Development of a Mapping Table for the Value Determination of Transportation Research Results

Abstract

Measuring the value of research results is very important to justify the efficiency and effectiveness of research programs. However, it has received very little attention by transportation agencies and researchers because of the lack of knowledge in benefit measures, scarcity of data required, and absence of consistent quantification methods. The purpose of this paper is to develop a mapping table that links research categories and subcategories, benefit categories and subcategories, and benefit measures by taking the following steps: data collection, data analysis, and development of a mapping table. Because this study pertains to qualitative research, thematic analysis and a clustering-and-coding approach were used for the data analysis, and the research findings were reviewed by experts from state DOTs in the Southeast Transportation Consortium to assure the credibility of the study. The proposed mapping table can assist public agencies in the development of reliable, systematic, research program evaluation procedures.