The word ‘translation’ really doesn’t do justice to the practice of applying research to achieve impact, does it?
But we’re going to work with it, and ‘translate research translation’ in 2026!
What is research for?
Research is… how we figure things out in a structured, reliable way instead of guessing. That gives anyone reading it, and using its findings, confidence in their interpretation and actions. Research is not opinion in a social media feed.
Research turns “I think this works” into “I know this works (and here’s why).”
Let’s consider the question ‘what’s research for’?
- Understanding
- Solving problems
- Making decisions
- Discovering new knowledge
- Testing ideas
They are all very important purposes. But how does that help?
- Help the policy adviser in Canberra?
- The life sciences investor?
- The health worker?
- The curriculum designer
- The industrial engineer?
Answering that question gives shape to the term ‘research translation’. It makes the research outcome, and the effort to produce it, meaningful by changing and improving the lives of people and their contexts.
From research translation to impact
Ellis Jones’ research translation work looks like:
- Simplifying and focusing research outcomes through narrative and visual communication to support understanding.
- Strategies, tactics and nudges that guide behaviour.
- Measurement frameworks and tools that are practical and track progress.
- Developing enterprise, system and service models for private sector, government or philanthropic investment, to achieve scale and impact.
- Education and training co-designed with people of lived experience who do the work or benefit from it.
- Campaigns and communication that motivate people to change behaviour, improving society, workplaces or environments.
The research teams we work with are designing projects with end users. They are streamlining the process of ‘knowledge to action’ using behavioural and implementation science.
Research translation case studies
Here’s some diverse inspiration from recent Ellis Jones projects:
- Developing different enterprise business models to attract funding and scale impact: With MCRI, we have worked on a series of projects that take the evidence base from research projects, and build enterprise models (NFP and privates sector), to massively increase reach and therefore impact, while increasing financial sustainability independent of the institute. MHiPS has reached many school children and families in multiple Australian states.
- Communication and motivation via behaviourally informed visualisation and infographics design: Translating complex, culturally sensitive research data and outcomes into accessible artefacts. From static imagery to motion graphics and video explainers. Driving positive behaviours to reduce violence against health workers at Queensland Health, visualising statistics for the Office for Women (Prime Minister & Cabinet), and defining impact for Public Libraries Victoria.
- Strategies to drive community impact from university knowledge and capability: A major direction shift for the University of Melbourne, the Advancing Melbourne strategy called for a stronger focus on engagement with urban and regional communities, sharing knowledge, data, capability and facilities. Through a strategic planning and team building process, our work with Chancellery’s Partnerships & Engagement team has helped take the university to the people: improving collaboration, access and equity, to benefit more Australians.
- Co-designing behaviour change tactics to end vaping with young people: With the Melbourne Centre for Behaviour Change (University of Melbourne), our research, comms and design consultants applied academic and secondary research in a creative co-design process. Young people helped identify why people vape, and how and when to present alternatives actions. The result, an optimise behaviour change campaign and supporting tactics.
See also: V Centre service design, City of Melbourne research translation for waste behaviour change, and translating research into a continuum and supporting services with Beyond Blue.
Talk to us about research translation.
