Why technology assessment? This
question was
discussed even before the establishment of TA-SWISS. An instance that
poses
questions on new technologies in an impartial way is vital, and the
following
criteria are still valid today: how do new technologies develop, what
has to be
taken into account, how do they change everyday life in society and how
might
future scenarios look like? Additionally, the public debate needs to be
encouraged today, too.
Politicians and citizens have
to be supported
in their decision making process by comprehensible illustrations and
documentations of facts and circumstances. The results of TA-SWISS
studies
provide the required basics, information and recommendations on
selected
specialist fields. By contrast, the participative proceedings show how
citizens
rate specific future oriented technologies and topics. It reveals the
advantages
and disadvantages they ascribe to a certain technological development
and it
documents the needs of the population, e.g. the need for more
transparent
information or better protection. The discussions show where citizens
see a
need for action. In these projects, citizens are the experts
representing the
population at large. Studies as well as participative methods are
employed by
TA-SWISS in order to give a comprehensive survey of the chances and
risks of
new technologies and to favour a knowledge-based technology debate.
As the term »studies«
anticipates: Studies are
often very extensive and complex. Therefore, TA-SWISS prepares abridged
versions of its technology assessment studies. The easily
understandable
abbreviated versions are essential in communicating the results to
politicians
and to an interested population. For the participative projects
information
brochures are first compiled. These brochures brief the citizens
involved in a
well-balanced way in order to familiarize them with the technological
topic
that is to be discussed in the citizen debate. A synthesis report will
then be
issued on the actual discussions. It will not only contain the results,
but
also the different chains of reasoning showing what was supported and
what was
criticized by the citizens and why. All these products are important
for the
realization of the formulated objectives: to support the public debate
and to
help politicians and citizens in making knowledge-based decisions.
Chapter Work Procedures and Methods - all countries
© EPTA, version 20 Jan 2017; provided by ITA |