Transferable knowledge needs to be transferred

Want research impact? Work together as the people who will generate and use the research - from the start.

Want to improve services? Work together as people who commission, run and use the service - from the start.

Want to design a website or app? Work together as a team of creatives, coders, potential users - from the start.

Want policies that work? Work together as people who have a stake in what that policy says - from the start.

I'm sure you can spot at least one common theme (hopefully at least three). 

At the moment, frustratingly, people working in these spheres are developing their own language and methods within their own silos. There are fabulous insights and approaches that can be transferred from digital user design to participatory research. And many of the research impact questions have already been addressed in public engagement work.

So, here's my plea if you are trying to produce research that people will use, services or digital platforms that people like using or policies that deliver. Please explore what others are learning and see if you can transfer lessons they have learned or ways they are thinking to your own work.