Though starting new projects can be exciting, they often come with new obstacles as they move from the planning to the execution stages. Five Frontiers Seed Funding lead awardees from the Digital tools for reversing environmental degradation symposium, shared valuable insights as they reflected on the progress of their projects during a collaborative session.
Four seed funding awards and the symposium are funded by Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA), a programme that catalyses locally led research, innovation and action to help people and nature thrive together across Africa and Asia. It is funded by UK Aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).
Case study
Prabhina Shrestha, Utopia, Nepal
Prabina Shrestha, lead applicant of “Leveraging technology to foreground nature in the everyday city” and co-applicants from Integrated Design, Bangalore are working on a study to isdevelop a digital prototype that visualises urbanisation induced fragmentation at the regional, local and hyperlocal urban landscapes and provides actionable data for decisionmakers to better address the loss of urban ecology and biodiversity in Kathmandu, Nepal and Bengaluru, India. Prabina from Utopia shared experiences, difficulties, and steps forward as her team entered the second phase of the project. In the first phase, the teams researched the target cities, looking at aspects such as drivers impacting the city as a socio-ecological system. It entailed secondary data collation, analysis and representation as well as the customisation of a mobile-based data collection tool to collect primary data at the sub-city scale deeper at each city using ground data collection.
The team ran a multi-stakeholder workshop in Bangalore that fostered vibrant discussion on how to better address natural ecosystem loss in urban areas. Feedback was sought on the relevance and appropriateness of the digital prototype to be developed in the second phase of the project.
Though the team had set clear ideas for the different stages of the project from the outset, Prabina highlighted the cyclical process of collaborative work. Areas they had initially intended to study, especially in Kathmandu, were found to lack historical information, which required them to look for new sources and prolonged the identification of focus locations based on data availability. Prabina emphasised that when things do not go according to plan, adaptability is key.
Having successfully re-evaluated elements of the project, Prabina offered tips for fellow participants to keep on track despite roadblocks. One key reflection was to choose collaborators carefully, in particular, those who have expertise or experience that can complement other team members. The the next phase of their project will require coordinating with policymakers, which can slow progress if not managed carefully. A sustained dialogue with stakeholders is essential to overcome such roadblocks.
It’s important to re-learn and move ahead
Principles
- Stakeholders may have different – and sometimes competing – priorities, such as policy impacts, academic publications or profit. Despite this, they must keep in mind the common mission must be kept in mind and foster an environment where everyone can contribute.Taking the time to understand stakeholders’ different priorities will help to manage expectations and integrate the appropriate outputs into work.
- Finding a common ‘language’ – or terms that every industry can understand and work in – helps make discussions more productive. A ‘translator’ or a person who has experience working across industries can act as a bridge between different languages.
- In cross-sector collaboration, every industry also brings with it important strengths and concerns that can balance weaknesses of their peers. For example, NGOs can help link projects to those ‘on-the-ground,’ while working with the private sector can enable greater access to funding and technology.
- Embracing diversity can allow for a more impactful, well-rounded project. However, make sure communication and priorities are clear and that there is a culture of respect.
- Engineers can show people that technology opens the doors to new
Time management and prioritisation Even with extensive planning, the initial stages of a project are often subject to delays – from changes in team members, to funding delays and difficulties organising across countries and continents. However, researchers can anticipate and adapt to changes to keep their project timelines on track. |
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Resilience and adaptability Changes or challenges are an inevitable part of complex research projects. Adaptability and resilience, therefore, can be determining factors of a project’s success. Participants highlighted losing team members, difficult conditions in the field, increasing budget needs, and insufficient data as continuing problems they face, but also offered approaches used to tackle them: |
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Collaboration and networking Working collaboratively can be a highly rewarding process, but it is not without challenges. Navigating interpersonal issues or difficulties is a critical part of getting projects off the ground. Participants explained how they resolved problems in collaborative working: |
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Tools and tips
- Leverage existing networks to find collaborators. For instance, the monthly Frontiers community newsletter can be used to share openings and opportunities in projects.
- Seek out mentors who can help you tackle challenges, access new lines of funding, and connect with potential new collaborators.
- Use online, shared documents or spreadsheets to ensure all team members are on the same page.
- Share progress on social media to help gain visibility for your projects and organisations.
- Use existing platforms and networks for data collection to keep costs low and save time.
- Ensure all team members have the necessary equipment, especially for challenging fieldwork environments.
- Translate complex information for different audiences using visually appealing graphics.
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Resource recommendations
For more insights, tools and tips like the ones in this report, check out all the resources on the Frontiers programme website, including:
- Frontiers event insights
- Lessons from research and innovation at the Frontiers of global development
- Frontiers champions case studies
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For more insights, tools, and tips like the ones in this report, check out all the Frontiers content available in our resources section