Research Consultancy Programme

Earners of this badge have completed the 6-month Code-Switch Research Consultancy Programme, an MBA-style consultancy course for PhD and postdoctoral researchers. During the programme, researchers work in multidisciplinary project teams, combining research expertise with the Code-Switch Consultants (CSC) consultancy method to solve business challenges. The CSC Method combines formal project management and consultancy training with MBA-style project-based experience, focusing on collaborative learning by doing. Earning criteria • Completion of the 6-month Code-Switch Research Consultancy Programme • A minimum of 25 client-facing research consultancy hours • Successful delivery of an end-to-end research consultancy project • Multidisciplinary and collaborative virtual teamworking to achieve results • Eliciting and refining client requirements through consultation • Defining and planning a project: project brief analysis, stakeholder analysis, risk analysis, benefit analysis, product/work breakdown structures and developing a project plan • Managing project delivery: risk and issue management, monitoring and controlling progress, dashboard reporting, relationship management • Formally evaluating and closing a project: handover and acceptance of project products, reviewing and reflecting on performance, and capturing key lessons learned from multiple perspectives • Effective communication with the team and the clients, both orally and in writing, using a range of media as appropriate: video calls, messages, emails, presentations, reports • Producing high-quality reports for a range of purposes and audiences: Project Initiation Documentation, research reports, business reports, project evaluation and closure reports • Using modern digital tools to enhance communication, collaboration, project management and reporting