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Research Cycle

Introduction to the

Research Cycle and Information Request Set

of the

International Agency for Source Country Information 

IASCI works closely with client and partner organizations to develop specialist 'toolkits' of field-based capacities, each engineered to meet the most stringent legal and technical requirements.

In order to further understand the principles and core competence of IASCI we introduce the Research Cycle and Information Request Set.

THE RESEARCH CYCLE

An optimized Research Cycle is a collaborative effort between the client organization and IASCI.  The cycle is composed of four closely related but distinct procedures:

	the preparation or drafting,
	the fieldwork and interview,
	the validation, and finally,
	the incorporation and use of the information obtained.

A fifth step can be added if deemed necessary, namely, the clarification, or corroboration by an independent source. 

The classic 'research-cycle' begins with the client identifying an internal requirement for factual information from one of the available field locations.

IASCI legal and country experts in the Central Unit (Vienna) work in collaboration with the client to draft the original Information Request Set. The Set is composed of a series of closely-related and tightly drafted requests for case-specific and factual information; and can already include any requirement for independent verification from any number of sources.

This important drafting process ensures absolute consistency and high relevance of the research process; irrespective of the field location. By working directly with the client on each Information Request Set we achiee three inter-related and important objectives before the Set is actually forwarded to the field:

	Focus the research process by asking the right questions - incorporate all technical or legal requirements, and any other specific variables of importance to the client.
	Further focus the process by taking into account what is actually feasible in the field - all research activities must take place in the public domain and be in full conformity with current circumstances, legislation and socio-cultural norms.
	Eliminate unnecessary conjecture and interpretation at this early stage - thereby eliciting highly focused ‘statements of fact’ from the primary sources.

Then, to achieve the dual objectives of maintaining anonymity of the requesting party and absolute neutrality of the research process all background reference related to the Information Request Set is removed prior to its transmission into the field.

This means that our own field staff, and by extension the primary source consulted, remain wholly unaware of either, the requesting party, or the agenda behind the request for information. The field-work component of all IASCI research is therefore fully in line with the well-known "double-blind process", as successfully used to eliminate "hidden bias" and "particularistic criteria" from scientific and selection processes.

Once the leading expert or experts have been identified, the approved questions are forwarded and unambiguous, concise, and agenda-free ‘SCI statements’ are obtained. As the questions have been carefully drafted to be of a purely factual nature (basically they are binary or yes/no propositions) - and there is virtually no possibility of any 'agenda' entering into the research process - the correct answers are obtained and forwarded with regular confidence. 

This modular approach not only ensures the highest possible accuracy and impact of the information provided. It also eliminates waste and information overload. Using exactly the same methodology, independent corroborative statements can be obtained as required.

The above part of the Research Cycle takes less than 10 working days to complete; which in turn ensures the timeliness of the information.

Importantly, the statement of fact is delivered to the client as it was provided by the primary source, and without any comment, interpretation or analysis on the part of IASCI. (See Note on Validation, below)

To complete the 'research cycle' and thereby allow the client to obtain maximum impact two further steps are essential:

	an ability, by the client, to independently and rapidly validate the statements provided, leading in turn to,
	effective incorporation and use of the information according to the internal requirements of the client.

In supporting these final steps, IASCI provides each and every SCI-statement forwarded with full contact details of the primary source consulted. This, together with unique and integrated feedback systems, allows clients to confidently take full advantage of the information.  

The IASCI Research Cycle provides Clients with the following unique features:

	Unparalleled Accuracy and Discretion - with careful joint drafting allowing for a ‘double-blind’ field-research methodology;
	Exclusive use of Primary, Field-based, Sources;
	Methodological Consistency - all research is carried out through clearly codified and predictable procedures;
	Frameworks of Oversight and Quality Control - integrated systems facilitate independent monitoring and confirmation activities on the part of the client;
	Specialised Formats and Supporting Documentation - designed to ensure Rapid Validation of the Data on the part of the client.
	Ownership of the Data - all decisions leading to its Utilization, Dissemination, and Publication remain exclusively in the hands of the client.

Through this unique combination of external and internal processes clients and partner organizations can gain a timely, focused, accessible, secure, understandable, and most importantly, relevant, information resource of guaranteed neutrality and integrity – one that has the potential of becomes one of their most valuable assets.

NOTE ON VALIDATION: IASCI IS COMPLEMENTARY TO EXISTING INFORMATION ASSETS

IASCI is not a ‘consulting agency’, analyst or advocacy service. Indeed, our actions are predicated on two premises:

	that our clients and partners already have access to  sufficient contextual information, analytical, legal and related support services, and,
	that they do not wish to see them duplicated or replicated.

Clients turn to IASCI when there is a clearly defined need for a case-specific statement of fact on a particular topic. In line with its responsibilities, and the above 'Research Cycle', IASCI takes every reasonable step to identify the legitimate and expert source(s) of primary source information, who, if they wish to do so, respond to the request in their official capacity.

Clearly, highly focused and modular statements of fact of the type provided via the IASCI make little of no sense standing on their own. They need to be verified and understood within the context of the whole body of contextual information and other relevant variables not provided by IASCI. In this way our services and outputs should be seen as an additional and supplementary capacity to existing information providers and Country of Origin Information resources. 

Equally clearly, it is by using the available body of existing information, and other variables of importance to the client, that any data provided through IASCI will be 'validated' for its accuracy, veracity and actual utility. 

A unique aspect of the ‘Research Cycle’ is that IASCI both recognizes and respects that any verification process undertaken is actually internal to the respective client  - with both, the available contextual information, as well as the 'relative weight' given to any particular  information being determined solely by that client.

Issues of relative importance to the client might include, inter alia, any combination of the following: international and national legislation and norms; internal policies; agendas and guidelines; background information, analytical reports, any other statements provided, etc. 

In fact, it is exactly by undergoing this internal validation procedure that data is translated into value. Value for the client.

IASCI service-provision contracts with clients and training of end-users both highlight this important linkage and responsibility.

In recognition of this linked process, IASCI documentation has been designed to support the end-user to successfully:

	validate the accuracy of the source;
	understand the statement provided from the field; and,
	ensure its relevance to their respective professional requirements.

In those instances that the end-user should identify any significant variance, or the data raises other issues of concern, it is a simple matter of utilizing the same rapid IASCI procedure to obtain as many independent clarifying statements as are deemed necessary to 'master the facts'.

In conclusion, it is important to note that:

	IASCI provides fully documented and independently verifiable statements of fact (both original and clarifying) from primary sources, it never provides its participating organizations or end-users with any analysis, interpretation or opinion on the statements of fact put forward by the consulted expert.
	The validation process is undertaken exclusively in accordance with the client's internal requirements, and by persons recognized by that organization.
	An added benefit. The combined strength of: using primary source information, (systematically gained), with validation of  data as a wholly internal process (undertaken by procedures known to the client), means that the information can be safely re-examined and re-validated in line with any future requirements of that client.

Vienna, May 2006

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