Broadening Perspectives Maximizes Impact

From inception, to development, to application, to adoption and use; every phase benefits from having a broad base of experience and expertise. 

So where do you go to get these broad perspectives? 

It starts with the individual people that are engaged in the project, particularly in the leadership roles. There are dozens if not hundreds of articles espousing the benefits of diversity of perspective at the top. A Harvard Business Review article published over ten years ago provides evidence that companies with diversity in their leadership perform significantly better than their competitors, which they correlate to a positive impact on innovation within the company. 

Beyond Leadership

But it does not end there, especially in the use-inspired research space. The innovation ecosystem here thrives on the inclusion of diverse universities, communities, end users, stakeholders, policymakers, and a wide range and scale of private sector partners. 

What happens when we fail to be inclusive at the front end of a use-inspired research project? Think about the decades of medical studies using only adult men – for a long time we missed the fact that heart attacks present differently in women. Or look at the significant issues with the development of facial recognition technology, initially trained on a non-diverse dataset. At best, there are missed opportunities, at worst, disparities are deepened, and the project fails.

How do I get there?

Are you already convinced of the value of diverse perspectives, but unsure how to get there?  Like everything of value, it takes time for true partnerships to develop trust and shared vision. Being inclusive also requires making a conscious effort to “think slow,” as described in Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking, Fast and Slow. When we think slow, i.e., take time to reflect and analyze rather than rely on instinct and habit, we are better able to change our behavior to become more inclusive and welcoming of new and different perspectives.

Tips for success:

1. Take the time to understand the big picture. If you are starting with a use-inspired research idea, ask these questions: Who will benefit? Who will be affected (both positively and negatively)?  What don’t you know? Does a problem perhaps persist because of lack of a technological solution, or because there is resistance to changing something? Does successful adoption of a solution potentially require behavioral change? If so, are the behaviors rooted in a historical culture?
   
   
2. Seek out expertise/experience. Here is where you will want to think broadly and look beyond the familiar large institutions and companies. Smaller universities as well as small businesses and start-ups often bring unique and unexpected perspectives and experiences. 
   
   
3. Identify the barriers that make it difficult for smaller organizations and undervalued talent to participate. There is often a need to build capacity and/or infrastructure at small institutions, some of which can be addressed as part of the project. Finding partners with complementary strengths can often mitigate these challenges.
   
   
4. Invest in building trust. Although partnerships are rarely completely equal, building trust and identifying shared goals are the cornerstones of successful partnerships in the long run. Engaging your partners at the start and co-creating the project together will build the foundation for success.