Research operations (research ops) is a relatively new concept in the research industry that focuses on streamlining research processes, optimizing workflows, and maximizing the efficiency and quality of research efforts. To achieve these goals, research ops teams use a wide variety of tools and practices that support data management, participant recruitment, collaboration, documentation, and communication.

In this article we explore the composition of an effective tool ecosystem for research ops teams; what research ops managers consider when choosing the right tools for their team and workflow, and how Indeemo fits into this ecosystem.

What is Research Operations?

Research operations is a set of practices and principles that aim to enhance research productivity, efficiency, and quality by applying operational techniques to research activities. It involves a range of activities, including creating and managing research project plans and timelines, developing and implementing research protocols and methodologies, ensuring ethical and legal compliance, managing data collection, analysis, and reporting processes, and facilitating collaboration and communication among research team members and stakeholders. The ultimate goal of research operations is to maximise the value and impact of research projects while minimising costs, errors, and time-consuming tasks.

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Common Tools Used for Research Ops

Research operations teams use a variety of tools to streamline and optimise research processes. These tools can be classified into different categories based on their functionalities. Here are some of the essential tools used in research operations.

Procuring a Tool for Research Ops: What to Consider

When evaluating tools for research operations, research ops teams should consider several factors to ensure that they choose tools that meet their needs. These factors include functionality, ease of use, compatibility, security and privacy, scalability, cost, and support and maintenance.

• Functionality

  The first consideration when evaluating tools for research ops is their functionality. This includes evaluating whether the tool has the features and capabilities needed to support the specific research workflows and processes of the team. It's important to look for tools that can automate repetitive tasks, streamline collaboration, and improve data management and analysis.

• Ease of Use

  Another important factor to consider when evaluating tools is their ease of use. A tool that is difficult to learn or use can slow down workflows and reduce productivity. It's important to look for tools that are intuitive, user-friendly, and require minimal training.

• Compatibility

  It's important to ensure that the tools being evaluated are compatible with the existing technology infrastructure of the research team. This includes ensuring that the tools integrate well with existing software, platforms, and systems, and that they can be used across different devices and operating systems.

• Cost

  Cost is another important factor to consider when evaluating tools. Some tools may be free or low-cost, while others may require a significant investment. It's important to consider the value that a tool provides in relation to its cost, and to ensure that it fits within the team's budget.

• Security & Privacy

  Research data is often sensitive and confidential, and it's important to ensure that the tools being evaluated have appropriate security and privacy measures in place to protect data from unauthorised access or breaches. It's important to evaluate the tool's security protocols and compliance with relevant data protection regulations.

• Customer Support

  Finally, it's important to consider the level of customer support that a tool provides. This includes evaluating the tool's documentation and user guides, as well as the availability of customer support and training resources. It's important to choose tools that provide adequate support to ensure that any issues or problems can be quickly resolved.

The Crucial Role of Research Ops in Data Ownership

One of the primary concerns in research operations is data security and ownership. By owning the data and ensuring its complete portability, research professionals can control where the data is stored, export it, or put it in their own data warehouse.

Research operations professionals  play a critical role in ensuring data ownership. Unlike other tools that may restrict data access, a well-designed tool ecosystem should provide for easy data transfer and complete ownership. This ensures that data remains accessible and in control of its rightful owners. When looking to procure a tool for their team, a research ops manager should look for a tool that allows them to be the data owner. Ultimately, you want a tool that is the data processor and not the data controller.

The Importance of Data Security for Research Ops

A research tool used by a research ops team should have robust data security features that protect sensitive data from unauthorised access, theft, or loss. The tool should have strong access controls in place to limit access to sensitive data to only authorised personnel. The tool should be compliant with relevant data protection regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, depending on the type of data being processed or stored. 

Overall, a research tool used by a research ops team should have robust data security features that protect sensitive data from unauthorised access, theft, or loss. It should also comply with relevant data protection regulations.

The Role of a Data Collection Tool for Research Ops

For researchers, the most commonly used tool at their disposal is the data collection and analysis tool. Whether it be quantitative research like surveys, or qualitative techniques for UX discovery and a deeper understanding of user behaviour, the tools adopted and onboarded will often determine the speed of fieldwork and validity of data.

For research ops, choosing the right platform for data collection, will typically need to meet a range of different criteria. In the table below, we outline the key areas a data collection tool should cover for a research team.

Effective Knowledge Management for Research Ops

Onboarding a tool for knowledge management is not enough to ensure effective knowledge transfer in research operations. It's essential to evaluate where knowledge currently exists in the business and how it's being referred to. Simply moving data to a new tool without considering its usability may not be effective in the long term.

Adopting a knowledge management tool or investing in a tool with strong knowledge management capabilities in research operations can be challenging, particularly when it comes to extracting specific data. Most tools have a built-in model for making sense of the data, which can limit the flexibility of the research process.

Flexible Data Repository and Insights

Many research tools operate on the premise of atomic insights or nuggets of information, which can restrict the information architecture and force researchers to work in a specific way. While this approach may work for some contexts, it doesn't suit all knowledge management needs. It's essential to interrogate the tools and the underlying mental models to ensure that they align with the research process.

Additionally, many tools have a similar information model as it's the easiest way to structure them on the backend. Some predefined information models can be restrictive for researchers during their analysis phase following fieldwork. An optimal tool should provide team members with the flexibility to interrogate and structure data in different formats.

In a nutshell, a research ops team should be able to dip in and out of a central repository of critical data needed to inform the wider business and stakeholders.

Let us support your next research project

If the above approach resonates with your research objectives, please get in touch and we can set up a call with one of our Strategists to discuss your own specific requirements. 

Indeemo is available as a self service platform under annual licence. By combining our strategic advice with a self service SaaS platform, we give you the ability to benefit from our expertise while being completely autonomous and agile. 

As the rate of change continues to increase, the need to stay both constantly connected with your users and customers AND be able to assign tasks / activities / questions at speed is paramount. Indeemo allows you to achieve both of these objectives in a way that is intuitive and personal enabling you to truly build a deeper connection with your target audience and their ever changing needs.

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