At the Centre for IMPACT, our goal is producing robust, policy-relevant evidence to reduce premature deaths and disabilities caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs). But, as any researcher knows, their findings are only as good as the real-world context they capture.
When we began our recent tobacco modelling project—aimed at simulating the health and economic impacts of proposed tobacco tax reform in Pakistan—we knew we could not do it in an academic silo. To build a model that truly reflects reality and influences policy, we needed the people who know these policies and have the knowledge and expertise to help shape them.
That is why we structured our engagement around three distinct stakeholder workshops. For teams looking to learn from our experience, here is an inside look at how we designed these sessions to move from findings to impact.
Our 3-Step Workshop Framework
To keep stakeholders actively engaged without overwhelming them, we spaced our collaboration across the lifecycle of the model’s development:
Workshop 1: Mapping the Problem & Co-Designing the Scope
Rather than presenting a pre-packaged model, we started with a blank canvas, using interactive Zoom Whiteboards. We brought together our stakeholders to define the boundaries of our model, identifying tobacco products of interest, key equity subgroups, and a primary policy scenario.
Workshop 2: Mid-Point Sense Check & Course Correction
A few months later, we returned with a working draft of the conceptual framework. This session was about validation. We presented our preliminary assumptions and structure, asking the experts for input on critical modeling choices and data.
Workshop 3: Translating Findings into Policy
In our final session, we presented the completed model. But, again, this was not simply an information sharing exercise: the stakeholders gave insightful feedback on the results, and provided their expert advice on communicating these results effectively to the policymakers who can take them forward.
Golden Rules for Impactful Stakeholder Engagement
Reflecting on the success of these workshops, we identified five key practices that made the difference between a simple ‘tick box’ exercise and a truly collaborative partnership:
- Invite the Right People, from Day One
Our stakeholder pool was not just made up of academics. We sought advice from partners in Pakistan who know and work with the ‘right people’, and brought together a diverse group of experts in this area, including: Government & Ministry officials; NGOs and advocacy groups; health economists and clinicians.
- Finding the Right Mix of Structure and Open Discussion
Maintaining participant interest and engagement requires interactive workshops. Throughout these sessions, we discovered the importance of striking the right balance between structured, interactive elements—like forms and polls designed for gathering targeted feedback—and unstructured time that allows for free-flowing discussion among attendees.
- Make It Clear & Understandable
Economic modelling can appear incredibly complex to non-economists. To enable our research to be understood by our diverse group, we avoided dense academic jargon and made the science accessible. Whilst there is no getting away from graphs and charts, it’s about sharing clear visuals that make complex data (a little) simpler.
- Don’t Ask If You Don’t Want to Listen
If you ask for feedback, you must be prepared to act on it. Between Workshop 1 and Workshop 2, our stakeholders noted elements that our initial model structure hadn’t fully captured. Because we engaged them early, we were able to refine our parameters, resulting in a more accurate representation of tobacco consumption in Pakistan.
- Translating Findings into Impact
The end goal of our research is always real-world change. We didn’t close the project by handing over a 100-page technical report. Instead, we presented clear, understandable results and how they can be used to inform policy. Policy briefs will accompany our forthcoming academic article, to ensure our research reaches the people that can use our findings to make better-informed policy decisions.
Navigating Challenges
Engaging with stakeholders is incredibly rewarding and is vital to a project’s success. But it is important to acknowledge that there are challenges. It is not easy—there are often bumps along the road. For our team, a significant challenge was low attendance during our final workshop. This provided a valuable lesson: when dealing with policy figures, expect last-minute apologies due to urgent government commitments. The key is maintaining a connection with those who miss the sessions—for example, inviting them to input via surveys or email—and, importantly, providing consistent progress reports to ensure they remain connected throughout the process.
The Big Takeaway
Stakeholders are not just passive recipients of our research; they are co-creators. By involving them early, listening to their advice (and their criticism), and focusing on their contextual realities, we ensure our research does not just sit on a shelf: it can be used to help shape a healthier future in Pakistan, and beyond.
Written by Kath Devlin (UoY, Population Health theme) and Dr Naomi Gibbs (UoY, Population Health theme).
« Transforming Primary Healthcare in Pakistan | From Learning to Leading »
