Overcoming Barriers to Implementing Research Outcomes (2026)
Chapter: 1 Introduction
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Transportation research stands at the forefront of industry advancement, serving as the vital conduit through which new technologies, updated processes, and novel concepts are introduced into practical applications. However, the concept of research is distinct from that of research implementation. The Oxford English Dictionary defines research as “the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions” and implementation as “the process of putting a decision or plan into effect” (1).
This NCHRP Research Report was developed as a toolkit to provide strategies to improve the implementation of research outcomes and maximize impact. A few key concepts are reinforced throughout:
- The success of a research project is not defined by whether or not it is implemented; the purpose of research is to investigate a new topic or an existing topic with a unique lens. All research organizations invest in varying levels of basic research for which the potential for implementation is unknown at the onset.
- While implementation is not the goal of every research project, it is the goal of more applied research for which the intention of the research effort is to prepare the new topic or approach for practical application.
- The scope of an applied research project is typically distinct from that of an implementation effort. This is because the individuals doing the research are generally not the same individuals who have the capabilities and resources to implement the outcome and use it daily. Separating the scope of research from the scope of implementation introduces clarity and adds structure to both processes.
- While distinct, research and implementation are commonly conflated because of the common practice of initiating implementation planning prior to completing research. However, the two can be considered separate processes while still overlapping in duration.
The objectives of this toolkit are to (1) introduce a common language with which to describe research and research implementation, (2) present a series of research implementation frameworks that demonstrate alternative methods for implementation planning, and (3) describe strategies for overcoming the most commonly cited barriers to implementing research outcomes.
Barriers to Research Implementation
A myriad of common barriers that can hinder research projects from achieving implementation have been identified in the literature and practitioner testimony (2). Within transportation agencies, many of these barriers are associated with organizational challenges, disconnected research outcomes, and workforce constraints.
Organizational Challenges
Organizational challenges are those that arise from an organizationʼs structure and processes, which may not be conducive to effective research implementation.
|
A long project duration prohibits translating research findings into actionable outcomes and significantly challenges effective implementation. This can lead to extended project timelines, which can, in turn, result in exceeding the budget. Moreover, new research ideas often take time to develop, and by the time they are ready for implementation, the needs they were designed to address may have evolved or end users may have lost interest. |
|
Funding limitations constrain the transition from research findings to practical applications. The funding challenge can affect any task during the implementation process, including pilot programs, technology adoption, cross-agency collaboration, and postimplementation evaluation. |
|
Lack of systematic procedures can create difficulty in the work planning tasks of implementation and cause additional strain on project champions. Moreover, a lack of standardization or traceability can hinder accountability and reporting efforts. The lack of comprehensive comparative methods and decision-making tools can also manifest as indecision when implementation delivery methods are being chosen. |
|
Exceeding schedule and budget can pose significant barriers to implementation, as they may lead to resource constraints and limit the capacity of state departments of transportation (DOTs) to allocate necessary efforts toward integrating research findings into their operational processes. |
|
Difficulty quantifying return on investment (ROI) can hinder the garnering of support for research and implementation efforts and can make it harder to detect when research outcomes are not meeting agency priorities or practitioner needs. |
Disconnected Research Outcomes
Disconnected research outcomes can result in end users being unwilling to adopt those outcomes into their daily practice. This situation can result from research problem statements developed with limited end user input; prolonged research duration that results in loss of end user interest; and lack of end user involvement throughout the research process, which leads to products that do not meet their needs.
|
Lack of incentives and understanding about applying research in practical settings can hinder implementation and result in underallocation of resources. |
|
Lack of collaboration with end users and industry partners in reviewing and validating implementation plans, specifications, and schedules can result in infeasible implementation tasks or outcomes that do not appeal to the target audience. |
Workforce Constraints
Workforce constraints associated with research implementation can be related to staff capacity, skill sets, and interest from either the agencyʼs research department or intended benefactors of the research outcomes. Research implementation is often obstructed by a lack of engaged end users, the loss of a passionate project champion, and limited capacity and resources to take research outcomes and implement them in daily practice.
|
Overreliance on individual champions can create the potential for major disruptions in the event of turnover. Moreover, placing the major burden of leading implementation tasks on a single champion (who oftentimes may be participating in research as a volunteer) may result in burnout. |
|
Project management and leadership challenges can affect priorities and desired research topics, leading to unpredictability in funding, resource allocation, and program support. |
|
Inadequate staffing is also a key barrier to effective implementation, and this underscores the critical need for more systematic approaches and sufficient staffing to improve research implementation practices within state DOTs. |
How to Use This Toolkit
This toolkit was designed to be a reference for research managers, end users and implementors of research outcomes, and researchers partnering with transportation agencies to conduct research. To gain the greatest benefit from this toolkit, readers are encouraged to begin by familiarizing themselves with the terminology presented in Chapter 2, “The Implementation Roadmap,” and Chapter 3, “Implementation Frameworks.” This foundational understanding will enable you to engage more meaningfully with the subsequent resources. Next, reflect on your organizationʼs particular challenges or interests and consult Chapter 4, “Implementation Best Practices,” to select strategies that best address your specific needs and objectives for integrating research outcomes. Following is a brief description of each component of the toolkit.
Chapter 2, “The Implementation Roadmap,” introduces standard terminology and a clear process for moving ideas to research and then to implementation. The roadmap is envisioned to be used as a point of reference when developing research projects and training material for staff new to research implementation and as an element in an agencyʼs research program manual.
Chapter 3, “Implementation Frameworks,” presents three distinct methods for planning for implementation defined in terms of when enough information has been gained to complete an implementation plan. Each framework is introduced alongside suggested use cases and decision-making considerations for selecting a framework. The frameworks can be leveraged as a project development tool to communicate expectations regarding implementation planning from the onset of the research effort. While each research idea will have unique considerations, the framework summaries can be used as a conversation guide for establishing implementation goals and project schedules, determining the research scope, and setting implementation-focused milestones.
Chapter 4, “Implementation Best Practices,” describes strategies for developing implementation plans and for overcoming specific barriers to implementation by phase along the implementation roadmap. These strategies are intended to be used as a menu of options that readers can refer to as needed to tailor their approach according to their specific challenges, agency structure, and project goals. This chapter introduces a summary of best practices and refers the reader to appropriate appendices with additional detail.
Appendices. Five appendices are included to supplement the toolkit. These appendices provide context and resources for strategies mentioned throughout the discussion of best practices:
- Appendix A, “Implementation Plans,” summarizes best practices for creating implementation plan templates and provides examples leveraged by state DOT research programs around the country.
- Appendix B, “Deliverable Formats,” provides examples of common deliverables that can promote implementation in proper use cases. Tables offer details about deliverable formats, potential value added, and recommended usages.
- Appendix C, “Working Backwards Toward Implementation,” details the working backwards approach for considering implementation early in a projectʼs development (3). It provides an exercise for identifying a research ideaʼs appeal and implementation goals, along with guidance for customization.
- Appendix D, “Strategies for Engaging Project Champions and Technical Advisory Committees,” includes practices utilized at state DOTs for incentivizing, coaching, and rewarding involvement in research projects.
- Appendix E, “Strategies for Tracking Research Program Metrics,” presents examples of reporting methods that state DOTs use for displaying progress and metrics for their research programs, including quantitative and qualitative reports.
