The evaluation of the Joint Council Initiative on Cognitive Science and Human-Computer interaction was commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) on behalf of the co-sponsors of the research programme. The evaluation was conducted independently, and the views expressed by the evaluators are not necessarily those of the ESRC.

The ESRC’s Research Evaluation Committee (REC) has accepted the evaluators’ report as having met the terms and conditions of the Council’s contract. The ESRC’s co sponsors, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, and the Medical Research Council, have agreed the factual accuracy of the report.

The REC noted that the report contains some important lessons both for the successful promotion of multi and inter-disciplinary research, and for the organisation of future cross-council research programmes.

While generally satisfied with the standard of the evaluation, the REC was disappointed with the assessment of the scientific achievements of the Programme. Despite the International Panel’s report, the evaluators’ analysis of this aspect is not as detailed or wide-ranging as had been expected.

The sponsoring Research Councils will be considering the report’s conclusions and recommendations.

Dr Dorothy Bishop

Chair, Research Evaluation Committee

January 1999