Decision conferencing for science prioritisation in the UK public sector: a dual case study

Decision Conferencing, a decision analytic approach, was introduced for science project prioritisation in two organisations of the UK public sector: the National Measurement System Programmes, Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry (now part of the National Measurement Office, an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) and the Science Department of the Environment Agency of England and Wales. Despite some similarities between the organisations, they responded in quite different ways. We describe the organisational contexts in the two organisations, the process by which Decision Conferencing was introduced, and explore possible reasons for the differing experiences.