Should We Measure Research Impact?

This Learning & Networking Week panel took on the current debate about demonstrating impact with business metrics–why to do it, how to do it, and the value or downsides of different approaches. Watch a recording of the session below.

The widespread tech layoffs of 2023 have ushered in a new period of self-reflection and debate about the future. We have been encouraged to “speak the language of business,” prioritise specific types of work, and make the measurement of our collective and individual impact a foundational practice.

These calls for new foundations have been met with support but also critique. Might advocating for the value of research inadvertently call our value into question and be seen to re-litigate established truths about the importance of human centered design and customer needs? Is this gaslighting, or an overdue acknowledgement of business realities? During this panel, we explored the implications of measuring impact with leading contributors to the debate.