Getting Science:
Imagine an interface in the R and D center that allows players to see a charted format of what has been investigated for science and what has not. Using that interface, you could target research flights and design missions.
Also as more sensors and biomes are discovered more combinations of sensors/locations/biomes/dynamics appear in known/unknown charts in the R and D center. Similar to RL more research creates more unknowns and we have ever expanding variety in directions to pursue research for KSP.
So you go to the R and D center and the eggheads give you a presentation of all science available to be collected in game with current tech in chart or table format.
Spending Science:
Is it worth having specific research result in specific tech? In RL many times research in one field yields developments in completely novel and unexpected directions.