ASIRPAReal-Time in the making or how to empower researchers to steer research towards desired societal goals

Abstract The promise that research and innovation (R&I) will contribute to societally desired changes poses a difficult analytical and evaluative challenge. The aim of this article is to present a framework and a toolset, labelled ASIRPAReal-Time, that aides R&I program and project managers to design and steer R&I activities in real-time towards expected directions. It is based on the analytical concepts, language, and lessons learned from the case studies and the practice of the toolset developed in ASIRPAex post. ASIRPAReal-Time is a formative nested approach that fosters learning processes, coordination, and reflexivity at project and program levels. It is iterative and analyses how intermediate results may lead to reconsidering the vision of the R&I pathways. ASIRPAReal-Time is designed and operationalized through intervention research, mobilizing testbeds (i.e. co-experimentation with potential users) to develop and continuously improve the tools. The toolset is designed to be transferable to, and operationalized by, program and project managers since they have the relevant knowledge related to their field of expertise. This article presents the creation of the framework and management tools, detailing the journey of redesigning a tool in a new use context as well as providing a broader reflection on the tools themselves and their applications.