IMAGINING BETTER
WHY USE RESEARCH
Imagining Better works collaboratively with partners from across the sector to develop and deliver heritage projects.
Our research-led work explores how heritage can help individuals and communities feel more agency in the present. We are interested in developing projects that explore ways of translating shared values from the past into meaningful action in the present.
What is research?
Research is a systematic process of gathering, analysing, and interpreting information to increase understanding of a specific topic. Traditionally, research is undertaken by academics based in universities, although this is not always the case, and research processes are becoming more open and inclusive.
For Imagining Better, our research-led heritage projects represent an opportunity for us to do new things, work with new people, and find new and better ways of serving individuals and communities.
Research-led, future-oriented heritage projects
Our research-led projects take a collaborative approach. This type of research, which involves participants and stakeholders from an early stage in the design of the project as well as collecting and analysing results and outcomes, has been described in a number of ways, such as action research, co-production, participation action research.
For us, it means we try to work with others to develop, deliver, and share the results of research wherever we can. We recognise that this is an ongoing process and we will not always get things right. We work with our collaborators to evaluate our practice, which is evolving all the time.
Benefits of
research-led projects
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Research-led projects will give a specific answer to a specific question. We tailor each of our projects to a set of aims and objectives based on a research question which is developed collaboratively between stakeholders (who might be a client, community group, charity etc). This makes the boundaries of the project clear, managing expectations and maintaining focus.
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Participants and communities are empowered to take ownership of answering the research question and feel invested in finding longer-term solutions.
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By asking an open question, research-led projects create a space for people to explore new ideas and think creatively.
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The creation of a framework for the project (in the form of a research question and aims and objectives) creates an even playing field for participants - all answers to the question are valid and deserving of equal consideration.
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All collaborators learn from each other: researchers learn from the lived experience of participants, participants learn research skills, and facilitators and stakeholders share their professional and lived experience whilst gaining knowledge from researchers and participants. All participants gain new skills and experience.