After an explanation of the current organization of primary and secondary education in Sweden; the present state of adult education; the general forms, historical background, and organization of educational research and development work; and the four main sources of financing for education research and development, this document discusses research and development at the National Board of Education. The major purpose of this report is to present a general account of the direction and form of development work and of the actual research and development process, that is, how a project comes into being, how project work is organized, and how results are communicated to various interested parties. (Author/IRT)