As with anything in impact, there’s no “one size fits all” answer on how to scale up your impact. That said, understanding different scales of impact can help to inform your planning, activity and evaluation, and so help to maximise your impact. This might mean considering impact at other levels, or how you can expand your impact (in terms of either reach or significance) within the level at which you are already considering impact.

At all scales, remember that there should be evidence of the change itself and that it has occurred as a result of your research.

Evaluating and evidencing the different scales of change often forms the basis of a strong Impact Case Study.

Individual level 

Individual impact can be significant – it can last for a long time and might change lives. This can have exceptional benefits. 

Where signs of individual impact are less significant – such as individual feedback from an interaction at an event – the case study will need additional scale(s) of change to make a strong case.

An example of this is the REF2021 “Mobility and higher quality of life for children with disabilities” case study. The impact was on individuals, but this impact was life-changing for many children with disabilities.

Community level

Community level impacts affect groups of different sizes, and may consider communities locally or further afield. Expanding the scale of community level impacts may include impacts on more diverse groups, groups that weren’t previously impacted, or marginalised communities. Community level impacts can be corroborated by a representative(s) of the community or group who can attest to change at community level, such as leaders or coordinators. There may also be an opportunity to obtain evidence of individual level change with these cohorts.

The “Connecting Communities and Enhancing Creative Cultures in Portsmouth” REF2021 ICS goes beyond impacting individuals to work with community groups with an interest in creative cultures and local histories and folklore. Community groups are shown to be upskilled through the project and connections between different groups were built.

Institutional level

Impact at the institutional level considers effects on an organisation (not the HEI) such as attracting or engaging larger or different audiences, increasing the customer base, changing institutional practice or policy going forward. Evidence could be financial, for example; increased sales, efficiency savings, or reported activity that shows improved process or practise such as employing more staff, attracting new investment or increasing visitor numbers. Evidence for this type of change is usually sourced from the institution/organisation itself and would corroborate that the change goes above and beyond what would be considered ‘normal’ for that institution, and that this change has stemmed from your research.

Institutional level impact can be seen for local authorities in Hampshire in the 2021 “The ACRE profiling assessment tools: Enhancing employers’ ability to provide person-centred support for autistic people” ICS. This ICS covers increased employability rates, improvements to employers’ abilities to make appropriate adjustments, reductions to on-job support and assessment costs, and increased wellbeing of autistic people, through changes to strategic provision at an institutional level.

Transferability

The application of your research across other wider local, national, or international institutions or community groups demonstrates transferability. Transferability scales up the levels of impact listed above, but can be further enhanced by demonstrating that other institutions have applied the outcomes of research and used the new approach to improve their practice and benefit their own activities. Evidence of how this has been put into practice would enhance the impact potential.

An example of transferability can be found in the 2021 “Managing traumatised witnesses of terror: Developing a therapeutic jurisprudence framework” ICS. Initially applied specifically to handling the aftermath of the 2017 London Bridge terror attack, the transferability of this work was recognised leading to a review of witness triage systems and the work has been used in response to subsequent terror attacks and developing new frameworks and best practice.

New impact streams

New impact streams are where other secondary activity has arisen. This could be a result of the research directly interacting with new audiences, or as a result of other activities such as public engagement or stakeholders passing knowledge gained from research to other groups, organisations and institutions. Secondary impact can occur without the knowledge of the underpinning research team, this can make it difficult to track and evaluate. The extent, reach and significance of this should be evidenced.

The “Improving water safety: informing international and UK policies, changing behaviour and practice, and saving lives”, as the name suggests, encompasses multiple impact streams. This case study covers changes to public understanding and behaviours, as well as changes to safety codes, recommendations, and operational guidance internationally. These changes have collectively led to many lives being saved.

If you’re interested in reading more Case Studies about impact across these levels, you can find all UoP REF 2021 ICS by searching for ‘University of Portsmouth’ here.