Research Deliberation Canvas

The Research Deliberation Canvas (RDC) approach was inspired by the very successful Business Model Canvas. The RDC leverages a canvas to support the early phases of designing and developing a research proposal. In addition it can be used as a helpful tool to facilitate reviews within the proposal team as well as with the research office and others. The RDC is suitable to be used by academic based researchers, research office staff, researchers based in industry, NCPs, and funding agencies engaged in reviewing proposals. More information can be found at www.researchdeliberationcanvas.com Some possible benefits of using the RDC during the design and review stages are listed below.

Research Proposal Design Process

•             The canvas supports a consistent approach to rapidly begin the proposal design process in a structured fashion since this process is not regularly carried out by a newly formed group looking at a new call.

•             The canvas has the potential to facilitate the development and sharing of best practises for proposal design with research office staff and researchers.

•             The canvas is configurable to support different requirements from funding agencies, call types, and research offices.

•             The RDC supports both top-down and bottom-up type calls.

•             The RDC has the potential to be used as a training aid for new researchers and research office staff.

•             The inclusion of remote research partners in the proposal design process is supported via the RDC.

Research Proposal Review Process

•             The inclusion of difficult questions regarding strength and suitability of a proposal is easier to incorporate into the process using the canvas approach.

•             The canvas promotes early Go/No-Go decisions in low success rate calls in order to preserve resources.

•             The RDC has the potential to support a simplified review process between the PI or researcher and their respective research office.

•             Deeper and more engaging reviews between the PI or researcher and their respective research offices can be achieved due to a more consistent approach when using the same canvas for design and review.

•             The RDC approach can facilitate the development and sharing of best practises for proposal reviews with research office staff and researchers.