consultancy partnership

Participatory research refers to a research approach where the people whose experiences are being researched take a role in deciding how the research should be conducted, or ideally, conducting the research themselves.

TSIP aspires to take a participatory approach to all research projects as far as possible, and to co-produce research whenever and wherever this is appropriate.

Participatory methods include:

• Peer or community research, in which members of the community whose experiences are being researched are trained to conduct the research

• Research steering or advisory groups made up of members of the community

• Creative and arts-based methods including photovoice

• ‘Most Significant Change’ and other methods where community members are involved in the analysis of the research

Why work with TSIP?

• We prioritise participatory approaches and look for ways to do it, rather than seeing it as an afterthought.

• We have established approaches and training for community/peer researchers.

• We are willing to test creative or new approaches to deepen our impact – we love to find opportunities to use photovoice and ‘Most Significant Change’ in particular.

Read more about our participatory research:

The Medical Scepticism Project

Choosing your freedom: new research into youth self-employment

Our journey working with Mental Fight Club: the use of alternative research methods to gather learnings around mental health

Developmental Evaluation is an adaptive learning model that allows for real-time feedback. Typically, our evaluator is embedded as a member of your team which creates a strong relational context for learning whilst also actively helping to inform decision-making and facilitate learning.

We capture system dynamics and surface innovative ideas which seek to encourage innovation and risk taking were needed to deepen outcomes. And our approach is flexible, with methods and measures evolving as understanding of the situation deepens; ideal for cutting edge programming which needs to learn and iterate as standard.

Learning Partnerships have similar characteristics to developmental evaluation but are usually more structured and less embedded – here we act as partners and critical friends to support your learning, sharing data collection and analysis.

Why work with TSIP?

• We are brilliant facilitators and coaches – our research skills are best evidenced in learning partnerships where we can bring learning to life and support you to embed it.

• We spend time building relationships and understanding what you need – but we’re not afraid to speak truth to power.

• We take a ‘learning-first’ approach to all our research and evaluation work – we are focused on how the research will be used and how learning will be embedded.

• Social Innovation is in our name and this approach to evaluation is ideal for partnering with like-minded change agents.

Read more about our developmental evaluation and learning partnerships:

Evaluation of Peabody's Placemaking Work in Thamesmead

A Theory of Change is a way of articulating how what you do contributes to the change you want to make in the world. It seeks to outline the logical connections between your activities and the outcomes (changes) that you intend to bring about.

It’s a great way to unearth assumptions, surface unknowns and also build a shared understanding of your purpose and what matters.

We know that change isn’t linear and we’re constantly experimenting with new ways to visualise that within the context of a theory of change.

Why work with TSIP?

• We know what we’re doing when it comes to Theory of Change (TOCs) – we have developed TOCs for organisations of all shapes and sizes and at all sorts of levels of complexity.

• We will find ways to make sure that the community you work with has a strong role to play in TOC development – we will work with you to ensure that their voices are centred in the process and you’ll find that the process gives you more insight than you had imagined it could.

• We draw on our understanding of systems change and complexity to develop TOCs that reflect reality – we don’t pretend that change happens in straight line in the real world.

• We will coach you through the process so that you understand it every step of the way.

Read more about our theory of change facilitation:

Coming soon

As we increasingly recognize that change is complex, interconnected and non-linear, understanding systems becomes increasingly important in driving social change. Participatory systems mapping is a way of visualizing the knowledge that people have about the systems that they operate in and where the blockages are.

It usually involves one or more workshops in which people share their understanding of a system and map it out together. This is a process for people and organisations who are serious about understanding how change happens and their role in the system. It’s arguably a step beyond Theory of Change - though often done in tandem. This process allows you to look more critically at the issues of power and resources and understand the flows, points of exclusion and how we can think more broadly about social equity.

Why work with TSIP?

• We create spaces where everyone can contribute, where we bring together people from multiple backgrounds and skill sets, and where we are honest and upfront about power dynamics. These are exactly the spaces you want for participatory systems mapping.

• We are concerned that current discourse on system change still leaves out the people who are most affected by the issues, and therefore perpetuates inequality and we’re determined to change that.

• This is a relatively new approach but one that TSIP has embraced fully as it’s driven by our understanding that change is complex and not linear, and we want to ensure that communities drive that change.

• We are excited to work with partners who are seeking to maximise the opportunity to understand how systems transform.

Read more about our participatory systems mapping:

Coming soon

Co-design (also referred to as user-led design) can be delivered through an authentic partnership with the users of the service or product being designed.

TSIP use co-design as an opportunity to not only deliver services and products that are fit for purpose, but also as an opportunity to reimagine processes and outcomes through the eyes of the people for whom the services and products are designed.

TSIP has partnered with funders across London to co-design services and new funds that disrupt the funding landscape and test new models that put community at the heart of the design and delivery of funding models.

Why work with TSIP?

• We have a deep understanding of what good participation and community engagement looks like and we’re committed to continue iterating and developing this further.

• Our diverse team is relatable to different groups we look to collaborate with which allows us to deliver inclusive participation and engagement.

• We look for opportunities to embed co-design principles and move our partners up the ladder of participation and show them how this leads to better design and delivery outcomes.

• We have a strong track record of co-designing services with underserved communities.

Read more about our co-design:

Disrupting the funding landscape with city bridge trust: our journey so far

What it's like to help co-design a fund - a community participant perspective

A new way to design with communities in hackney