The ECOUTER methodology for stakeholder engagement in translational research

Murtagh, M. , Minion, J. T., Turner, A., Wilson, R. C., Blell, M., Ochieng, C., Murtagh, B., Roberts, S., Butters, O. W. and Burton, P. R. (2017) The ECOUTER methodology for stakeholder engagement in translational research. BMC Medical Ethics, 18, 24. (doi: 10.1186/s12910-017-0167-z) (PMID:28376776) (PMCID:PMC5379503)

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Abstract

Background: Because no single person or group holds knowledge about all aspects of research, mechanisms are needed to support knowledge exchange and engagement. Expertise in the research setting necessarily includes scientific and methodological expertise, but also expertise gained through the experience of participating in research and/or being a recipient of research outcomes (as a patient or member of the public). Engagement is, by its nature, reciprocal and relational: the process of engaging research participants, patients, citizens and others (the many ‘publics’ of engagement) brings them closer to the research but also brings the research closer to them. When translating research into practice, engaging the public and other stakeholders is explicitly intended to make the outcomes of translation relevant to its constituency of users. Methods: In practice, engagement faces numerous challenges and is often time-consuming, expensive and ‘thorny’ work. We explore the epistemic and ontological considerations and implications of four common critiques of engagement methodologies that contest: representativeness, communication and articulation, impacts and outcome, and democracy. The ECOUTER (Employing COnceptUal schema for policy and Translation Engagement in Research) methodology addresses problems of representation and epistemic foundationalism using a methodology that asks, “How could it be otherwise?” ECOUTER affords the possibility of engagement where spatial and temporal constraints are present, relying on saturation as a method of ‘keeping open’ the possible considerations that might emerge and including reflexive use of qualitative analytic methods. Results: This paper describes the ECOUTER process, focusing on one worked example and detailing lessons learned from four other pilots. ECOUTER uses mind-mapping techniques to ‘open up’ engagement, iteratively and organically. ECOUTER aims to balance the breadth, accessibility and user-determination of the scope of engagement. An ECOUTER exercise comprises four stages: (1) engagement and knowledge exchange; (2) analysis of mindmap contributions; (3) development of a conceptual schema (i.e. a map of concepts and their relationship); and (4) feedback, refinement and development of recommendations. Conclusion: ECOUTER refuses fixed truths but also refuses a fixed nature. Its promise lies in its flexibility, adaptability and openness. ECOUTER will be formed and re-formed by the needs and creativity of those who use it.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:Funding: The research leading to these results was supported by the Biobank Standardisation and Harmonisation for Research Excellence in the European Union (BioSHaRE-EU) program which received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no 261433. D2K is also supported by BBMRI-LPC (Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure-Large Prospective Cohorts) programme [EU FP7 - 313010], the Welsh and Scottish Farr Institutes, MRC funded E-Health Informatics Research Centres (EHIRCs) [MR/K006525/1; MR/ K007017/1] and the MRC, ESRC and Wellcome Trust funded METADAC (Managing Ethico-social, Technical issues and Administration Data Access Committee) project [MR/N01104X/1].
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Murtagh, Professor Madeleine
Authors: Murtagh, M., Minion, J. T., Turner, A., Wilson, R. C., Blell, M., Ochieng, C., Murtagh, B., Roberts, S., Butters, O. W., and Burton, P. R.
College/School:College of Social Sciences
Journal Name:BMC Medical Ethics
Publisher:BMC
ISSN:1472-6939
ISSN (Online):1472-6939
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in BMC Medical Ethics 18:24
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence

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