In healthcare today you are constantly under pressure to deliver solutions to market faster. No one can avoid it, and everyone needs to come up with new ways to contribute to this goal, especially as organizations increasingly prioritize it across all business units. As a good researcher, you naturally want to look to your own process and gather evidence for where there may be lags and opportunities. 

Is your research pipeline slowing down the ability to make decisions? That’s the big question, and an audit of your process helps you uncover the answer. But how you go about doing that audit matters – and we’ve got the essential questions you should ask yourself to uncover what you need to know. 

1. Is there dead time?

At first glance, this might seem like an obvious question, but it’s one that shouldn’t be overlooked. Don’t start with assumptions. Actually look at the processes you are involved in and ask: What is the time between when the insight was discovered and when a stakeholder made a move based on it? How long did it take to go from first hearing about the need in a meeting, to initiating a project, to receiving results? If the answer is longer than you’d want it to be, continuing on with the audit is worthwhile and also helps you focus on problem areas from get-go.  

2. How quickly can decisions be made?

This question follows closely on the heels of the first. Ask yourself honestly: are you able to deliver a recommendation or outcome faster after the conclusion of your research or does it just sit there? If your research isn’t helping decisions get made faster, it’s not doing its job. 

3. What happens if you don’t make any changes?

Understanding the impact on the business if things stay exactly the way they are is essential to making improvements. If you follow the same processes with the same partners, what’s the fiscal cost? How does the current process cause delays in development, launch, or outcomes? These questions aren’t meant to disparage the current process, rather, they drive toward answers that demonstrate the very real value the Insights function brings to your business and illuminate ways to amplify that value. 

4. Where might there be speed traps?

Now we get into the finer details of examining your specific research pipeline. In all likelihood it’s a complex system with multiple opportunities for slowdowns. Look at each piece critically, from data collection to agency procurement to internal coordination, and understand how long they take and why. Are your collection tools outdated or difficult to use? Are you starting from scratch with vendors on every project? Is there bureaucracy causing confusion about the goal of the project? Dig into every phase and unearth the speed bumps. 

5. Is there redundancy in your process? 

Maybe your process works well, but are you covering the same ground every time you begin a new project? Ask yourself what percentage of new research projects are just revalidating foundational insights that were captured in previous studies. How much of your discovery phase is spent relearning things you already know? If it’s any time at all, it’s probably necessary to consider changes to your data access processes rather than the research itself. Letting great research sit untapped is a common problem that can be solved. 

6. What’s essential as opposed to nice-to-have?

You’ve combed through every part of your research process, identified the worst offenders for creating lag and uncovered redundancies. Now, you have to ask yourself, your team, and your stakeholders: what matters the most? Getting very clear on what is essential in helping your company make quick, confident decisions is critical in getting you to market faster. It’s easy to get caught up on bells and whistles, on the potential of AI tools to save you time, on the newest shiny thing. But those aren’t necessarily what you need. This is an area where a collaborative partner like TriVoca Health can really help. Getting an outside perspective that’s informed by industry expertise helps you stay focused on what matters most to your business. 

Whatever you are working on, from a product launch to an indication expansion or anything in between, it’s important to turn a critical eye to how data insights and technology are being applied. Answering these six questions will uncover key areas of opportunity to speed up your research process. From there, it’s just about implementing the changes to reap the benefits. 

If you want help getting those changes in place, we’re always here to help. Leverage our team’s deep expertise and our purpose-built solutions to help at any stage in your research pipeline.