Assessing Technology Progression using a unified model and open data based metrics

With Roger Brackin, University of Nottingham.

This is an online seminar and all are welcome. Please contact sue.davis@nottingham.ac.uk for the link.

Part of the Economic Worlds Seminar Series.

Abstract

Technological evolution and its potential impacts are of significant interest to governments, corporate organisations, and academic enquiry, but assessments of technology progression are often highly subjective.  My research looks at potential measures of technology progression with a view to supporting objective indicators. These indicators may help reduce the subjective nature of such assessments and, in conjunction with other techniques, could reduce the uncertainty of technology forecasting. 

The research has considered how multiple facets of technology assessment from different authors might come together in a unified model of technology progression and then supported the development of indicators in two areas of technology growth.  It has looked at the growth of individual technologies on a historic basis, their growth over time, geographically and progression in different domains (medicine, law, environment etc). The approach has been to use open data and automated analysis and to look at potential success against existing, largely subjective assessments generated by organisations such as Gartner.  The output is relevant to a wide range of potential organisations for example in supporting the development of research strategies.