What is good research?

The Institute research projects are designed to produce new insights that meet the ten principles of good research identified at the 2006 Summit meeting between researchers and practitioners.

In defining success the practitioners identified 10 criteria for quality research:

1. Content

New or profound information and best practices versus incremental knowledge in a narrow topic.

2. Readability

New knowledge presented in a language that they can understand that is fully deployable to all employees in the organization.

3. Utility

Actionable information that will help practitioners close gaps in performance, exceed customer expectations, and help sustain the organization in turbulent times.

4. Transferability

New knowledge needs to be transferable across the organization and ideally across industry sectors. The corollary to this requirement in research is the concept of generalizability.

5. Credibility

The depth of scholarship, including analysis and supporting data, is sufficient to inspire confidence and implementation of the new knowledge (Baldridge, Floyd, and Markoczy 2004). Part of the credibility is transparency on sponsorship and funding sources.

6. Timely

New knowledge and information needs to be accessible in time to address real-world problems and challenges and ideally in time to create a competitive advantage.

7. Access

Easy access to new knowledge and information available in multiple media and formats.

8. Benefits

There should be a clear connection between the new knowledge and information and organization results and overall success.

9. Involvement

Practitioners should be involved throughout the research process. As the practitioners put it, "Don't ask for our problems and data and then toss the research findings over the wall." The corollary to this in organizational change is the notion that resistance to change decreases as the involvement of the key stakeholders increases (Beckhard and Harris 1987).

10. Dissemination

Present new knowledge and information at public forums such as the annual NIST Quest for Excellence and make the new knowledge available to the public.

Source: Latham 2008, p. 20