What do we value when we talk about impact?

We live in a society and a research system where everything is judged by results: awards, metrics, grades, what we can easily show and quantify. There is a risk that this results-oriented approach will also influence to the way we measure the impact of research on society. This means that we may only value the final result, forgetting about the entire pathway needed for this impact to be real and transformative.

Thus, there may be projects and collaborations that have mobilized research teams, institutions and communities for years, have generated knowledge, relationships and innovations that are already valuable in themselves, but that can become invisible if we only look at the tangible and immediate results. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect on how we understand impact: not only as a milestone to be achieved, but as a living process that requires time, care and commitment so that research can take root and transform society in a healthy and sustained way. For example, in the impact story that we published a few months ago ( Conserving nature goes much further than protected areas ), we explained the benefits obtained through conservation measures and territorial policies, and that were the result of collaboration and intense work by many institutions for almost two decades. During these years, the different actors were already incorporating knowledge, new ways of collaborating and managing the natural environments of Catalonia long before approving the policies or new management models. And it is precisely this path to impact—and all the benefits and dynamics that are generated from the early stages of research—that we want to talk about today in the Impact Corner. We understand “society” in the broadest sense: not just people or communities, but also the environment, health, technologies, policies, and many other areas that research can transform.

If we search for “Impact pathway” in any search engine, we will find all kinds of models, logical frameworks or theories of change that describe the causal relationships that can lead to impact ( here is ours! ). But what they often do not explain so clearly is that this path is not linear, unique or completely predictable: it is multiple, full of unexpected elements and can move in different directions . It is a combination of planning and constant effort, but also of that serendipity that, as the writer Horace Walpole first described, can bring about discoveries and unexpected results.

These models usually share five basic elements : inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts. In short, inputs are the resources that make research possible, such as funding, personnel or projects; activities are the research itself; outputs are the products generated, for example, scientific articles, new tools and methodologies; and outcomes are the short- or medium-term uses of these results, such as new training or informing public policies; and, finally, impacts are the real changes generated. In the case of CREAF, we have two close examples: the increase in protected forest area or the implementation of new techniques to restore mining soils . These impacts often arrive after years of research, efforts, collaborations and, sometimes, also thanks to unexpected factors that open up new avenues ( Visit the Racó article where we talk about impact here ).

Therefore, the path to impact must be understood as a long-term process, which can often last years or even decades . A process that should incorporate the active participation of diverse agents, beyond the academia, ideally, from the initial design phase of the projects. Actors who can contribute to defining the research questions, hypotheses and/or possible solutions. This involvement should be maintained throughout the entire project. To do this, dynamics of collaboration and co-creation must be encouraged with all the actors for whom that research may be relevant.

This shared work can not only generate direct benefits for the people, communities or institutions involved; but also transform the way we do research: opening up new perspectives, connecting with real needs and inspiring innovative approaches that we might not have considered from within a research institution. In fact, this entire process — with the learning, connections and changes it generates — can already be considered an impact in itself: a success that enriches both science and society and opens new paths that can continue to bear fruit in the future.

The impact of research does not occur through a single path or follow a single pattern. There are multiple paths—combinable and complementary—that can help the knowledge generated take root and transform society. We highlight some of them:

• Through communication and outreach . Explaining research in an accessible, creative and relevant way can reach new audiences, generate interest, trust and inspire action. Talks, exhibitions, audiovisual formats, social media initiatives are examples that can help make knowledge visible and useful, especially if it is done by listening and engaging with society.
• Through innovation and transfer . When research results are converted into technologies, services, products or methodologies applicable in real environments, a direct response can be provided to social, environmental or economic challenges. This path includes collaboration with companies, entrepreneurship, patents and other forms of useful and transformative knowledge transfer.
• Through co-creation and participatory research . When groups, entities or individuals are actively involved in research from the beginning, shared knowledge is built, understanding of the problem is enriched, solutions are improved and research that is more closely aligned with social needs is generated. Opening up science to incorporate non-scientific knowledge can significantly contribute to the progress of research; by providing perspectives, knowledge and experiences that often fall outside of traditional academic frameworks.

• Through interdisciplinary research . Facing complex problems often requires combining diverse perspectives. The interaction between disciplines can generate innovative approaches, open new conceptual frameworks and facilitate more integrative solutions. It allows us to solve the challenges we face today more efficiently.
• Through contribution to policies and practices . Research can inform, guide or transform public policies and institutional or sectoral practices. Whether with data, evidence, models or recommendations, it can influence decisions that have direct effects on society and the environment.

At the beginning, we wondered if the research system gives too much importance on the final results. Despite wanting to acknowledge the value of the journey, we often end up evaluating everything based on metrics such as the number of attendees, publications, or audience size. But... what is really more important: what we achieve or how we do it?

To answer the question, it is also relevant to consider whether it is necessary to measure everything . Not everything can – or should – be measured. There are less visible processes that also generate impact and to which we must recognise their value: creating dynamics, collaborations, shared spaces and communities, for example. Promote cultures that facilitate long-term changes without becoming obsessed with how they will be quantified later. This does not mean ignoring metrics, but understanding their limitations and the need to contextualize them. Many valuable efforts are not easily captured in numbers, and it is important to recognize that impact (large or small!) can also take unexpected forms, such as cultural changes, new learning, behavioural transformation or social empowerment.

This entire process involves a diversity of agents: social actors, researchers and also communication, transfer, open science, impact personnel, etc. All of them contribute, in one way or another, to making the impact possible.

There is no single formula for measuring or explaining success. Each research story – with its interactions, contexts and processes – tells us about the real value of what has been achieved. Perhaps, ultimately, this is where we should pay more attention: to the process.

To find out more...

• Glossary on research impact (CERCA).
• Understanding Pathways to Research Impact: From Concept to Practice (Research Impact Academy)
• Webinar: " Making a meaningful difference to society: An impact literate approach " by Dr. Julie Bayley