Strategies for developing research impact - through building strong foundations, networks and diverse outputs. A study of a REF impact case study and general lessons learned

1. Jenny Kitzinger
Cardiff University
Creating impact from research
Case study: “Improving decision-making about treatment for
people in vegetative and minimally conscious states”
For: Arts Humanities and Social Sciences College
Impact meeting
2015

2. Structure of talk
• Do we care? Why have impact?
• A case study of some high impact humanities / social
science research
• How impact can be achieved through:
(a) strong foundations
(b) building collaborations and networks
(c) diverse outputs and engagement
• How to document Impact
• Conclusion and reflection

3. Background – the particular case
• See - youtube summary of nature of this
project’s impact and the collaborations:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFH2Tj5ekoM

4. … and now for some general principles

5. Core impact activities
1. Laying strong foundations
1. Building collaborations and partnerships
1. Creating diverse outputs and engagement
(diverse audiences, diverse formats/outlets)

6. 1. Laying strong foundations
Classic academic approaches (literature review and
scoping conversation)
+
Grassroots research (in-depth research on what was
going on ‘on the ground’)
+
Stakeholders meeting (briefing paper followed by
seminar, over 2 days)
‘bottom up’ & ‘top down’
‘Inside out’ & ‘outside in’

7. 2. Building collaborations
Collaborations across:
• Universities (lead co-researcher Prof Celia
Kitzinger, University of York)
• Disciplines (e.g. History, Philosophy, Health
Sciences, Biosciences, Law etc)
• Sectors (e.g. health care professionals)
• And alongside ‘service users’ (families)

8. Follow what ever issue you are studying across
sites
Example of sectors implicated
– e.g. by ‘patient’s trajectory’ through health service
Ambulance
A&E
Intensive
care
Neuro-
surgery Rehabilitation
Care
homes
Courts

9. 3. Creating diverse outputs
• Publications (some REF returnable, but also blogs, or
editorials in professional journal) (Open access)

10. Diverse outputs: cultural
• Networking through dialogue (tweet conversations
• Building a website for the research centre:
www.cdoc.ac.uk
• Media (e.g. work with journalists)
• Artists (e.g. shadow puppet theatre)
• Festivals (e.g. the ‘Before I Die’ with support from
University Engagement team)
• A postcard exhibition (messages from interviewees)
taken round conferences

11. Diverse outputs: policy
• Other research involvement + seminar series
• Serving on working parties
• Evidence to House of Lords/parliament
• On-line resources : www.healthtalk.org.uk –
‘coma’

12. Different outlets, formats
and…different Audiences
Policy
makers
Practitioners
Families
Publics

13. Documenting Impact

14. If a tree falls…
and no one documents it, does it have ‘impact’?
9527300034.jpg
No – not according to REF

15. Documenting impact
• On-line monitoring of resource use = good metrics data
• Keeping records of queries and comments that come in
from resource users
• Launch evaluation
• ‘Before’ and ‘after’ assessment at training sessions using
the resource = measures change
• Development of training materials from the resource
increases/expands impact

16. Conclusion
Do you need an impact plan? … start early, integrate impact, identify networks.
Care about outcomes, document them. Recognise who else (or nobody else) is
going to do it.
Balancing costs and benefits of impact work:
• Costs:
- can take you away from ‘pure theory’ (but see ‘benefits’)
- time demands
- other priorities slip with need to be reactive to policy timetable
- can put you in the firing line.
• Benefits:
- can be more theoretically challenging/interesting;
- impact work informs (rather than simply results from) your research
- can make a difference.
*** Thank you ***
Jenny Kitzinger
Kitzingerj@cardiff.ac.uk