Our approach works because it treats research translation as more art than science.
Our methods tap into the rich, diverse heritage of insights from scholarship in the humanities, including ancient teaching on rhetoric (the art of persuasion) as well as contemporary literary theory, narrative studies, sociolinguistics, learning theory, media studies, and scholarship on teaching and learning (SOTL).
Whether we’re collaborating on training, coaching, or content creation
(or a combination of these), we ground our work in five key principles:
Engagement first
Yes, your audience has a lot to learn. But before they’re ready to learn, they must first be convinced to care about what you have to say.
Precise language
Choosing the right words demands as much accuracy as conducting a scientific study. Phrasing finely tuned to your audience can make the difference between a communication product that falls flat and one that gets people leaning in and saying, “Tell me more!”
Story power
A memorable story is more than an example or a series of events with a punchline or “lesson learned.” Stories that move people connect with the audience at a deep level, provide just enough detail to seem real, and relate to people through the storytelling as well as the plot.
Stepping stones
You have big ambitions for your research, but you won’t achieve them all with a single communication product. Each product you create should guide your audience along a chain of learning, leading them deeper and deeper into the depths of your research.
Smart collaboration
Your team has creative strengths just waiting to be leveraged. (One researcher we know learned that a grant writer in their institution also wrote plays, and a KMb drama was the result.) In some situations, you may also need to supplement those abilities with input from creative professionals.
“Clarity Connect offers practical, personalized training services. Dawn's approach makes it easy to translate research into bite-sized bits of information for different audiences. In the world of research, it can be challenging when we work every day in our area of expertise. With Dawn's help researchers are able to put their new skills into immediate action. We chose Clarity Connect to support the great research ecosystem here in New Brunswick and support our world-class researchers.”
Patricia Seaman, New Brunswick Health Research Foundation
How Do You Get Started?
Check out the free learning events that we host each month.
Sign up for our monthly events newsletter!
Wondering where our key principles come from? Meet our Founder, Dr. Dawn Henwood.