Constructive Technology Assessment Research Articles

Growing pains in upscaling: A constructive technology assessment of sea lice treatment innovations in the stagnating Norwegian aquaculture regime

Growing pains in upscaling: A constructive technology assessment of sea lice treatment innovations in the stagnating Norwegian aquaculture regime

Experiencing complex stakeholder dynamics around emerging technologies: a role-play simulation

ABSTRACT This paper presents and evaluates a role-play simulation called ‘Theatrical Technology Assessment’, in which students learn about complex stakeholder dynamics around emerging technologies. This role-play combines insights from Constructive Technology Assessment, improvisational theatre and educational role-play designs. It was implemented in an online setting with bachelor students of an interdisciplinary engineering programme. Based on collected chat conversations and reflection reports in seven different simulations, we qualitatively analysed what students learned about stakeholder dynamics. The study shows that students gained novel and relevant insights regarding stakeholder perspectives on technologies, the effects of uncertainties on decision making, collective stakeholder dynamics, and strategies to steer technology development. Students considered the role-play simulations to be engaging learning experiences. The dual set-up of the role-play, with students as players and co-designers, and the integral use of improvisational theatre are novel elements of educational role-play designs.

High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell rescue to treat stage III homologous deficient breast cancer: factors influencing clinical implementation

BackgroundHigh-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue (HDCT) is a promising treatment for patients with stage III, HER2-negative, homologous recombination deficient (HRD) breast cancer. Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are currently under investigation in an international multicenter randomized controlled trial. To increase the chance of successful introduction of HDCT into daily clinical practice, we aimed to identify relevant factors for smooth implementation using an early comprehensive assessment framework.MethodsThis is a qualitative, multi-stakeholder, exploratory research using semi-structured interviews guided by the Constructive Technology Assessment model, which evaluates the quality of a novel health technology by clinical, economic, patient-related, and organizational factors. Stakeholders were recruited by purposeful stratified sampling and interviewed until sufficient content saturation was reached. Two researchers independently created themes, categories, and subcategories by following inductive coding steps, these were verified by a third researcher.ResultsWe interviewed 28 stakeholders between June 2019 and April 2021. In total, five overarching themes and seventeen categories were identified. Important findings for optimal implementation included the structural identification and referral of all eligible patients, early integration of supportive care, multidisciplinary collaboration between- and within hospitals, (de)centralization of treatment aspects, the provision of information for patients and healthcare professionals, and compliance to new regulation for the BRCA1-like test.ConclusionsIn anticipation of a positive reimbursement decision, we recommend to take the highlighted implementation factors into consideration. This might expedite and guide high-quality equitable access to HDCT for patients with stage III, HER2-negative, HRD breast cancer in the Netherlands.

Constructive Technology Assessment: Systematic Review and Future Study Needs

Engineering, understood as the gathering of scientific and technological knowledge for innovation, creation, advancement and optimization of techniques, as well as a set of useful tools to meet social needs and solve technical problems of both individuals and the community, makes its main actors, engineers, key players in sustainable development and in the creation of alternatives that minimize the negative effects of technology on society. It is in this sense that technology assessment approaches should take importance among those who manage technology development and implementation policies. Generally, the undesirable effects of the intrusion of a new technology are acted upon when they already occur, and technology assessment is intended to anticipate the risk. This paper presents a bibliographic review of technology assessment, its approaches and future study needs. Based on an articulating axis that positions technological change and innovation as an imperative need for social development, an exhaustive review of related articles in specialized databases was carried out. The most important results of this work reveal that the field of technological assessment has been strongly inclined towards the health or sanitary sector; however, research is being developed in central engineering topics such as the development of nanotechnology, robotics, and the handling of big data, where the European model stands out as a reference for technological assessment processes due to its inclusive and democratic nature.

Reverse Technology Assessment in the Age of the Platform Economy

The rise of what is often referred to as the sharing economy is among the most daring challenges for cities around the world. Sharing platforms create opportunities for efficient market exchange, but also cause negative externalities for city dwellers. A challenge for city authorities is that platforms can be launched without ex ante assessment of externalities and public interests, leaving public debate and political deliberation ex post affairs. We call the platform innovation logic 'reverse technology assessment', which obstructs participatory planning and constructive technology assessment. We discuss the potential of an alternative policy framework known as 'right to challenge'. We end with a broader reflection on public policy regarding sharing platforms at different scalar levels, emphasizing local initiatives to develop alternative sharing platforms.

Matching supply and demand: A typology of climate services

Climate services bear the promise of becoming a new, remunerative market of knowledge-intensive services. Although several climate services have been developed, there has been little reflection on the kinds of services such a new market could encompass, and on the ways in which formats can be created that match supply and demand. Using a research approach based on Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA), this article presents a typology of climate services, with types called ‘Maps & Apps’, ‘Expert Analysis’, ‘Climate-inclusive Consulting’, and ‘Sharing Practices’. This typology, which is conceptually elaborated and empirically illustrated, structures the variety in current and potential climate services. It provides a framework for the development of climate services and helps users and producers to explore and articulate alternatives for matching supply and demand. On the basis of our analysis we also point towards a more differentiated and broader conceptualization of climate services.

Personal aerial transportation systems (PATS) – A potential solution for the urban mobility challenges?

Personal Aerial Transportation Systems (PATS) are an emerging form of transportation that promise to combine the best of ground-based and air-based transportation and to overcome the problems associated with either of these forms of transportation. PATS are discussed as a means to reduce urban congestion by making use of free space in the air. Based on research carried out in the European project myCopter, this paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the potential of personal aerial vehicles (PAVs) in a future transport system. The paper concentrates on a) expectations regarding the potential benefits of PAVs for individuals and for society as a whole, and b) public concerns that are raised in relation to PAVs, as an early indicator for potential societal conflict. The paper applies the concept of constructive technology assessment (CTA) and draws on a combination of system analysis approaches, scenario techniques and focus group discussions. The results are presented and avenues for further research are discussed.

Ethical Evaluation in Health Technology Assessment: A Challenge for Applied Philosophy

The integration of ethical analysis in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) has proven difficult to implement even though it is explicitly recognized as an important component of such assessments in HTA literature. When compared to the standardized scientific method for systematic reviews in HTA, the diversity of ethical analysis has been characterized as a fundamental barrier to the integration of ethics. The present paper aims to identify the theoretical and practical differences between the approaches underpinning ethical analysis in HTA and clarify the reasons for such diversity. Our systematic review of HTA literature pertaining to the barriers to the integration of ethics in HTA identified nine ethical approaches: Principlism, Casuistry, Coherence Analysis, Wide Reflective Equilibrium, Axiology, the Socratic approach, the Triangular model, Constructive Technology Assessment and Social Shaping of Technology. Citations pertaining to each approach were extracted and categorized according to three constitutive components of ethical argumentation established in a previous research evaluating nanotechnologies: i) the disciplinary foundation that grounds the validity of the ethical evaluation, ii) the characteristics of such evaluation, iii) the operational process involved in applying it to a particular case (i.e., its practical reasoning). This comparison shows that, 1) the difference between these approaches rests primarily on their disciplinary foundation (rooted in philosophy, philosophy/theology, or sociology), 2) their complexity can be observed in the distinct characteristics of ethical evaluation deriving from their differing disciplinary foundation, and 3) although four different types of operationalization procedure were identified, little information was available in regards to the practical reasoning associated with these approaches.

Treatment With Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocytes in Advanced Melanoma: Evaluation of Early Clinical Implementation of an Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL)-therapy in advanced melanoma is an advanced therapy medicinal product (ATMP) which, despite promising results, has not been implemented widely. In a European setting, TIL-therapy has been in use since 2011 and is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. As clinical implementation of ATMPs is challenging, this study aims to evaluate early application of TIL-therapy, through the application of a constructive technology assessment (CTA). First the literature on ATMP barriers and facilitators in clinical translation was summarized. Subsequently, application of TIL-therapy was evaluated through semistructured interviews with 26 stakeholders according to 6 CTA domains: clinical, economic, patient-related, organizational, technical, and future. In addition, treatment costs were estimated. A number of barriers to clinical translation were identified in the literature, including: inadequate financial support, lack of regulatory knowledge, risks in using live tissues, and the complex path to market approval. Innovative reimbursement procedures could particularly facilitate translation. The CTA survey of TIL-therapy acknowledged these barriers, and revealed the following facilitators: the expected effectiveness resulting in institutional support for an internal pilot, the results of which led to the inclusion of TIL-therapy in a national coverage with evidence development program, the availability of an in-house pharmacist, quality assurance expertise and a TIL-skilled technician. Institutional and national implementation of TIL-therapy remains complex. The promising clinical effectiveness is expected to facilitate the adoption of TIL-therapy, especially when validated through a randomized controlled trial. Innovative and conditional reimbursement procedures, together with the organization of knowledge transfer, could support and improve clinical translation of TIL and ATMPs.

Can the technological mediation approach improve technology assessment? A critical view from ‘within’

ABSTRACTThe technological mediation approach aspires to complement current Technology Assessment (TA) practices. It aims to do so by addressing ethical concerns from ‘within’ human-technology relations leading to ethical Constructive Technology Assessment (eCTA), as articulated by Kiran, Asle H., Nelly Oudshoorn, and Peter-Paul Verbeek in their 2015 article. In this paper, we problematize this ambition. Firstly, we situate the technological mediation approach in the history of TA. Secondly, as a study into the normativity from ‘within’ human-technology relations, we reveal the phenomenological and existential origins of Verbeek's technological mediation approach. Thirdly, we show that there are two possible readings of this approach: a strong and a weak one. The weak reading can augment current TA practices but is eventually uncommitted to the idea of technological mediation. The strong reading defines a wholly new scope for our engagement with (emerging) technologies but is incompatible with existing TA approaches.

OP104 Health Technology Assessment's Ethical Evaluation: Understanding The Diversity Of Approaches

INTRODUCTION:The main difficulties encountered in the integration of ethics in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) were identified in our systematic review. In the process of analyzing these difficulties we then addressed the question of the diversity of ethical approaches (1) and the difficulties in their operationalization (2,3).METHODS:Nine ethical approaches were identified: principlism, casuistry, coherence analysis, wide reflexive equilibrium, axiology, socratic approach, triangular method, constructive technology assessment and social shaping of technology. Three criteria were used to clarify the nature of each of these approaches: 1.The characteristics of the ethical evaluation2.The disciplinary foundation of the ethical evaluation3.The operational process of the ethical evaluation in HTA analysis.RESULTS:In HTA, both norm-based ethics and value-based ethics are mobilized. This duality is fundamental since it proposes two different ethical evaluations: the first is based on the conformity to a norm, whereas the second rests on the actualization of values. The disciplinary foundation generates diversity as philosophy, sociology and theology propose different justifications for ethical evaluation. At the operational level, ethical evaluation's characteristics are applied to the case at stake by specific practical reasoning. In a norm-based practical reasoning, one must substantiate the facts that will be correlated to a moral norm for clearly identifying conformity or non-conformity. In value-based practical reasoning, one must identify the impacts of the object of assessment that will be subject to ethical evaluation. Two difficulties arise: how to apply values to facts and prioritize amongst conflicting ethical evaluations of the impacts?CONCLUSIONS:Applying these three criteria to ethical approaches in HTA helps understanding their complexity and the difficulty of operationalizing them in HTA tools. The choice of any ethical evaluations is never neutral; it must be justified by a moral point of view. Developing tools for ethics in HTA is operationalizing a specific practical reasoning in ethics.

Exploring emerging battery technology for grid-connected energy storage with Constructive Technology Assessment

The last decades have shown an increasing amount of research into expectations of science and technology. Especially for emerging technologies, expectations held by different stakeholder are guiding the direction of research and development. In this article the results of an investigation into the expectations of specific actors regarding the development of emerging battery technology for applications in the power grid are presented. It is set up as an explorative study within the framework of Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA). A number of studies since the 1990s have indicated a growing need for energy storage options in the power grid, where batteries appear to be capable of providing a range of valuable services to the grid. Cost-effectiveness on a large scale will however require considerable technical improvements. The configuration of energy storage may differ in the specific location and exploitation of the storage assets, as well as in the investments in new storage capacity. In this study the visions and expectations of several relevant actors are analysed using interviews and surveys in terms of expectations of technological development, expectations concerning stakeholder roles, and channels of interaction between the relevant actors. The results indicate a divide in expectations between the user side of the technology (the electric power industry) and the development side (academic researchers). Opinions differ with respect to the obstacles to technological development, the actors relevant in early technological development, and the most suitable channels for interaction between these actors. It follows from the theoretical background that conflicts in expectations provide the opportunity for the acceleration of technological development and adoption through stakeholder participation. Small interactive workshops, where conflicts identified in this paper are discussed, were identified as a suitable channel in order to reach consensus in visions and expectations for battery technology.

The Internet of Things and convenience

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore and engage with connections between the evolving technology of the Internet of Things (IoT) and notions of convenience. In particular, the concept of alpha convenience is introduced in order to articulate the broad scope of Internet “any-everything” connectivity, here called “alpha convenience.”Design/methodology/approach– The recommendations of Constructive Technology Assessment are followed in order to evaluate technology before implementation. The seven value drivers articulated by Fleisch (2010) are utilized in order to envision-specific aspects.Findings– Three critical aspects relating to alpha convenience are identified and discussed: gossiping technology, personalization and the disempowered smartphone user. It is argued that extreme forms of convenience shift traditional areas of human agency onto technology. It is also noted that alpha convenience tends to develop as ubiquitous feature of future society, making it difficult, if not impossible, to opt out.Research limitations/implications– The paper focusses on one powerful concept, although the IoT is merely one of several terms used to deliberate the role of next-generation information technology and society. Notable competitors include semantic web, ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing and ambient intelligence.Social implications– The IoT is predicted to be an intrusive feature into everyday life and the paper identifies important aspects.Originality/value– This is the first critical discussion of the IoT and convenience. The paper aims at conceptual innovation. Overall, there is a substantial lack of critical scrutiny of the emerging ideas of the IoT.

The Potential of Additive Manufacturing for Technology Entrepreneurship: An Integrative Technology Assessment

Additive manufacturing (AM) is likely to contribute considerably to key targets of innovation policy such as employment, R&D and education. The expectations of those engaged in AM, such as providers, users and policy makers, regarding the potential of this technology influence its future development and thus create opportunities for technology entrepreneurship. Therefore, these expectations need to be researched so that opportunities for technology entrepreneurship can be identified. Based on prospect theory, we employ an integrative approach to online‐based technology assessment. Using the outcome of a constructive technology assessment (CTA) as a reference, a comparison with the results of a traditional technology assessments (TTA) derived from the policy makers enables us to identify the need for action regarding the allocation of public resources. Further, the comparison of the outcome of our CTA with the TTA derived from the general public shows the need to establish a public opinion on AM that legitimizes AM‐related innovation policies. The approach of an integrative technology assessment proves useful, as we can deduce concrete recommendations for action on innovation policy based on our empirical findings.

Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) of Nano-Biosensor: A Malaysian Case

The latest advancements in nanotechnology, biology, advanced materials, and photonics have produced the Nano-Biosensor—an analytical device comprising a biological recognition element and a transducer in spatial proximity, whereby a recognition event triggers a measurable signal at the nano-scale level. Its future survival very much depends on carefully planned research, which needs to be critically assessed for it to be viably forecast ed, monitored and controlled. However, measuring the potential impact of this technology is a double-bind problem: the technology needs to be developed and adopted widely for its impact to be measured, but by that time controlling or changing the technology is very difficult, i.e., a Collingridge dilemma. In addressing this issue, constructive technology assessment (CTA) was developed to assist in assessing the potential impact of emerging technologies. This paper presents the results of collected qualitative data through CTA interviews performed on respondents in a research institute of a local university located in the Northern part of Malaysia, who are actively involved in new nanotechnology applications development related to Nano-Biosensors.Through convenience sampling, the selected respondents had highlighted several issues, namely sensitivity issues of Nano Biosensors,the local research spearheading the Nano-Biosensor advancement, and the potentially bright future regarding the further advancements in this field. It was concluded that the Nano-Biosensor can potentially remain in the forefront of nanotechnology development in Malaysia, since it is an enabling technology that impacts across industries and sectors at various points in the supply chain, not only in Malaysia, but also at the global stage.

The Benefit Trajectory – a framework to support innovative and beneficial technology based solutions in integrated care

Introduction: The implementation of technology in telehealth and integrated care poses several challenges as users often expect technologies to be similar to what they know from their everyday lives, such as smartphones, tablets and social media. These expectations are difficult to meet by the healthcare sector, as development and implementation of new technologies can be challenging, especially for smaller healthcare providers such as municipalities and counties. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether there exists a robust health technology assessment model for development, implementation and assessment of maturing telehealth solutions. Methods: We have conducted a narrative literature overview [1] to identify published use of health assessment technology models in order to identify how they can be used in relation to telehealth and telemedicine projects. We searched for the words “telehealth”, “telemedicine” and “health technology assessment” in PubMed and Google Scholar. Results: Seven models were identified: Constructive Technology Assessment [2], Continuous Systematic Evaluation model [3], mini-HTA [4], Model for Assessment of Telemedicine [5], an Assessment for Decision Makers [6], the West Midland Toolkit [7] and Plan-Do-Check-Act [8], an instrument to iterate processes. None of these models seemed to be suitable for application in the setting of development, implementation and evaluation of maturing technologies. Discussion: The identified models all have various benefits in relation to assuring agile development, involving users and stakeholders, aligning processes or ensuring evidence-based practice. However, a model which covers all these areas as one framework is missing. We therefore propose a “Benefit Trajectory” which is a framework based on the business development concept from the Continuous Systematic Evaluation Model [3] with the addition of key elements from the other models. The Benefit Trajectory consists of four stages; I Inception, II Materialization, III Implementation and IV Assessment. The core of the framework is a need-based process that ensures alignment of needs, goals and expected outcome by a smooth project trajectory.

Engineers and Active Responsibility.

Knowing that technologies are inherently value-laden and systemically interwoven with society, the question is how individual engineers can take up the challenge of accepting the responsibility for their work? This paper will argue that engineers have no institutional structure at the level of society that allows them to recognize, reflect upon, and actively integrate the value-laden character of their designs. Instead, engineers have to tap on the different institutional realms of market, science, and state, making their work a 'hybrid' activity combining elements from the different institutional realms. To deal with this institutional hybridity, engineers develop routines and heuristics in their professional network, which do not allow societal values to be expressed in a satisfactory manner. To allow forms of 'active' responsibility, there have to be so-called 'accountability forums' that guide moral reflections of individual actors. The paper will subsequently look at the methodologies of value-sensitive design (VSD) and constructive technology assessment (CTA) and explore whether and how these methodologies allow engineers to integrate societal values into the design technological artifacts and systems. As VSD and CTA are methodologies that look at the process of technological design, whereas the focus of this paper is on the designer, they can only be used indirectly, namely as frameworks which help to identify the contours of a framework for active responsibility of engineers.

Engaging with a Scientific Community: Converging Technologies as an Issue for the Social Sciences and Humanities

Novel application fields at the interstices between nanoscience, biotechnology, cognitive science and Computer Sciences collected under the new umbrella term “Converging Technologies” raised public and political awareness. Efforts have been made to further strengthen interdisciplinary research in some of these respective fields. Nevertheless, it is unclear as to whether these technologies can be shaped and regulated, given their far reaching social and ethical implications (Nordmann 2007; Grunwald 2007; Hogle 2005). In this paper we dealt with the role of the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in the debate on Converging Technologies. It is based on results of a European Collaborative Project called “Converging Technologies and their Impact on the Social Sciences and Humanities” (EU-CONTECS). In the first section we presented the concept and the origin of the debate on Converging Technologies, highlighting their visionary character. In order to reflect about the role of the Social Sciences in the debate, we applied the approach of Constructive Technology Assessment (Schot & Rip 1997) as an analytical strategy. Thirdly, we concluded by relating results from workshops and present a research agenda for the Social Sciences and Humanities in Converging Technologies, answering the question how far SSH has come in the debate.

Social Licence in Design: Constructive technology assessment within a mineral research and development institution

Technological innovation in the minerals industry must be driven by the need to improve performance according to social, as well as environmental, safety, efficiency and production criteria. This paper outlines the possibilities and rationale for incorporating constructive technology assessment (CTA) into technology research and development within the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Minerals Down Under National Research Flagship (MDU). MDU represents an $80million per year investment in transformational mineral technology. The paper reports on the development of a process called Social Licence in Design to address the future social challenges and opportunities of the technologies that may arise during implementation. Social Licence in Design utilises social research techniques to account for the perspectives and values of decision makers and likely stakeholders. Interviews with senior technologists and social scientists within MDU reveal the institutional context into which the Social Licence in Design process is to be situated and highlight key factors that may inhibit or enhance its uptake. Despite the long history of CTA the paper is the first to report on the incorporation of a CTA process to address the social implications of technology development within a mineral R&D institution.

Engagement Agents in the Making: On the Front Lines of Socio-Technical Integration

This commentary builds on Haico te Kulve and Arie Rip's (2011) notion of "engagement agents," individuals that must be able to move between multiple dimensions, or "levels" of research, innovation, and policy processes. The commentary compares and contrasts the role of the engagement agent within the Constructive Technology Assessment and integration approaches, and suggests that on-site integration research represents one way to transform both social and natural scientists into competent and informed "engagement agents," a new generation of researchers that possess the knowledge and capacities to forge "novel linkages" between the oftentimes disparate terrains of science, politics, and policy.