Testing Times: Dilemmas in an Action Research Project

Getting new methods tested is not a trivial problem, particularly where the process of application is considered as important as the product of analysis. Action research provides a useful alternative to straightforward consultancy as a way of examining the worth of a method. It seeks to contribute to both problem solving and research, and this requires careful management of the process of inquiry. It also allows expectations about results to be reduced in recognition that new methods are being tested. A six-month action research project was undertaken to develop and test ways of linking hyper-game analysis to cognitive mapping and the strategic choice methodology. The pitfalls encountered in managing roles, images, and expectations may provide lessons for project management in OR generally and for testing new decision-aiding strategies.