How do you synthesize relevant information for R&D work?

Research and development (R&D) work involves generating, analyzing, and communicating new knowledge and ideas. To do this effectively, you need to synthesize relevant information from various sources and present it in a clear and concise way. Synthesizing information means combining, comparing, and contrasting different pieces of information to create a coherent and comprehensive understanding of a topic or problem. In this article, you will learn some tips and techniques for synthesizing information for R&D work.

1 Identify your purpose and audience

Before you start synthesizing information, you need to have a clear idea of what your purpose and audience are. Your purpose is the goal or objective of your R&D work, such as solving a problem, creating a product, or answering a question. Your audience is the group of people who will read, use, or benefit from your R&D work, such as clients, colleagues, or stakeholders. Knowing your purpose and audience will help you decide what information is relevant, important, and useful for your R&D work.

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Probal Sarkar

Senior Product Manager @ Nuventura | MBA, Risk Analysis, P&L, Strategy, New Product Development.
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For R&D the customers can be both external and internal. Internal customers include the production team, industrial engineering as well as quality functions. Preparing a 'SIPOC' (suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers) helps in identifying customers.

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2 Gather and evaluate information

The next step is to gather and evaluate information from various sources that are related to your purpose and audience. You can use different methods and tools to find information, such as online databases, libraries, journals, books, reports, surveys, interviews, experiments, or observations. You should evaluate the quality, credibility, and relevance of the information you find, by checking the source, author, date, evidence, and bias of the information. You should also organize and document the information you gather, by using notes, summaries, outlines, or references.

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Gerardo G.

Basin Researcher | Geoscientist
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One of the best tools widely utilized in academia for organization and documentation of information is PowerPoint. Ultimately, your main goal is to present something, e.g., results, findings, etc. Documenting all info you can get in a presentation style will help you to organize your thoughts.

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3 Compare and contrast information

Once you have gathered and evaluated information, you need to compare and contrast it to identify similarities, differences, patterns, gaps, and contradictions. You can use different strategies and techniques to compare and contrast information, such as tables, charts, diagrams, maps, or matrices. You should look for connections, relationships, and themes among the information, and also consider different perspectives, opinions, and arguments. You should also evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of the information, and how it supports or challenges your purpose and audience.

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Dr. Robert Mariani

Scientific and Engineering Consultant
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The prompt for this article says, "identify similarities, differences, patterns, gaps, and contradictions." This list leaves out hidden and key assumptions. Following the given list is a straightforward exercise, as individual effort followed by team review effort. The more difficult exercise is identifying assumptions and their potential impact, e.g., an extreme case: the assumption at end of 19th century that everything can be calculated...and with precise uncertainty (irony intended) quantum mechanics bursts in.

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4 Integrate and organize information

The next step is to integrate and organize the information you have compared and contrasted to create a coherent and comprehensive understanding of your topic or problem. You can use different methods and tools to integrate and organize information, such as mind maps, concept maps, frameworks, or models. You should group and categorize the information according to key concepts, ideas, or criteria, and also prioritize and rank the information according to its importance, relevance, or usefulness. You should also synthesize the information into a main point, argument, or conclusion that reflects your purpose and audience.

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5 Communicate and apply information

The final step is to communicate and apply the information you have integrated and organized to achieve your purpose and audience. You can use different formats and media to communicate information, such as reports, presentations, posters, videos, or podcasts. You should use clear and concise language, visuals, and examples to communicate information, and also cite and acknowledge the sources of information. You should also apply the information to solve problems, create products, or answer questions, and also reflect and evaluate the outcomes and impacts of your R&D work.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you synthesize relevant information for R&D work?

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1 Identify your purpose and audience

2 Gather and evaluate information

3 Compare and contrast information

4 Integrate and organize information

5 Communicate and apply information

6 Here’s what else to consider

Research and Development (R&D)

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