dg.o 2007

Bridging Research and Practice Domains: Lessons from the Field

In keeping with the theme of the conference, this panel will generate discussion about the opportunities and challenges of research and practice partnerships. Research and practice partnerships require the bridging of many domains: research and practice domains, government jurisdictional domains, as well as disciplinary domains.

Digital government is an applied research field, and the general challenges of applied research are reasonably well known. However, less is known about applied research in the specific domain of digital government. In order to build knowledge through new forms of partnerships, practitioners must have a better understanding of the research domain and researchers must have a better understanding of the practice domain. Both must have a collective understanding of the process and the challenges they face in order to effectively navigate toward satisfactory research and practice results.

This panel will include representatives from past and present research and practice partnerships where bridges were built to provide value to both research and practice. Each panelist will present their experience in forming a working partnership designed to serve the collective interest of the partnership.  They will outline challenges, as well as lessons learned, in moving forward with their partnerships.

Panelists remarks and follow-on discussion will address the following topics:

• Finding potential partners.

• Identifying a good fit between research interests and practice needs.

• Establishing a common language; balancing research priorities with the practice priorities of government.

• Building a knowledge and information sharing infrastructure among research and practice partners.

Moderator

Theresa A. Pardo, Deputy Director, Center for Technology in Goverment, University at Albany, SUNY, USA.

Panelists

Maria Wimmer, Institut für Wirtschafts- und Verwaltungsinformatik, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany.

Andy McIntyre, Chief, Policy, Standards & Strategic Planning, Office of Administration, Office for Information Technology, Bureau of the Integrated Enterprise System, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, USA.

Anthony Cresswell, Deputy Director, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany, SUNY, USA.