RDI Network - Research for Development Impact Network

The RDI Network has developed an organisational reflection exercise to help international development organisations assess institutional culture and attitudes for effective research use, production, and impact. This team reflection can be done online using the tool here, or offline. Download the offline version here (PDF).

This tool has been developed to help organisations identify areas where leaderships and teams could improve on underlying beliefs, assumptions, values and ways of working to improve research use, production and communication. It can help with strategic planning, foresighting, and maximising impact with key stakeholders.

View how the wider international development sector currently compares.

How to use this self-reflection

The team reflection is divided into six domains. These six domains have been deemed as necessary conditions for sustainable capacity development in research development impact. This reflection will ask you and your team to assess and mark your organisation across the six domains. You may only choose one ‘progress marker’ per domain. Check the progress marker that best fits within your context.

This activity will take roughly 30 minutes to complete, within a group discussion and writing down of your discussion notes and rankings. The results are anonymous, and may help identify strengths and weaknesses for strategic planning.
If you are using the online tool, you will be able to save your results and/or receive an email copy of your answers. A copy of your results will be anonymised and will also contribute to the aggregated report. If you use the offline tool, then your answers are yours to keep via hardcopy.
This is a team activity. If you are looking for an individual self-assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses (particularly for professional development purposes) in research use, communication, and impact, please view the RDI Network’s Skills for Development Impact self-assessment. 
After you complete this team reflection, you will be directed to resources for improvement.