Strategies for the management and adoption of impact capture processes within research information management systems

Abstract

Following the 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework (REF), attention across the Higher Education sector is turning to embedding impact measurement within the organisation. Impact is defined as the social, financial and environmental effects of research. Planning and capturing impact however is a difficult and resource-intensive activity, demanding both strategic commitment and infrastructure support. A means to systematically capture and monitor impact across the organisation is crucial to continued research success. In addition, with impact data capture as an emerging practice, there is the opportunity and necessity for a degree of standardisation in the approach to measuring impact across HEIs. Vertigo Ventures, an impact measurement consultancy, has been using and expanding its tool- VV-Impact Metrics with UK universities to support assessments by identifying impact pathways, impact indicators, evidence collection and analysis to improve the quality of the evidence and narrative. Vertigo Ventures has been working with Coventry University to use its VV-Impact Metrics tool in their self-service module (ERIC) to create a systematised data capture platform that can be readily used by the academic community to input data. This paper discusses the experience and learning from the process of embedding a solution institutionally.