A lot of the time when you hear about research impact, it’s associated with the Research Excellence Framework (REF). That’s far from the only reason to think about impact, and isolating ideas of impact to work that might already be considered for a case study can mean that we miss out on a lot of great opportunities. So, why else might you be motivated to consider impact?

The motivations behind impact generation are diverse and personal. Even for those working towards REF impact, it’s unlikely that reaching that stage came out of nowhere. Keeping your motivations in mind can be a great driver, helping you to keep your momentum going and even helping you to pinpoint what your impact is.

To do good and make a difference
Impact is all about translating your research into real world benefits. For some, the benevolence of doing good for others is the sole driver for their impact, and for others it ties in with other motivators.

It’s at the core of your research
Depending on your area of research, impact may be at the core of your work. When researching a specific problem, the goal of your work may be to find a solution to a problem affecting relevant stakeholders, making impact inherent in your research.

It’s important in many funding bids
Impact is important across many funding bids, whether explicitly centred in the call or with more subtle ideas of return on the funder’s investment or the priorities of the funding body. This can mean that planning and integrating impact into your bid can, in some cases, be the deciding factor.

A specific connection to a community or problem
Maybe you have a personal connection to the area which your impact is benefitting, making a problem more visible to you or placing you in a position to understand the importance of addressing whatever it is that your impact addresses.

Evaluation of your project and planning for the next step
Integrating impact throughout bids ties in closely with evaluating your work and keeping your stakeholders and their needs in mind. Consistent evaluation and engagement can help you to plan your next project, identify potential collaborators, and prioritise your activities.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your motivations are behind generating impact but understanding your own motivations can help to guide your work. As long as you are carrying out ethical work that benefits others outside of academia, then you are working towards impact.

What’s motivating you to generate impact?