Advisory Groups for Research Projects

Forming an advisory group can be a valuable asset for any project, providing diverse perspectives, strategic insights, and expertise to guide important decisions. It is particularly important for the Freelance Advisor project because it is interdisciplinary in nature, and because it centres a particular community who may not otherwise be directly involved in project design (creative freelancers). However, as someone who has focused on solo research over the last few years, and before that included only academics in project planning, the thought of lots of people giving advice on my beloved brainchild is quite daunting! In this blog post, I will outline my thinking on some of the key elements involved in forming an advisory group for such a research-informed development project, including selecting the right people, promoting an inclusive culture, scheduling meetings, and ensuring accountability.

Selecting the Right People

When assembling an advisory group, it is crucial to select individuals who bring diverse and appropriate skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table. It is commonly suggested to look for candidates who are passionate about the project’s mission and values, have experience in the type of project and who possess a track record of sound judgement and strategic thinking. It can also be important to select individuals who can offer expertise in functional areas such as finance, marketing, technology, legal matters, or specific industry knowledge, depending on the needs of the project.

In the case of Freelance Advisor, one of our key first steps was to map our stakeholders, to ensure that we understood all of those who have interest in, and influence over, the project. We used Mural to allow us to undertake this collectively and remotely, and to give us a live stakeholder map which we still return to and update. I currently have a list of 7 passionate, knowledgeable and appropriately skilled stakeholders who could potentially join the advisory group. Within this group I have 2 freelance experts, 3 academics (tech development; art school; design-based), and 2 people from key industry bodies. Currently I haven’t approached anyone from a trade union, and this is potentially a gap I will need to consider. My only problem is that I am failing the diversity test on one count as 6 of them are women!

Promoting an Inclusive Culture

Creating an inclusive culture within the advisory group is essential for fostering open communication and collaboration. It is important for the Chair to emphasise the importance of respecting diverse viewpoints and to actively encourage active participation from all members. There are some functional steps that I have been considering regarding inclusive access. I am guided by the wise words of one of my research participants, who told me it is not enough to talk about accessibility and inclusivity, you have to actually structure your activities in a way that encourages everyone to feel comfortable in sharing their views.

Of course, making sure the meeting location is accessible to everyone is key. Since COVID there have been a lot of debates over the benefits of holding meetings online - particularly weighing up the convenience of online meetings versus the ways in which the affordances of video-conferencing might shape discussions. Given that the members of the advisory group may never have met in person, this is a particular concern. Another way I am seeking to make the group more inclusive is to have initial one-to-ones with all members to clarify the rationale and structure of meetings, and by providing an agenda and papers well in advance so that all members have time to prepare their thoughts in advance.

Of course, another key element of being inclusive is in finding a way to enable the participation of those who would not otherwise be able to take part. In the case of Freelance Advisor, this means budgeting to recompense the freelancers on the group for their time.

Scheduling Meetings

Establishing a regular meeting schedule is crucial to maintaining momentum and ensuring that the advisory group remains engaged and productive. Considering the availability of all members when setting meeting times will help to maximise attendance and participation. Whether meetings are held monthly, quarterly, or on another cadence, consistency is key. I am thinking of holding quarterly meetings of the advisory group at present, scaling up if and when we receive additional funding.

I am always aware of the importance of other peoples’ time, and making the most of the time that they give to the advisory group. My focus is on finding ways to maximise a limited amount of face time, rather than finding additional items to fill a longer slot. However, I am also very aware that having a busy agenda and a quick paced discussion can be exclusionary. As such, I am planning to utilise technology to facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration among group members. Using a communications and document sharing portal such as MS Teams can help streamline communication and keep the group connected between meetings.

Ensuring Accountability

To ensure that the advisory group remains effective and impactful, it's essential to establish clear expectations and mechanisms for accountability. Developing a framework for setting and achieving goals, tracking progress, and evaluating and explaining performance against the goals is key. However, as someone who has generally only ever previously been accountable in my research to myself and perhaps to 1 or 2 co-authors and my line manager, it is quite a leap to consider making myself accountable to a more diverse group. Although I am very comfortable with the practical matters of chairing and clerking a strategic group, opening up priorities setting, goal determination and progress reviews to a broader range of people (some of whom may not be familiar with academic timescales) is something which I am less comfortable with. As such, I will need to supplement accountability processes with an enquiring and non-threatened mindset to get the most out of the group.

In conclusion, forming an advisory group requires careful consideration and deliberate planning. By selecting the right people, promoting an inclusive culture, scheduling regular meetings, and ensuring accountability, we can create a valuable resource for our projects that offers diverse perspectives and strategic guidance. However, I am very new to this area and I would encourage anyone with view or suggestions to send them on. I am in the process of holding initial conversations and inviting people onto the advisory group at the moment, with a view to holding out first meeting in April.