Evaluating research impact : the development of a ‘Research for Impact’ tool

Introduction: This paper examines the process of developing a Research for Impact Tool in the contexts of general fiscal constraint, increased competition for funding, perennial concerns about the over-researching of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues without demonstrable benefits as well as conceptual and methodological difficulties of evaluating research impact. The aim is to highlight the challenges and opportunities involved in evaluating research impact to serve as resource for potential users of the research for impact tool and others interested in assessing the impact of research. Material and Methods: A combination of literature reviews, workshops with researchers and reflections by project team members and partners using participatory snowball techniques. Results: Assessing research impact is perceived to be difficult, akin to so-called ‘wicked problem’, but not impossible. Heuristic and collaborative approach to research that takes in the expectations of research users, those being researched and the funders of research offers a pragmatic solution to evaluating research impact. The logic of the proposed Research for Impact Tool (Figure 2) is based on the understanding that the value of research is to create evidence and/or products to support smarter decisions so as to improve the human condition. Research is therefore of limited value unless the evidence created is used to make smarter decisions for the betterment of society. A practical way of approaching research impact is therefore to start with the decisions confronting decision makers whether they are government policymakers, industry, professional practitioners or households and the extent to which the research supports them to make smarter policy and practice decisions and the knock-on consequences of doing so. Embedded at each step in the impact planning and tracking process is the need for appropriate mix of expertise, capacity enhancement and collaborative participatory learning by doing approaches. Discussion: The tool was developed in the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research but the basic idea that the way to assess research impact is to start upfront with the information needs of decisions makers is equally applicable to research in other settings, both applied (horizontal) and basic (vertical) research. The tool will be further tested and evaluated with researchers over the next two years (2016/17). The wider challenge is to engage with major Australian research funding agencies to ensure consistent alignment and approaches across research users, communities and funders in evaluating impact.