Research co-production is essential to inform, improve, and test interventions and policy. Research funders may prefer or even require public involvement work by grantees. Co-production here refers to conducting collaborative, inclusive academic research with non-academic partners such as members of the public and policymakers. In practice, there are numerous obstacles to doing this. The Dialogue, Evidence, Participation and Translation for Health (DEPTH) research group has spent over a decade developing techniques and practices for research co-production, as well as furthering scholarship in this area.

The DEPTH programme of work has informed a framework that embeds research into a co-production process rather than inserting co-production into standard research designs. The design responds to two seemingly contradictory requirements. Co-produced research needs to be (1) open and flexible to support the iterative working needed in genuine collaborations, and to meet the demands of dynamic and sometimes hostile environments. However, it also (2) needs to be structured enough that it is readily understood by participants and other stakeholders, including funders who may otherwise shy away from providing support.

The DEPTH framework helps guide research project design, aid communication between project partners, yield high quality outputs, promote synergies between different types of expertise (e.g. academic, policy, experiential), and foster a sense of ownership of the research among the participants which in turn can lead to unanticipated positive outcomes.

Prof Marston will discuss the DEPTH approach and framework, giving some empirical examples of the challenges, benefits, and unexpected consequences of this way of working.

Booking is required for people outside of the Department of Social Policy and Intervention (DSPI) via the form: forms.office.com/e/MdiF1NW0gv?origin=lprLink. Please note that this form will close at 2pm on the day of the seminar.

DSPI Members do not need to register.