Social Care Research Impact

Developing Research Ideas Phase

This is a time for expanding your thoughts, you’re aiming for divergent thinking and keeping things open.

Consider your research interests broadly, in terms of topic and method
Discuss your ideas with end users of your research to identify what their priorities are to ensure your work will be useful (see Focus Group)
Keep an open mind, ensuring that you are asking questions, not providing answers – be expansive
Ensure you involve your network from research, policy and practice (see Network Building) – this should not be a solo activity.

Barriers

Being too closed minded and focused about what you wish to research.
Refusing to engage broadly and involve end users of your research.
Having a small network of people, potentially also just like you advising you on what to do (see Network Building).
Not having enough time to have open discussions because a funding deadline is looming and you didn’t start early enough.

Enablers

Involving a wide range of stakeholders with lots of different experiences and ideas (see Stakeholder Mapping).
Identify key network members and approach them for input (see Network Building).
Allowing enough time to develop ideas before a call closes. Starting impact activity early, at this stage of the research process, will enable you to build a momentum and network of supporters who will not only influence your research but also welcome your outputs when they are available.

Useful Impact Methods to Integrate at this Stage

Useful Impact Management Methods to Integrate at this Stage

VMOST

Storyboarding

Stakeholder Mapping

RATWOE

Brainstorming

APESCTLE

Examples

Visual Note

This website arose out of activities from the Social Care Evidence in Practice project funded by the London School of Economics and Political Science’s Higher Education Innovation Fund 5. The website itself was created with funding from, and is supported by, the Personal Social Services Research Unit and the NIHR School for Social Care Research.