The Government Accountability Office has issued a handbook designed to guide agencies throughout the process of evaluating technologies they intend to deploy.
The Technology Assessment Design Handbook, issued by GAO’s Science, Technology Assessment and Analytics Office, covers design tools for “robust and rigorous assessments†that will enable agencies to determine the effects and potential policy implications of new technologies.
According to the handbook, agencies must first determine the scope of their technologies, conduct initial situational analyses and coordinate with other potential stakeholders.
Assessors should then develop an initial design and determine the proper methodologies and approaches to technology assessment in addition to identifying potential data sources. The last phase tasks assessors to implement the review process and make adjustments as needed.
GAO noted that it plans to review and update the handbook in line with ongoing feedback from interested parties.
