Smart Toolkit for evaluating information projects, products and services

The One World Trust has produced this online accountability database with support from the International Development Research Centre of Canada. It is an output of a three-year project, titled Accountability Principles for Research Organisations. Working with partners across the globe, the project has generated an accountability framework which is sufficiently flexible to apply to many contexts and different organisations, as part of a wider project entitled "Accountability Principles for Research Organisations".

Processes of innovation and research are fundamental to improvements in quality of life and to creating a better society. But to realise these benefits, the quality of research alone is not enough. Organisations engaged in policy-relevant research and innovation must continually take into account and balance the needs of a diverse set of stakeholders: from the intended research users, to their clients and donors, to the research community and the research participants. Responsiveness to all of these is crucial if they are to be legitimate and effective. In this, accountable processes are as important as high quality research products.

The database is designed to support researchers, campaigners and research managers to think through the way they use evidence to influence policy in an accountable way. The database takes into account that research organisations are increasingly diverse - they are no longer just universities, but private companies, public institutes and non-profit think-tanks. No single framework can encompass this diversity.

At the moment, the database provides an inventory of around two hundred tools, standards and processes, within a broad, overarching accountability framework. With a dynamic interface and several search functions, it allows users to identify aspects of accountability that interests them, and provides ideas to improve their accountability in this context. Accountability issues go to the heart of what an organisation is. It allows users to identify existing ideas, and to adapt them to their own circumstances.

Each tool is supported by sources and further reading. The database will also allow users to interact with the database by commenting on individual tools, or submitting their own tools and ideas for inclusion. We encourage all the users of the database to propose their own tools, to comment on existing tools, to propose changes in classifications, or to provide further analysis, links or documents which you think can help policy-relevant researchers become more accountable. This can become a better resource with your support!

The APRO project is supported by the International Development Research Centre of Canada. We would also like to thank Reham Hassan and Jonathan Butcher for the extensive research work on this project.