Every research project we undertake has real measurable impact for the clients and communities we serve.
Our Research-to-Practice service model is built to produce rich insights quickly, through collaborative, versatile, and iterative design. We always test and validate our learnings and approaches with leaders, organizations, and end users.
Challenge Factory projects solve specific problems and produce actionable recommendations. Our focus is on people-driven solutions, not technology implementations.
Case study
Centre for Social Innovation advances strategic planning with Challenge Factory’s data solutions
Case Study
Client testimonials
“Challenge Factory refuses to stay within the prescribed limits of how things are normally done. Research agencies normally have, for example, a division that focuses on helping individuals, and another for helping governments, and another for DEI, and so on. But Lisa and her team connect the dots between those various groups, niche problems, and broader societal issues. They know that what’s pertinent to individual labor challenges isn’t unrelated to what government strategies are. And that those aren’t unrelated to private sector frictions or community capacity.”
“I’m so excited by what Challenge Factory has done for CSI. We asked you to interpret and analyze a 900-page printout! It was a monster. But the way you delivered on it was genius. You were able to weave together narratives of different characters and build stories of how all these [personas] use CSI in their work. And the data and findings are layered on top of that. It gives people a really beautiful way of getting grounded in the practical.”
“Challenge Factory brings intelligence and new thinking to every initiative. Their enthusiasm and energy creates momentum and their attention to project management sustains it. A team you can count on.”
“I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you all for the exceptional work on this supported employment research. Your rigorous and methodical approach has brought to light key challenges in the sector, including the lack of data on professionals, regional inconsistencies in service models, and accessibility barriers for minorities and various groups. The well-structured analysis and clear recommendations provide valuable insights that will help guide future actions and discussions. These findings serve as a strong foundation that we can build moving forward. Great job and thank you again for your dedication! I look forward to collaborating on initiatives that we can work on together soon.”
“Challenge Factory was competitively selected to lead “Hidden Sector, Hidden Talent: Mapping Canada’s Career Development Sector”—a comprehensive research initiative to determine who provides career services across Canada. Lisa Taylor and her team approached this work with clear purpose and strong commitment in addressing a critical knowledge gap. The collaboration proved highly productive, yielding a uniquely actionable study that mapped the landscape for the first time, revealing an estimated 40,000 to 60,000 professionals working in the field.
Through multiple successful partnerships with CERIC, Challenge Factory has consistently demonstrated deep subject matter expertise, strategic clarity, excellent communication, innovative knowledge mobilization, and reliable delivery within agreed timelines and budgets. Their ability to meaningfully engage diverse interest holders ensures both relevance and wide adoption of findings. The study’s Sector Scoping Model—which defines 10 distinct organizational types and 15 personas—provides the field with its first framework for understanding scale, diversity, and complex interconnections.
This evidence-based foundation equips leaders with tools needed to engage policymakers, funders, and educators with greater knowledge and confidence. By making visible what was previously hidden, this research creates lasting value extending well beyond initial publication. It serves as a catalyst for advancing Canada’s career development ecosystem, exemplifying the professionalism and vision that Challenge Factory brings to every engagement.”