This paper describes a particular strategy and method of field testing or evaluation: administrative experimentation. The method is first defined in terms of its relation to other methods, and its potential strengths and limitations. Second, the method itself is described in some detail. Finally, case studies of its use are presented to provide a basis for evaluating the usefulness of the method.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AndersonJ. K.A system analysis evaluation framework. Unpublished master's thesis, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, June, 1972.
2.
CampbellD. T.Administrative experimentation, institutional records, and nonreactive measures. In StanleyJ. C. (Ed.), Improving experimental design and statistical analysis.Chicago: Rand McNally, 1967, pp. 257–291.
3.
CampbellD. T.StanleyJ. C.Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research.Chicago: Rand McNally, 1963.
4.
CaroF. G. (Ed.). Readings in evaluation research.New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1971.
5.
ChapanisA.Research techniques in human engineering.Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press, 1959.
6.
ErdmannR. L.NealA. S.Laboratory vs. field experimentation in human factors–an evaluation of an experimental self-service airline ticket vendor. Human Factors, 1971, 13, 521–531.
7.
KnowlesW. B.BurgerW. J.MitchellM. B.HanifanD. T.WulfeckJ. W.Models, measures, and judgments in system design. Human Factors, 1969, 11, 577–590.
8.
LiebowE.Tally's corner.Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1967.
9.
McKillopA. R.KennedyO. G.Application of systems analysis programs to the delivery of rehabilitation health care services, final report. Chicago: The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, June, 1971.
10.
MorganD. L.Evaluation: a semantic dilemma, Educational Technology, 1971, 11, 46–48.
11.
PlanekT. W.Planning techniques for the evaluation of community support efficiency in safety. Human Factors, 1970, 12, pp. 47–54.
12.
RathG. J.ResnickA.SavageT. R.Comparisons of four types of lexical indicators of content. American Documentation, 1961, 12, 126–130.
13.
RathG. J.WernerD. J.Infosearch: studying the remote use of libraries by medical researchers, The Proceedings of ADI 1967 (American Documentation Institute National Meeting, October 22–27, 1967, New York City), 1967, 4, 58–62.
14.
SuchmanE. A.Evaluative research.New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1967.
15.
ThompsonC. W. N.The initial screening of technical documents by the user. Northwestern University, Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences, June 1969. (a).
16.
ThompsonC. W. N.Management research methods for engineering managers. SAE Monograph No. 690362, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., New York, 1969. (b).
17.
ThompsonC. W. N.Study of the user's ‘natural queue’ of documents. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Writing and Speech, 1970, EWS-13, 73–78.
18.
ThompsonC. W. N.RathG. J.The design and evaluation of police experiments. In Proceedings of the 3rd National Symposium on Law Enforcement Science and Technology. Chicago: Law Enforcement Science and Technology Center, IIT Research Institute, 1970.
