primary purpose is for judging a technology for impact(s) in a particular context and in a particular time frame, and is not particularly concerned with making judgments about what may or may not happen in the future. Consequently there are distinctions between these that are important to note as a practitioner and in particular for discussion between various stakeholders about whether or not they actually want an assessment or an evaluation. The point being is that there is need for clarity in discussion and a definition for end result, such as, is there a desired “real analysis” to be made of performance, or is there a desired “predictive analysis” of how it might perform and what the impact of the outcome might be.

Characteristics of effective assessments

Applying reasoning and critical thinking towards assessment

Input here, still putting my thoughts together about this concerning macro, meso, and micro levels, the optimists and the skeptics, and the logic differences and similarities between of Deductive Reasoning, Inductive Reasoning, Empirical Thinking, and Abductive Reasoning, etc.

Improving decision making through participation and collaboration

Input here, but still putting my thoughts together about this as well, considering Democracy and Technology, social consequences and synergisms, as well as a holistic approach etc.  

For further entries to this discussion of evaluation and assessment see: 


Technology Assessment 101 - Part One for a short discourse on evaluating evaluation, why we evaluate and why we should learn about assessment theory

Technology Assessment 101 - Part Two for a short discourse on the need for assessment, our assessment abilities, and ideas for an idealized inquiry with an iterative process