Shruthi Venkatesh, University of Michigan
Elizabeth LaPensee, University of Michigan
Betsy Rolland, University of Michigan
Introduction
Team Science is an essential element of Clinical and Translational Research (CTR), and a Translational Science Principle key for generating innovation. As Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) hubs work to improve the practice of CTR, they are seeking evidence-based interventions from the field of the Science of Team Science to make teamwork more impactful. To our knowledge, this is the first project to test team-based interventions across multiple CTSA hubs.
Methods
Two evidence-informed Team Science interventions were offered to CTSA hubs for implementation and evaluation: Collaboration Planning (CP) and Ideation Jams (IJs). Thirteen CTSAs signed up to implement CP; 12 implemented at least one session by the end of the project. Four CTSAs signed up to implement IJs; all four implemented at least one session. Implementers, CTSA-based Team Science leaders, received training in intervention delivery, including an approximately 3-hour training and a package of materials to support their implementation. We collected pre-implementation survey data on feasibility and usability of the interventions, as well as post-implementation data to capture implementers' experience in delivering the interventions. Further, participants in CP and IJ sessions were surveyed about their experience, adding to the evidence base for effectiveness of the interventions.
Results
Implementers found the interventions both feasible and usable, while sharing challenges they encountered in implementation at their local CTSA. Key challenges included limited buy-in from leadership and teams and the need for better marketing about the benefits of participation to increase uptake. Scheduling busy researchers was also a challenge. Implementers noted that the interventions aligned with their CTSA's Team Science goals and would help them provide additional support to CTR teams. CP session participants reported increases in understanding about their team processes and overwhelmingly found the intervention to be both valuable and useful.
Suggested improvements included longer, more personalized sessions. IJ participants agreed that sessions were helpful in surfacing shared ideas and requested additional resources to move the work forward post-session. These data align with previous evaluation data for both CP and IJ sessions facilitated by the original intervention developers, providing support for our ability to package and disseminate interventions that facilitate collaboration.
Discussion and Significance
Team Science interventions that are evidence-based, accessible, and easy to implement can provide science teams with strategies that improve the conduct of research, while also serving the needs of Team Science leaders in facilitating more efficient and effective Team Science at their institutions. Our data show the feasibility of implementing such packaged, off-the-shelf interventions by providing a modest amount of training and support in delivering team-based interventions.