Discover main tasks, what you need to be able to do and everything you need to understand to achieve them effectively.
Understanding the research brief, task or context
- Confirm the scope, practicalities, budget, context, and specific objectives of what’s required and the tools/equipment needed for the task
- Confirm the timing and final format for the brief, when the brief needs to be delivered and how frequently updates are required
- Identify who the key people are you need to interact and communicate with for the project, including colleagues or potential sources of information
- Speak up at all stages if you don’t understand any elements of the brief
- Be prepared to adapt to the situation quickly and find out about requirements if any aspect of the brief changes
- Different types of research (qualitative, quantitative, primary, secondary) potentially required by the brief
- Different methods used to collate and interpret information
- The roles and responsibilities involved in the production or project, and when to collaborate with others to deliver the brief
Information gathering for research or analysis work
- Plan what you need to investigate, and organise your work to ensure you stick to the required timescales
- Write a to do list, prioritising and identifying how long each task will take
- Check that the information you wish to use is available and that you are legally allowed to use it
- Ensure you record all sources of information and store this with research results
- Be proactive and persuasive in your work, tracking activity and following up
- Behave professionally at all times, be it via phone, face to face, online or email
- Collate and interpret the information as it emerges and identify any remaining gaps and which sources you should use to fill those gaps
- Identify if research by others will make your findings out of date
- Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information in line with production or organisational procedures, adhering to GDPR compliance
- The depth of information required and how if fits into the bigger picture
- Effective and appropriate ways to approach the sources of information
- The implications and effects on the research of copyright, clearances, and rights to use information
- Your production or organisational procedures and timelines for data handling and deletion of data/records/information
- How to keep informed on evolving sources of information so you can update this within your research or analysis work
- The implications of current legislation and regulations covering data protection/GDPR
Interpreting the information gathered and communicating your findings
- Fact check the validity of your sources
- Sift and select relevant information for your analysis based on its currency, context and timeframe
- Collate the set of findings and assess which information is relevant to the objectives of the brief, and which can be discarded
- Ensure your findings align with the original brief and meet the needs of the person or organisation that provided the brief
- Keep all stakeholders regularly updated on the progress of the brief
- Ensure you present the research material in the required form and in a way that is suitable for its intended use
- How to use the brief, criteria, budget and schedule for the work to decide which information is relevant
- What information is needed by whom, when they need it and how to communicate it
- Appropriate techniques for presenting the information in a concise and comprehensible way
Reflection on research and analysis work
- Reflect and learn what went well and what didn’t go well in a piece of work
- Proactively gather constructive feedback from others on the work
- The importance of developing your skills whilst working on brief/task and how it can support your career progression
- How to collect reliable future contacts who can provide open sources of information
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