Case Study:

Turning Qualitative Research into Action – How a Collaborative Model is Reshaping Research Teams

The Challenge

Through qualitative research with research teams, a key pattern emerged:
Teams wanted to work more collaboratively but struggled to see how.

In multiple workshops, teams gave feedback that real-world examples would be the most helpful way to understand what collaborative, co-led research actually looked like in practice. But these examples didn’t exist.

The Research Approach

I set out to fill this gap by conducting in-depth qualitative research, including:
✔ Identifying research teams willing to test new leadership and governance approaches.
✔ Conducting interviews and observations to explore how teams navigated leadership in real-world settings.
✔ Analyzing data to uncover patterns in what helped or hindered collaboration.

The Key Insight

Collaborative research cannot succeed without clear structures for leadership and governance.

My research highlighted two critical questions that research teams were struggling to answer:
✔ What does it mean to have leadership in different roles?
✔ How do teams integrate leadership into governance structures in a meaningful way?

These questions were not just theoretical. They were raised directly by research teams trying to make collaboration work in practice.

The Impact

When these findings were shared with research funders, they directly shaped funding conversations.
✔ Applicants for a major funding initiative asked for case studies that would provide guidance on leadership and governance in team-based research.
✔ Teams expressed a desire to embed the Thrive model into their long-term practices.

Why This Matters

This case study highlights my ability to:
✅ Use qualitative research to drive real-world change.
✅ Anticipate and respond to the needs of research teams.
✅ Translate research findings into actionable frameworks that teams can use.

Would you like to explore how qualitative research on leadership and governance can shape your research team?
📩 [Contact me here] (insert link).