Introduction: In an increasingly competitive budgetary environment, we must be able to demonstrate the health and societal benefits of clinical and translational research. The Translational Science Benefits Model (TSBM) is a framework for evaluating the downstream health and social impact of research. The TSBM team created the online Translating for Impact Toolkit to help researchers at any stage plan, track, and demonstrate their work’s impact in four domains: clinical, community, economic, and policy.
Methods: Development of the online toolkit included 6 phases: 1) Review of existing tools, 2) Development of fillable tool prototypes, 3) Pilot testing, 4) Development of online tools, 5) Usability testing, and 6) Refinement of online tools. First, we reviewed existing tools for measuring research impact. We then created prototypes of nine tools, published on the TSBM website, and pilot tested with researchers. Based on feedback, we developed and launched online Translating for Impact Toolkit. Next, we will conduct usability testing with researchers to evaluate ease-of-use and quality, identify areas for improvement, and refine and publish the final toolkit.
Results: Researchers can create user accounts, add projects, invite collaborators, and save progress as they complete the nine tools in the Translating for Impact Toolkit. The tools are divided into three steps: Plan (Roadmap to Impact, Benefits 2×2, Partner Mapper, and Team Manager), Track (Impact Tracker), and Demonstrate (Product Navigator, Case Study Builder, Impact Profile, and Dissemination Planner). A toolkit dashboard provides a quick snapshot of translational impact for each project. The toolkit will help both individual scientists and Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs evaluate the impact of their work.
Impact: The TSBM online toolkit is a free, secure, easy-to-use platform researchers can use to plan, track, and demonstrate the impact of their work. The toolkit provides a structured process that will help the next generation of scientists prioritize and promote translational impact in their work. To date, more than 250 researchers have created user accounts and begun using the toolkit.
Organization: Washington University in St. Louis
La Manna AM, LaBrier M, Andersen S, Heidbreder J, Combs T, Brossart L, Luke D