Comparison of Two Peer Review Processes

This study compares the External Independent Review (EIR) and the Independent Peer Review (IPR), which are two review types used to evaluate large Department of Energy projects. This quantitative study collected and evaluated data that reflected attitudes of project management personnel regarding the relative effectiveness of the EIR and IPR for addressing a project's technical issues. The Generalized Linear Model revealed that study participants preferred the IPR to the EIR for addressing many aspects of their project's technical issues. Factor Analysis showed that in order to manage the EIR and IPR processes it is necessary to take into account the following five factors: the benefits provided by EIR and IPR; the technical impact of EIR and IPR; the appropriateness and specificity of the review criteria of EIR and IPR; the "value added" of EIR and IPR; and the level of detail and conflict of interests of EIR and IPR.