Research Associates Programme at the Royal College of Art

Your questions answered

In a nutshell, what is the Research Associates Programme all about?

It offers your organisation the chance to work on a research, development or communication project of your choice with a new design graduate of the Royal College of Art in London. Whether you're a company in industry or in the public or voluntary sector, the Programme provides a platform for practical collaboration by matching your needs with a talented young RCA designer-researcher from an institution with a world-class reputation for creativity and innovation. Each project lasts for one calendar year, running October to October.

How does the Programme work?

Every year innovationRCA creates more than ten paid posts for College graduates to spend an extra year working in their RCA studio departments as Research Associates. These new graduates are teamed with external industry partners, with whom they collaborate closely on projects mutually agreed between the partner and the RCA. The graduates are drawn from a range of design disciplines taught at the RCA - architecture, interiors, furniture, communication, interaction design, product design, vehicle design, industrial design engineering and so on. The programme is managed by the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre.

How are project briefs defined and developed?

All the project briefs relate broadly to socially inclusive design and commercial innovation. Past research project have addressed design for ageing populations, changing patterns of work, mobility for all and innovation in healthcare. Project briefs are developed as a three-way conversation between the external partner, the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre and the host RCA department. Sometimes the external company has an idea or issue it wants to investigate, or an existing research programme it wants to augment. Sometimes the starting point is a student project at MA level that interests the company.

What's in it for the external research partner?

Companies that have joined the Research Associates Programme say that participation:

• enhances your profile as a forward-thinking research partner of the Royal College of Art
• addresses your research & development issues in a way which develops your reputation and sharpens your competitive edge
• creates tangible design outcomes, including new intellectual property, that you can use to the advantage of your organisation
• enables tailored PR and profile-raising events to be structured around your research partnership
• opens up new and surprising creative avenues that can nourish and energise your organisation's design thinking
• enables you to build a relationship with a talented young RCA graduate
• brings membership of a dedicated research consortium within the RCA studio environment and gives access to RCA facilities, methodologies and events
• introduces your company to fellow partners across the Research Associates Programme so you can share ideas with other leading organisations.

How much does it cost?

One Research Associate to work with you for one year costs between UK £18,000 and UK £25,000 depending on the parameters and focus of the project. In all cases there is an InnovationRCA subsidy that enables all the costs of the project - including Research Associate salary, studio costs, publication costs, IT costs, College costs etc - to be met. The result is that the Research Associates Programme offers your company a subsidised design research mechanism at a fraction of the real commercial cost. The sum can be paid in up to four separate tranches to meet the demands of your own budgeting arrangements and financial year.

Who owns the intellectual property rights?

New intellectual property that arises in the course of the project will belong to you, subject to your organisation granting the RCA the rights to publicise and circulate mutually agreed information relating to the project.

What is the track record like?

The Research Associates Programme is tried and trusted. Since it began at the RCA in 1999, we have successfully undertaken more than 50 projects with industry and the voluntary sector. Our research partners include multinational companies GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever, Ford, Orange, Hewlett-Packard, Dyson and Levi Strauss as well as retailers such as Waitrose, MFI and B&Q. Charities like the British Heart Foundation, Peabody Trust, Leonard Cheshire and Audi Design Foundation have participated, as have creative industry firms such as Reid Architecture, IDEO and Fitch. The result of our collaborations is a thriving global network of partner organisations and an alumni network of past Research Associates working in design, industry and education.

What have other partners said about the Programme?

We conduct rigorous post-project evaluation with every partner. Here are some comments:

'We committed to the Research Associates Programme not because it is the politically correct thing to do but because it is the economically sensible thing to do. BAA's business very much depends on a socially inclusive design approach. We couldn't afford not to work with the Research Associates ...'
(Raymond Turner, Group Design Director, BAA plc)

'We got a lot more than we bargained for ... in the best of ways. As we worked with our Research Associates, we became inspired by their, to our minds, new ways of thinking.'
(Dr Viviene Press, Assistant Medical Director, British Heart Foundation)

'The Helen Hamlyn Research Associates really focus on understanding users whose needs might otherwise get overlooked - and that unlocks the door to new business opportunities.'
(Jim Rait, Global Design Centre, Unilever)

'A fantastic job of pursuing the design brief with enthusiasm, creativity and insight'
(Huw Robson, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories)

'The initial findings heavily challenged our preconceptions and assumptions... the resulting concepts and draft designs were some of the best solution-based design the company has seen'
(David Gorman, Marketing Manager, Dams International)

What project outcomes can you point to?

Each project has defined objectives and clear outcomes, captured in a final report, exhibition display and symposium presentation at the RCA each October. Where your study requires mock-ups and prototypes, the RCA's renowned workshops, studios and technicians play a key role. Some of our project successes relate to new products that have been fully developed and reached the shops, such as age-friendly hand tools for B&Q. Others reflect the aim to generate inclusive design guidelines for the sponsoring organisation, as in the case of work for BAA and Unilever. Some projects articulate a future vision to energise creative thinking - for example, we explored city transport in 2030 with Ford. Others investigate ways to exploit new technologies for social and market need - such as a study of paperlike electronic displays with HP Labs. What we offer is a clear standpoint on putting the user experience right at the heart of every project. User research is central to all the Research Associate projects - and the motivation for many of our partners is to get to know their current and future customers better.

Do we get a chance to choose the graduate we will work with?

Certainly. Once a brief is agreed between us, a job spec is written up and the post is advertised within the relevant RCA department. We shortlist applicants and you will have a chance to join an interview panel to be part of the final decision. A good 'fit' between graduate and research partner is essential and we go to great efforts to make sure the chemistry of the collaboration is right. The average age of a new RCA graduate is 28. Nearly all have practice and project experience as well as BA and MA degrees in the relevant design discipline. In recruitment, we look particularly for good communication and research skills. Research Associates are employed as RCA members of staff on a three-days-a-week contract, leaving some time for them to pursue their own practice and carry out other commissions.

How is the Research Associate year organised?

The Programme has been designed in consultation with industry to be time and cost-effective for our partners. In others words, tightly managed by us but low maintenance for you. The year is divided into three phases from 1 October to 1 July, with presentation and dissemination at the end of September:

• Phase 1: Define (October-December)
• Phase 2: Develop (January- March)
• Phase 3: Deliver (April-June)
• July-September: preparation for presentation and dissemination

Partners receive interim written reports after phases 1 and 2 and a final report summarising the entire project at the conclusion of phase 3. Key milestones are agreed at the outset with meetings scheduled to monitor the work and make decisions on its direction. A work in progress seminar after phase 2 and the final show and symposium after phase 3 are staged at the RCA for professional and public audiences.

How are things worked out contractually?

We don't believe in a long legal wrangle. We simply offer you a short Letter of Agreement for signing which sets out the contractual relationship, terms, conditions and outline brief. This Letter of Agreement was developed in consultation with the legal departments of several large companies. You reserve the right to alter the project in writing during its course.

What happens to the project and graduate after the year is over?

You have a number of options. You can extend the project with the existing graduate to a second year (a favoured option among many partners); you can extend the project but bring in a new graduate; you can employ the graduate in your organisation on a consulting or staff basis; or you can simply take the results and assess their value. We can help you evaluate and decide what to do. Many of our former Research Associates continue to enjoy close working relationships with their research partners.

How do you disseminate the results?

We have a work-in-progress seminar at the halfway stage and a full public exhibition and symposium every October. We take dissemination very seriously and we work closely with you on media relationships, conference papers, and other forms of public disclosure. We also have experience of leading workshops to disseminate the results inside your organisation. Equally, however, we respect those aspects of the study that must remain confidential and we are willing to sign binding confidentiality agreements in certain circumstances.

Where can we get more information and see project outcomes?

Two sources are recommended: The Helen Hamlyn Research Centre website: http://www.hhrc.rca.ac.uk/programmes/ra/index.html

A special Design Council inclusive design resource with 12 case studies based on Research Associate projects http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/inclusivedesignresource/

Who do we contact?

Jeremy Myerson
Professor of Design Studies
Director, InnovationRCA
Co-director, Helen Hamlyn Research Centre
+44 (0)207 590 4249
innovation@rca.ac.uk

or:

Rama Gheerawo
Programme Leader, Research Associates RCA
+44 (0)207 590 4242
innovation@rca.ac.uk