Getting From Data to Action: Lessons Learned From a Youth Sector Research Collaborative

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Systems-Level and Cross-Sector Data Use Practices

Abstract

This paper analyzes three cross-agency research-practice collaboratives as they articulate and execute a research agenda to develop coherent, data-informed strategies for improvement. As the research partner, our focus is to use data to promote continuous improvement across the youth sector. We describe the challenges and opportunities faced by actors from diverse organizations who coalesce around a shared problem, agree on a research agenda, contribute data for analysis, generate insights, and take action based on a holistic understanding of youth experiences in multiple contexts. We emphasize the role of academic researchers in building trust among partners, helping define the problem of practice, leading and executing disciplined inquiry, and synthesizing actionable results.

Authors

• Erica Messner, Stanford University

• Hadar Baharav, Stanford University