Research

Our research-to-practice model

We believe that research is most valuable when it’s directly tied to outcomes that have defined and measurable impact.

Our research-to-practice model ensures that every research project we undertake has real impact—rather than simply being shelved after completion—for our clients and the people, organizations, and communities we serve.

Research-to-practice means advancing projects that solve practical problems. We always test and validate our learnings and approaches with leaders, organizations, and end users.

Research-to-practice means building rich and rapid insights through collaborative, versatile, and iterative design. We know that research can sometimes feel too theoretical or open-ended. Our approach is purpose-driven to get you the insights you need within the timelines you need. 

Research-to-practice means the work isn’t done when analysis is completed. We always use the outcomes of our research to recommend and/or inform future decision-making, business needs and strategy, follow-on research areas, and program development.

We don’t only help our clients do better research. We also make sure that research answers the “why this matters” and “what this means” questions for you.

Evaluation services

As a Certified B Corporation, we know the importance of measuring impact. When it comes to topics related to the Future of Work, it can often feel like measures and metrics are difficult to come by and traditional approaches to understanding the field or market don’t apply. 

Our evaluation services are designed to ensure your project, program, study, or community initiative can be measured in ways that inform better practice.

We undertake environmental scans and market analysis that examine not only what’s been learned or done in the past, but also what you need to know to guarantee your research outputs, learning, and thought leadership stand up over time.

We integrate program evaluation into every research project we do, as well as build customized strategies and tools for clients who need someone else to do program evaluation for them.

Case studies:

• Hidden talent pools: How Challenge Factory works to address labour and skills shortages in Canada
• Community engagement and program management: How Challenge Factory creates space for community engagement and innovation across sectors

The beauty of overlaps and filling gaps

Challenge Factory applies a reusable, resilient, and flexible blueprint to all our work that draws on three lenses: lifelong career development, Future of Work, and revolutionary change.

We look at how research can be advanced that better uses, advances, and integrates the knowledge of each lens, as well as how the overlaps between the lenses can be leveraged to produce richer insights, deeper knowledge, and longer lasting impact.

Each of the three lenses are evolving rapidly, with new research and tools being developed and their respective bodies of knowledge expanding every day. By drawing on all three and moving into their overlaps, we build the principle and practice of continuous improvement into both our project management and the research outcomes that we co-create with our clients.

Learn more:

• “The Talent Revolution Blueprint: A primer“
• “Case study: Putting the Talent Revolution Blueprint to work“