A Manifesto for Better Research Failure

Abstract

Research failure feels like it only happens to me. But, where are research failures? Everywhere. What are research failures? Anything. Who's had research failures? Everyone.Research failure feels like it only happens to me.To celebrate this IJQM special issue on research failure, we call for better research failure. Research failure that is less stigmatized and stigmatizing. Research failure that is more open, healthier, and, ultimately, improves future research more. From the special issue, you will recognize that research failures come in many forms, happen for many reasons, and justify many various remediation. The only seeming constant is that research failures aren't often discussed or harnessed sufficiently. Missed entirely, spun-away, or cautiously interpreted-the gift of research failures are indeed seldom fully formed or borne (Clark, 2014). We need to, and can, fail better.The papers in the issue raise provocative questions: what do the accounts reveal about research failures and how scholarly communities are seen to navigate these mishaps? What made the failures occur? Where is the learning? As Eckert (2020) captures: do the research failures represent failed research or failed researchers? The following manifesto continues our long-term interest in recognizing and harnessing research failure better (Clark & Thompson, 2013), owning it (Clark & Sousa, 2015 and sharing it for the benefit of ourselves and others (Clark & Sousa, 2018a;, and future research (Clark, 2014). More than anything, when we conceived this special issue, we did not anticipate the sheer bravery that the authors would show. The accounts are courageous and candid; reflective and reflexive. In common, none readily anticipated that aspects of their research would fail. We applaud their efforts to lead the counter-narrative to prevailing research cultures which, from corridor conversations to journals, systemically stigmatize, ignore and waste research failures.

Reflection Labs: A Space for Researcher Reflexivity in Participatory Collaborations

“…The idea of a reflection lab gives researcher subjectivities an explicit, legitimate space in research: a space for critical reflexivity that seeks to learn from the challenges encountered and minimize possible harm while providing ideas on how to move forward. It is a safe space to learn from the difficulties, areas of discomfort and the failures that accompany any learning process and that deserve much greater attention in the research process (Anang et al, 2021; Clark & Sousa, 2020; Fraser et al, 2022; Held, 2020).…”

“…The discussion helped sort out different aspects that coalesced: frustration with our apparent lack of progress while trying to work collaboratively during the coronavirus pandemic; a lack of trust among community partners and between community partners and academic partners; and pressures from the academic system (e.g., the need to conduct research and produce scientific forms of ‘data’). In the aftermath of the reflection lab, the academic partners turned to the literature – reading up on the role of failure, what can be learned from it, and why we need to “fail better” in research (e.g., Clark & Sousa, 2020; Held, 2020). They also turned to the community partners for discussion and advice.…”

Moving on From the Delphi Study: The Development of a Physical Activity Training Programme Prototype Through Co-produced Qualitative Research

“…At this point, we realised about the actual complexity of managing five schedules (three co-interviewers and two busy interview participants per interview). We recovered from this recruiting failure ( Clark & Sousa, 2020 ) by setting another strategy, which consisted of asking all the participants to fill a single doodle. One expert emailed us to express that she changed her mind; she preferred to participate in the next participatory stage of the project, instead of the interview study.…”

Dekolonialisierung des Wissens

“…Solche Handlungs-und Umgangsstrategien mit belastenden und herausfordernden Forschungssituationen sind insofern auch als ethischer Anspruch zu deuten, da die Gestaltung von langfristigen und verantwortungsvollen Forschungsbeziehungen eine kritische Reflexion der eigenen Belastbarkeit und Vulnerabilität der Forschenden im gesamten Forschungsprozess verlangt (u.a. : Clark & Sousa, 2020;Held, 2020;von Unger, Huber, et al, 2022).…”

“…Anhand von Reflexions-und Bewältigungsmöglichkeiten potenzieller und konkreter Krisen innerhalb des gesamten Forschungsprozesses soll dabei der Frage nachgegangen werden, wie die jeweiligen, herausfordernden Erfahrungen für zukünftige, empirische Forschungsprojekte nutzbar gemacht werden können. In diesem Sinne wird in den letzten Jahren insbesondere in den Sozialwissenschaften herausgearbeitet, wie die methodologischen und forschungsethischen Reflexionen im gesamten Forschungsprozess erfolgreich umgesetzt werden können (ausführlicher zu dieser Thematik siehe insbesondere: Bereswill, 2003;Clark & Sousa, 2020;Held, 2020;Reiter, 2021;von Unger, Huber, et al, 2022). Dabei wird die Vulnerabilität der Forschenden wie z.B.…”