Yes We Can! Interactive Stories of Digital Technology and Social Change

We are investigating and creating innovative ways of telling the story of Catalyst and its impact by using interactive video techniques. We are bringing existing video footage of Catalyst projects together in a viewer-led narrative: viewers could start with a video and then click on different parts of the video, which would lead them to discover further information about the research process, the stakeholders involved, up-to-date information on the impact of the projects, or would lead to further video footage related to the clicked link.

The central premise and intrigue is that film already acts as a potent tool for the dissemination of impact, However, film is necessarily static and linear. This forms a strong baseline which we can develop into new dimensions. If project content could be explored and queried dynamically. If it was realized as a navigable 'environment' for exploration both by the projects' audience but also amongst its' participants then it could remain a powerful means of propagating impact. By acting as a social boundary object to communicate outwardly but also facilitate communication within the project. A 'dynamic information environment' would be a powerful means of propagating the impact of research.

The easiest way to think of this concept is to think of the 'adventure books' we all read as children, which contained passages such as "You encounter an orc. If you decide to fight the orc, turn to page 74. If you decide to reason with the orc, turn to page 36". In a similar way, we imagine a video platform, using available technology, that would allow viewers to construct their own journeys through the Catalyst story. This would create an interactive, engaging and exciting way to explore the impact of Catalyst. But it would also serve as an exemplar for how to communicate impact of EPSRC-funded research projects.

We envisage the prime output to be an interactive video supported by novel dissemination methods.

Firstly, OURUS (Robert Potts and Daniel Morrell) will work directly with specific communities involved in each Catalyst project to best capture attitudes and emotions (highlights and turning points) to present multiple stories of the research. The emphasis will be on capturing the multiple facets of any research project: each participant brings his/her own perspective to the story.

OURUS will lead on creating an overall methodology, a vision, and craft documentary films to do this. Specifically this will involve training teams in the use of camera, video and story construction; utilizing different media to generate audience driven tales; and creating 'daily' impact diaries. Participants will be drawn from those directly involved in the Catalyst community, and following our practice encouraging 'citizen innovation', each will determine their own priorities, being encouraged to collect and share stories in untraditional and creative ways. The result will be a combination of existing and new Catalyst footage that viewers can weave together to create their own stories of the impact of Catalyst in the 'adventure book' style described above.

Our dissemination practices will be animated through the interactive video accompanied by an evolving exhibition. This exhibition will take multiple shapes in the form of 'Catalyst Tardis'. The 'Catalyst Tardis' will showcase and outline stories from the 'adventure book' style above, and metaphorically catapult itself outwards to inspire user involvement and interaction. The 'Tardis' will present itself as a creative environment to generate profile and enable high volume participation at external events eg. seminars, conferences, festivals, and street markets.

Further evidence of impact can be seen below:

#Pat was presented as part of an invited talk at Cambridge Computer Lab; the audience included a Founder of the Raspberry Pi Foundation (#Pat used the Raspberry Pi in an innovative way). As a result of this, the Catalyst team were asked to provide an article for the Raspberry Pi website.

Catalyst has been directly involved in, and made significant contributions to 23 public events outside of Lancaster University. Examples include invited demonstrations at Manchester Science Festival, the Future Everything Festival, the NHS Think-Tech Event, and Fueling Manchester. These have impacted hundreds of members of the general public and have also had significant press coverage, e.g., in the Big Issue magazine.

The Catalyst model of innovation is itself innovative. We have published widely on this partnership model both in academic and non-academic publications. We expect that, in time, it will lead organisations and academics to adopt new approaches to their working practice, and will lead the way in helping Universities to achieve impact in their local and regional communities. We have targeted dissemination of these results at public engagement forums such as events held by the National Coordinating Center for Public Engagement.

We feel that Catalyst could act as an exemplar for future projects looking to define pathways to impact. It has a number of key ingredients necessary for this: (1) consideration of impact from the very start; (2) an accounting process for measuring impact including an internal impact register and an independent external impact evaluation; (3) a clearly defined Impact Strategy from day one, which all members of staff were signed up to; (4) a model for forming partnerships with social enterprises, small businesses, and those outside the academic community which is mutually beneficial for all parties.