Research, innovation and improvement (RII) skills resource - home

Terms we use in this resource

We sometimes use terms like research, innovation and improvement interchangeably. Here are the definitions that guided our thinking when developing this resource.

Research means gathering new knowledge to address defined questions using systematic and rigorous methods. We use a broad definition of research that includes academic research as well as practice-based research and evaluation.

Evidence is an umbrella term for different forms of knowledge, including research, lived experience, practitioner and organisational knowledge. It means learning about what works well (what’s effective and what’s not effective). It can come from research, from routinely collected service data and from practitioners and organisations. It also draws on the experiences and insights of people who use care and support and their family members and friends.

Innovation is about using fresh knowledge to improve how things are done in a way that’s new to a particular setting, or to social care. Innovation happens in different ways, including small and gradual changes. For example, it can mean making the system easier to work in, changing the way a service is delivered, creating new digital technologies, or introducing new ways to approach practice. Social care practitioners innovate on a daily basis acting on what matters to the people they’re supporting.

Improvement involves incremental and positive change, and looking for different ways to plan, manage and deliver care and support. It’s different from innovation because it includes continuity. This means that new ways of doing things are based on existing models.